Cultural Centre of European Space Technologies (KSEVT)

The building designed by four architectural bureaus which established the Architectural Union for Vitanje (AZZV): Bevk Perović Arhitekti, Dekleva Gregorič Arhitekti, Ofis Arhitekti and SADAR + VUGA Architects, 2012 Cultural Centre of European Space Technologies KSEVT

The Cultural Centre of European Space Technologies (KSEVT) engages in the research and development of the Slovenian Cultural Space programme.

For the first 5 years, the centre ran its programmes in the newly-constructed building in Vitanje. The KSEVT's programme was based on the concept of the culturisation of outer space, introduced by Dragan Živadinov, Dunja Zupančič and Miha Turšič within the Delak Institute. In 2014, the KSEVT team represented Slovenia at the Architecture Biennale in Venice with the project The Problem of Space Travel – Supre:architecture.

Since 2017, the KSEVT programme continues at other locations in Slovenia and Europe.

Architecture/Design

The project "Integrated Revitalisation of the Vitanje House of Culture into KSEVT" received funds in 2009 through the Development Investing in Public Cultural Infrastructure programme, run by the Ministry of Culture.

The building design is the work of four architectural bureaus which established the Architectural Union for Vitanje (AZZV): Bevk Perović Arhitekti, Dekleva Gregorič Arhitekti, Ofis Arhitekti and SADAR + VUGA Architects. The fascinating building of 2500 m² is inspired by Herman Potočnik's plan for the first geostationary space station from 1928.

Cultural Centre of European Space Technologies (KSEVT), a space for the synthesis of art and science focused on the post-gravity art, Vitanje, 2012. Since 2017 the programme is run by Herman Potočnik Noordung Space Center.

The ground level includes the Vitanje Library and a multi-purpose circular hall with 300 seats. The first floor with research facilities was dedicated to the KSEVT programme.

The building designed by four architectural bureaus which established the Architectural Union for Vitanje (AZZV): Bevk Perović Arhitekti, Dekleva Gregorič Arhitekti, Ofis Arhitekti and SADAR + VUGA Architects, 2012

Programme in Vitanje (2012–2016)

Exhibitions

The permanent exhibition Herman Potočnik Noordung: 100 Monumental Influences (authors: Miha Turšič and Dragan Živadinov) is based on 100 of Herman Potočnik Noordung's drawings, used in his book The Problem of Space Travel – The Rocket Motor. The display covers Potočnik's life and time, early rocket technologies, space architecture, the usage of the Earth orbits, space wear, the Treasures of Modernity collection, and, last but not least – Slovenia in space.

A replica of Sputnik 1, the first artificial satellite in the world to be put into outer space, part of the permanent exhibition at the Cultural Centre of European Space Technologies (KSEVT), 2012

Next to the permanent exhibition, in October 2013, the exhibition VOYAGER/DR. MAVRETIČ was set up by its authors Miha Turšič, Dragan Živadinov and Dill Hunley. The exhibition presents the work of Dr Anton Mavretič and the space probe Voyager. On the occasion, Mavretič donated his archive to the National and University Library. In November 2014, the exhibition Spectral Modulator by Edvard Zajec, a Trieste-born Slovenian and one of the world pioneers in computer art, opened for the wider public. Zajec had conceived the Spectral Modulator some decades ago, and now finally found the right team of people and the resources to set it up.

In September 2015, the international symposium Out of the Cradle '15 / Habiton in Vitanje encompassed presentations of the first art satellite in orbit (Artsat1: Invader) and lectures by international guests, among them Dr Yuri Baturin. Matters of Gravity, an exhibition of a group of 9 artists and 1 scientist from Mexico, was on view until 3 January 2016.

Afterwards, the temporary exhibition entitled The Slovenian Space Academy presented the collaborative projects between the Slovenian organisations and the European Space Agency (ESA).

International cooperation

On the regional level, KSEVT generates connections between Trieste, Italy (liaising it with the Trieste Constructivist Ambient from 1927); Pula, Croatia (Potočnik's birth town); and Graz, Austria. KSEVT already cooperates with the Russian State Museum in St Petersburg and the National Air and Space Museum in Washington D.C.

In 2011, the centre prepared the Memorandum on the Culturalisation of Outer Space which the Slovene President Danilo Türk presented to the Russian President Dmitry Medvedev as a new dimension of cooperation between Slovenia and Russia. The document foresees the first (professional) artist human spaceflight, presumably occupied by the Slovenian prima ballerina Mateja Rebolj, who has also collaborated with Dragan Živadinov in the Noordung Cosmokinetic Cabinet.

At the 14th International Venice Biennale Architecture Exhibition in 2014, the exhibition at the Pavilion of Slovenia (Arsenale) was curated by the Cultural Centre of European Space Technologies (KSEVT). The project delved into the fundamentals of architecture through the opus of the pioneer of space architecture, Herman Potočnik Noordung.

From 30 September to 4 October 2015, at KSEVT Vitanje, an exhibition entitled The Slovenian Space Academy presented the collaborative projects between Slovenian organisations and the European Space Agency (ESA). Vitanje in Space: Sunita, an art documentary, which addresses the problem of living in space through the eye of science and art, was premiered on the occasion.

Background

Initially, the Cultural Centre of European Space Technologies (KSEVT) was founded by Miha Turšič, Dragan Živadinov, the Municipality of Vitanje, Delak Institute and Planit Institute.

From 30 September till 16 October 2015, Miha Turšič, KSEVT's co-founder and acting director, was on a hunger strike with a plea to the Government of Slovenia to reconsider the status of KSEVT, and the role of arts and culture as development agents, respectively. He demanded also a raise of the budget for culture to 2% of the Slovenian Government Budget. The hunger strike took place in the reconstruction of the Trieste Constructivist Cabinet at the Moderna galerija (MG). The strike's archive is available on the blog J'Accuse ...! (see external links). In December 2015, Miha Turšič resigned from his position as KSEVT Director.

In March 2017, the Ministry of Economic Development and Technology became a co-funder of the Center, matching the funds of the Ministry of Culture and the Municipality of Vitanje. With the new direction of the new institution K-SEVT or the Herman Potočnik Noordung Space Center alias the Nordung Centre, the programme has undergone significant changes, its programme focused on technology and tourism, respectively.

Since 2017, the programme and activities in the building in Vitanje are no longer related to the Cultural Centre of European Space Technologies (KSEVT) programme.

External links

Habiton, Out of the Cradle symposium programme
J'Accuse …! blog, an archive on the KSEVT’s cofounder Miha Turšič's hunger strike, October 2015

International projects

Venice The catalogue of The Problem of Space Travel – Supre: Architecture project presented at the 14th International Venice Biennale Architecture Exhibition

Dušan Petrač who worked at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, presents KSEVT

Architecture

General information

Gallery

The building designed by four architectural bureaus which established the Architectural Union for Vitanje (AZZV): Bevk Perović Arhitekti, Dekleva Gregorič Arhitekti, Ofis Arhitekti and SADAR + VUGA Architects, 2012

Hermann Noordung depiction of a space station habitat wheel. Hermann Potocnik (1892-1929), also known as Herman Noordung, created the first detailed technical drawings of a space station, 1929

Hermann Noordung image depicts a three-unit space station as seen from a space ship. The three units were the habitat, the machine room, and the observatory, each connected by an umbilical, 1929

Hermann Noordung space station. Treppenschacht=Stairwey. Aufzug=Elevator. Aufzugschacht=Elevator shaft. Achskörper=Axle, 1929

Cod.Act’s sound kinetic installation Cycloid-E, on view at the Cultural Centre of European Space Technologies (KSEVT), 2012

The Cultural Centre of European Space Technologies (KSEVT) building design is the work of four architectural bureaus which established the Architectural Union for Vitanje (AZZV): Bevk Perović Arhitekti, Dekleva Gregorič Arhitekti, Ofis Arhitekti, and SADAR + VUGA Architects.

Cultural Centre of European Space Technologies (KSEVT), described by its founders also as "a living room of Vitanje inhabitants", 2012

The Cultural Centre of European Space Technologies (KSEVT) was founded by Miha Turšič, Dragan Živadinov (Delak Institute), Municipality of Vitanje, Delak Institute and Planit Institute. A space for the synthesis of art and science focused on the post-gravity art was opened in Vitanje in 2012.

Cultural Centre of European Space Technologies (KSEVT), a space for the synthesis of art and science focused on the post-gravity art, Vitanje, 2012

The upper floor of the Cultural Centre of European Space Technologies (KSEVT), Vitanje, 2012

The interior detail of the Cultural Centre of European Space Technologies (KSEVT), Vitanje, 2012

View from the upper floor of the building in Vitanje.

View from the upper floor of the Cultural Centre of European Space Technologies (KSEVT), Vitanje, 2012

The upper floor of the Cultural Centre of European Space Technologies (KSEVT), Vitanje, 2012

Herman Potočnik's biographic map, part of the permanent exhibition entitled Herman Potočnik Noordung: 100 Monumental Influences, Vitanje, 2012

Permanent exhibition entitled Herman Potočnik Noordung: 100 Monumental Influences in Vitanje, 2012

A replica of Sputnik 1, the first artificial satellite in the world to be put into outer space, part of the permanent exhibition at the Cultural Centre of European Space Technologies (KSEVT), 2012

The roof of the Cultural Centre of European Space Technologies (KSEVT), Vitanje, 2012

Spacesuits, part of the permanent exhibition entitled Herman Potočnik Noordung: 100 Monumental Influences at the Cultural Centre of European Space Technologies (KSEVT), 2012

One of the study rooms at the Cultural Centre of European Space Technologies (KSEVT), Vitanje, 2012

The building design is the work of four architectural bureaus which established the Architectural Union for Vitanje (AZZV), the fascinating building of 2500 m² is inspired by Herman Potočnik's plan for the first geostationary space station from 1928. Vitanje, 2012

Dragan Živadinov, Slovenian theatre director, founder of the Noordung Cosmokinetic Cabinet and co-founder of the Cultural Centre of European Space Technologies (KSEVT). Vitanje, 2012.

Herman Potočnik Noordung (1892–1929) was an engineer in the Austrian army who wrote an early work on spaceflight and created the first detailed technical drawings of a space station.

Miha Turšič co-founder of the Cultural Centre of European Space Technologies (KSEVT), Vitanje, 2012

Cultural Centre of European Space Technologies (KSEVT)

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