ROG CENTRE: EVOLUTION OF A PUBLIC MULTIDISCIPLINARY HUB IN THE HEART OF LJUBLJANA

The Rog Centre is a new multidisciplinary hub that is being created by the City of Ljubljana in a former bicycle factory in the centre of the city.

The process of creating this new public facility has been both dynamic and lengthy, innovative and complex, positive and occasionally frustrating. RogLab is playing a major part in this. RogLab, set up about ten years ago, and led by cultural manager Meta Štular ever since, this manufacturing lab by the Ljubljanica River is acting as the pilot for the future Rog Centre; and in 2018 it received the prestigious Eurocities Award for the development model it created for the project.

Since 2010, over 6000 users and stakeholders have been involved in the development of the new Rog Centre, whether through research, focus groups, or the testing of prototype programmes. Using the data generated by this involvement, the City of Ljubljana continuously revised its vision and design for the project. In 2019, these revised plans were re-submitted to stakeholders, who reviewed and added to them before finally approving them.

With its modern infrastructure, in-house expertise and international connections, the Rog Centre will provide makers, organisations, businesses and the general public with a supportive environment for the development of innovative, socially beneficial projects that meet the challenges of the 21st century.

We are pleased to present a new brochure giving a comprehensive overview of the original idea, the aims of the project, and the methods used in the development process.

Office

General Manager: Meta Štular - Programme, Partnerships; meta.stular@mgml.si

Producer: Nika Perne (on sick leave) - Program coordination, International cooperation, Public relations; nika@roglab.si

Coordinator: Lucija Jankovec - coordination; lucija@roglab.si

Workshop

Fab Manager, Mentor: Tomo Per - 3D Printing, Laser Cutting, 3D Modelling; delavnica@roglab.si

Mentor, FabBox Coordinator: Staš Vrenko - Electronics, 3D Printing, Laser Cutting, Art; stas@roglab.si

Mentor, Saturday Workshops Coordinator: Ivana Osećanski Despić - Electronics, 3D Printing, Laser Cutting, CNC Miling; ivana@roglab.si

Mentor: Zelimkhan Suleymanov - CNC Milling, Laser Cutting, 3D Printing, 3D Modelling, Architecture; zelim@roglab.si

Technician: François Friderich - Development of production processes; francois@roglab.si

RogLab is a creative hub established in 2012 as part of the Museum and Galleries of Ljubljana (MGML). Slovenia’s first maker lab, it gives creators of all ages access to production tools and encourages the innovative use of maker technologies.

Besides organising trainings for the independent use of our equipment, various courses and workshops for both children and adults alike, we produce creative projects responding to the challenges of today’s society and the urban environment, while broadening the scope of our programme through a network of partner institutions.

In 2018, RogLab received the prestigious EUROCITIES Innovation award; after receiving the award, the head of RogLab Meta Štular said:

»…RogLab is a model of an integrative organisation trying to react to the needs of creators who are facing the challenges of globalisation, digitalisation and rapid technological development. It is an interdisciplinary space with joint projects which can bring together comic book authors and electrical engineers, fashion designers and new movement‑impaired fashion enthusiasts, children and urban planners, lacemakers and millennials«

Full interview you can find following the LINK.