Last week a part of CGS Labs team visited the exhibition in Cukrarna. This monument-protected building is located in the centre of Ljubljana and has an interesting history, which has not been fully explored yet.

The building was first built in 1829 as a sugar refinery (cukrarna). It developed very quickly and it became the biggest sugar factory by the mid-19th century in the Austro-Hungarian empire. Unfortunately, in 1858, it all ended tragically, as the building was destroyed by fire.

The owner then renovated the building, but only that much that he was able to rent it out. Living conditions were very bad. In one room lived several people, who shared a common bathroom. Cukrarna then became the synonym for poverty.

However, since many Slovenian poets lived in Cukrarna, the building has an important history, so the City of Ljubljana decided to renovate the building. They preserved the original exterior construction and appearance of the roof and inserted a steel structure inside to support four gallery spaces. Today, Cukrarna is not only famous for its history but has also become an interesting architectural achievement.