After World War II new borders between Slovenia and Italy were established and Slovenia lost an important centre, the city of Gorica. In 1947 an idea for a new urban centre as an counterpart of Gorica arose. There were several architects who have created various projects for the new town:
1. Nova Gorica as a large housing; the city centre is formed around the main axis. Orthogonally to the axis large blocks of flats constitute with the main avenue the morphological structure of the city in the direction North-South. Architect Gvardjancic planed the axis as a large motor way with the green zone separating tracks. On the West there are sequences of double super-blocks, a stadium and a recreation zone. The East is planned as an area of public buildings and individual housing. There is no industrial zone.
2. Joining of the two Goricas: the city axis determines the system of orthogonal streets with main activities. Blocks of flats in a 45 position are linked by diagonals. The interregional motor-way runs through a corridor, beside there is the railway.
3. The project of Ravnikar (linked to Le Corbusier - Ledoux - Acropolis) divides the city onto four parts: the centre, the residential area, the industrial zone and the area for recreation.
Later the whole concept of Nova Gorica as a garden city was banalised by various general planes. The city lost the financial support from the government and started growing without any control or vision, just per partes. Anarchy and bureaucracy replaced a clear concept and the result is as Ravnikar said: "The building of Nova Gorica is the most evident of Slovene urbanism after World War II... you could call it a tragedy." Today the city is in a crisis because of its too extensive development of a low quality industry. There are more than 20.000 inhabitants. The ideas to improve the city are the following: keeping the identity of modernism or to make a post-modern metamorphosis. Some new projects, such as the new theatre, Casino etc. continue the duel.