In 2018 Ljubljana became the home for six courts built inside a wooden building. Called Squashland, here are the details.........
Goran Milićević (pic) opened the first Squashland in Ljubljana, Slovenia in a rented warehouse in 1991. The club had eight courts and flourished for a decade and a half, only to close its doors in 2006 when the landlord sold the building.
But he was relentless. It took him 12 years of acquiring property, gathering permits, seeking investors and taking up loans to finally see his dream come to life in 2018 – a brand new Squashland – the courts housed in a wooden building.
Dedicated to healthy, natural way of life, he decided to use as many environment-friendly materials as possible.
The building is self-sufficient in many ways: energy passive, heated with water-to-water heat exchange technology and solar panels on the roof. Not there yet, but the intention has been for the roof to be a home for the vegetable garden, which will provide vegetables for the vegan restaurant on the ground floor. All used and served products tend to produce zero waste. The Sports bar doesn’t serve sweet, unhealthy carbonated drinks!
Squashland has six Courttech courts with the possibility to add a glasscourt when required. With a hotel, free climbing centre and indoor soccer hall for neighbours, Squashland hosts events and camps.
When asked why he built it entirely from wood, Milićević said: 'To build an energy - economical facility considering sustainable guidelines in construction seemed to be the logical choice, since I am promoting squash as a healthy way of life' he said.
Following up about his passion and Slovenian squash generally Milićević added, 'I've always been involved in many different sports. In 1990 I came across squash and you could say it was a love at first sight, which still lasts today.
Slovenia has approx. 30 courts, scattered all over the country. The next biggest facility has four, others have one or two courts.
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