In September 2018 the Draw the Coast event took place along the former coastal road between Koper and Izola. More than 1,000 participants from Slovenia, neighbouring Italy and various European countries wrote down their ideas on 750 meters of paper.

The proposals were diverse and innovative, but the majority recognised the area as a place of relaxation, recreation, and sports. The responses identified construction and hotels, as well as motor vehicles on land and at sea, as the most unpopular elements.

According to PiNA association, who initiated the event, the campaign encouraged the public to participate in public space planning and showed that they can co-decide about long term plans. PiNA provided a comprehensive analysis and guidelines for the development of the coastal road, hoping that the collected proposals would be considered in the preparation of the regional spatial plan.

Void Observatory

When the coastal road closed to traffic in 2017, a void from the absence of cars was filled by people. The coastal road quickly became the most popular location for activities such as running, rollerblading, cycling, walking, and observing the coast. The Void Observatory installation emphasized the fact that the coastal strip between Koper and Izola is beautiful precisely because it is empty. The art installation opened questions about today’s values through spatial experience – observation. For two months, it invited passers-by to think about the sea from a different perspective. With the observatory and the poetry of Tomaž Šalamun, we wanted to encourage reflection on what it would be like if the Coastal Road remained unbuilt.