The Modern Movement Architecture in Slovakia: Register of Materials Cover Image

Architektúra moderného hnutia na Slovensku: Register materiálového fondu
The Modern Movement Architecture in Slovakia: Register of Materials

Author(s): Peter Szalay
Subject(s): Cultural Essay, Political Essay, Societal Essay
Published by: Historický ústav SAV, v. v. i.
Keywords: Architecture; modern movement; register; material; Slovakia; evaluation; archive

Summary/Abstract: In the 20th century modernity brought to architecture and construction a variety of new elements related to intellectual, aesthetical and material aspects. During the last century productivity in the sphere of construction in Slovakia increased; the present list of architectural works for the most part consists of the buildings of that time. Not only quantity of architectural production in Slovakia had changed, but its quality as well. It could be stated that during that time Slovak architecture became an equivalent counterpart of European architecture. In the future modern architecture will probably still be a significant part of monuments fund in Slovakia. Original architectural solutions are important for history and theory of architecture as well as for renovation and protection of monuments. Identifying them is necessary for investigation of the buildings’ original surface arrangement. It is possible to discover surprising changes of original surfaces in old buildings as well as in architecture of the last century. Formulation of our present research task stems from the needs of conservators and restorers: many of the outstanding architectural works of the 20th century in Slovakia require modification that would improve functional qualities, first of all thermal insulation. Surface materials and technologies are often threatened by necessary maintenance. This fact determined our research, first of all regarding the surfaces and apertures in modern architecture. Register of Modern Architecture in Slovakia and its material dimension. Since 1995 the researchers of the Department of Architecture of the Institute of Construction and Architecture of the Slovak Academy of Sciences in Bratislava have been building the Register of Modern Architecture in Slovakia (see the note on the page 10). This database is the most integrated and the most extensive list of architectural works that have been created in Slovakia during the last century. Besides its quantitative features, the database is characterised by the qualitative evaluating elements. One of the main goals of our research is to add complex information concerning materials and construction aspects of modern architecture to the Register of Modern Architecture in Slovakia. This way of documentation enables us levelling information in particular components of the Register. It is a developing system that corresponds to the long-term research on materials and constructions of modern architecture.

  • Issue Year: 43/2009
  • Issue No: 3-4
  • Page Range: 172-183
  • Page Count: 12
  • Language: Slovak