Slovenia’s largest commercial building opens in Ljubljana

A new 36,000-square-metre office complex next to Ljubljana's main railway station has opened, adding a major new commercial building to an area of the city undergoing rapid redevelopment.

Developed by the Slovak company Corwin, Vilharia is the largest commercial building in Ljubljana and will eventually accommodate about 3,000 people, CE Report quotes The Slovenia Times.

About 90% of its office space has already been leased, with Italian insurer Generali the first tenant to move in on 1 October.

The five-storey building was designed by Danish architectural studio Schmidt Hammer Lassen. Construction began in 2023.

Its office floors are modular, allowing companies to configure their workplaces in different ways.

Tenants include Generali, the EU Agency for the Cooperation of Energy Regulators (ACER), SAP, Delavska Hranilnica bank and LeitnerLeitner. About 10% of the office space remains available.

The ground floor facing Vilharjeva Road is due to open next year, with a café, supermarket, restaurant and a hairdresser planned.

Vilharia is the first office building in Slovenia to receive a LEED Platinum certificate, according to Corwin. The project was also designed according to the principles of the EU taxonomy, with measures covering energy efficiency, water management, biodiversity, sustainable mobility and indoor environmental quality.

Large window surfaces and high ceilings allow natural light to penetrate deep into the offices, while the design enables natural ventilation. The more than 2,000-square-metre roof combines green areas with spaces for work, meetings, exercise and relaxation.

The building also has a large bicycle storage area with direct access to the railway station underpass.

Vilharia is part of a broader development of a once delapidated area around the central train station. Several additional buildings are currently under construction there and the station itself is in the midst of a massive upgrade.

Corwin has emerged as a key player on the Slovenian property market in recent years. It has completed several residential projects and is planning three more, including a 23-storey residential tower designed by Norwegian studio Snøhetta with 295 apartments.

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