Water Tower Brežice

project location / Brezice / Slovenia / Europe
completion Year / (1914) 2022-2023 (Visitors Center)
project / 2019 - 2021
brutto area / 477,1 m2
investor / Municipality of Brežice
photo / Katarina Kovačič

AWARDS:
2023 Stele Award - Slovensko konservatorsko društvo
2024 OHS Award - Festival Odprte hiše Slovenije (OHS) part of "Open House Europe"
2024 Honorable Valvasor Award - Slovensko muzejsko društvo The water tower, a symbol of Brežice, was built in 1914 for the needs of the city water supply. It represents the only water tower in Slovenia, with a height of 46 meters, which is fully accessible to visitors and testifies to an innovative method of water supply in flat areas at the beginning of the 20th century.
Renovation has been carried out, transforming it into a viewpoint, with 8 floors, serving the presentation of cultural and technical heritage. The building is under monument protection. Static reinforcement, restoration of individual parts, reconstruction, installation of an internal elevator, and new exterior landscaping have been undertaken. 
Adjacent to the water tower, on the southern neighboring land, a visitor center has been arranged, serving new tower-related activities (a café with an information point for ticket sales, a souvenir shop, including visitor restrooms and employee facilities). The building is part of the existing protective city wall, so during the reconstruction, the entire eastern wall and the outline of the existing residential house were preserved.
The municipality received this year's honorable Valvasor Award from the Slovenian Museum Association for the renovation and arrangement of the nearby visitor center, and the public voted it for the OHS award in the category of public, social, and business projects. In 2023, the municipality also received the Stele Award from the Slovenian Conservators Association for the project.