Edvard Ravnikar: Architect and Teacher

343 Pages·2010·30.73 MB·English

by  Aleš Vodopivec

~
SpringerWienNewYork
Aid Vodopivec
RokZnidarsi( (Ed..)
Edvard Ravnikar
Architect and Teacher
Friedrich Achleitner
J.
WilliaIl1 R. Curti
Friedrich Kurrent
Bori Podrecca
Luciano Sernerani
Ales Vodopivec
SpringerWienNewYork
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Contents
7 Preface 203 Ferantovvrt ResidentialandCommercial
OverlappingTerritories:On Situating Complex,Ljubljana
EdvardRavnikar(W]. R.Curtis)
217 Tronchetto,Solving theVeniceRegion Complex,
11 Introduction(A. Vodopivec,R.Znidariic) Italy
225 Hotel Maestral,Przno,Montenegro
ESSAYS
233 SkopjeCompetitionSubmission,Macedonia
15 EdvardRavnikar's Architecture:Locally 243 Buildingforthe CentralCommitteeofthe
AdjustedModernism(A. Vodopivec) CommunistPartyofMacedonia,Skopje
33 Abstractionand Representation; 247 SkopjeTownHall,Skopje,Macedonia
The MemorialComplexatKampor,on
the Island ofRab(1952-53) byEdvard 253 Espoo CityCentre,Finland
Ravnikar(W]. R.Curtis)
259 Hotel Creina,Kranj
51 Claddingthe City,EdvardRavnikar's
Archiculture(B.Podrecca) 271 GlobusDepartmentStore,Kranj
57 Archaic,i.e.Modern(L.Semerani)
WRITINGSBYEDVARD RAVNIKAR
61 On aQuotationfrom EdvardRavnikar
(F. Achleitner)
282 TraditionalArchitectureinYugoslavia
67 Meetingswith EdvardRavnikar
(F.Kurrent) 285 Children'sDrawings
291 On the StudyofArchitecture
BUILDINGSANDPROJECTS
294 FineArts and NewArchitecture
75 TheModernGallery,Ljubljana 295 Architecture,Sculptureand Painting
89 Regulation ofNovaGorica 310 LeCorbusier(1887-1965)
97 Hostages'Cemetery,Draga nearBegunje 314 ThePresenceofPsychologicalAspects inDesign
103 TheRabMemorialComplex,Kampor, Rab 322 SimpleArchitectureand the High ScienceofTown
Planning
121 TheMunicipalityBuilding,Kranj
325 TheVitalityofPlecnik'sNeo-Classicism
135 LjudskapravicaPrintWorks,Ljubljana
333 Nova Goricaafter 35Years
143 NationalBankSRS,Kranj
149 NationalBank,Celje 340 Chronologyof Works
157 Layout ofTheRevolutionSquare,Ljubljana 344 Biographies
183 Cankarjevdorn, Culturaland Congress
Centre,Ljubljana
197 Przno- Sv.Stefan,Montenegro
Williamf.R.Curtis
Preface
OverlappingTerritories:OnSituatingEdvardRavnikar
Thearchitectureand thoughtofEdvardRavnikar cannotbereduced tosimplisticschemes
ofhistorical development. Born inSloveniain 1907,hebelonged tothe samegenerationas
Carlo Scarpa inItalyand LuisBarragan inMexico,uniquefigureswho likehim inheritedthe
discoveriesofthe modern masters and translatedthem todeal with the realitiesand myths of
their respective places,timesand societies.When Ravnikarwasachild, Sloveniawasstillpart
ofthe Austro-Hungarianempire but for most ofhisadult lifeafterthe secondworld war itwas
asocialistrepublic within the federation ofYugoslavia.Ravnikar believedthatarchitecture
and urbanismshouldimprove existence forthe majority,but remainedalooffrom official
socialistdoctrines, maintainingalongtermperspectiveon both art and the humancondition.
Hetranscendedthe ideological stancesofhistime, seekingto expressmore enduringsymbols
through aresonantabstraction.Acommittedmodernarchitect,he neverceasedtolookto the
past,transformingitinhisown terms.Amaster ofstructure,constructionand craft,heinsisted
upon the importanceoftherealmofideas.Aprofessional dedicated toarchitecturalpractice,
healsolikedtowrite,paintandexpresshisimaginationin drawings.Amanysidedartistwith
abroadintellectualand visualculture,Ravnikarwasaremarkableteacherwho transmitted not
justtechnicaland aesthetic skillsbutalsoethicalvaluesinthe hopethatayoungergeneration
might extendtheseinafreshandcriticalway.
TheintellectualgeographyofRavnikar'smind correspondedtosomedegree tothe historical
complexityofhishomeland,Slovenia-asmallcountrystandingbetween mountainsand
sea,between centralEuropeand the Mediterranean,between Slav,Germanicand Latinareas
ofinfluence.Helivedmost ofhislifein the capital, Ljubljana, aplacewhich had almost the
characterofaminiaturecitystate,amicrocosmofakind.Buthewasabletodevelop and
expandhisarchitecturewithin the largerpolitical sphere and socialexperimentofYugoslavia.
While attentive toaprogressive ethosand to technologicalchange,henever lostsight ofthe
importanceofcollectivememoryandciviccontinuity.Ravnikar'sarchitecturewasformed from
fragments ofanoldworld and the promiseofanewone.Hisoutlookcombinedasensitivity to
localdifferencesinthe Balkans, even tovaguelydefined notionsofSioveniannationalidentity,
with aquestforuniversalityinallmattersofart and thought. IfRavnikar'sspiritualmentorIoze
Plecnik defined some ofthe termsofhisformation - classicismand thevernacular,symbolism
and materiality,structuralinventivenessand craft,multivalent imagesreferringtooverlapping
cultures-Picassoand LeCorbusierwerehisconstant guidesinhissearch foranappropriate
modernity.
Ravnikar'sown educationbegan inVienna inthe 1920Sand continuedinLjubljana where
thesomewhattraditionalistposition ofPlecniksuppliedanalternativeto'functionalist'
tendenciesofthe time. From hismentor heinheritedaloftyidealofarchitecture asanartistic
andsymbolicexpression.Ravnikar'sversionofmodernismcombinedan intellectualinheritance
from the Vienna ofthe beginningofthe twentiethcenturywith more recent avant-garde
tendencies inavarietyofcentresincludingParis.Atthe end ofthe1930S heworked inthe
atelierofLeCorbusierexecutingsomesuperbdrawingsforone ofthe projectsforAlgiers.
IPreface
LeCorbusiershowedhow the visualarts, architectureand urbanism might contributeto
socialtransformation,and revealed furtherwaysbywhich amodernarchitecturemightdraw
upon thepast.Against the turbulentpolitical backgroundofthe secondworld warand the
emergenceofmodernYugoslaviainthe 1940Sand 1950S,Ravnikarwasabletocrystallise a
personalpositionand to definean architecturallanguage.Mostofhisbuildingsweredesigned
forasocialist societybut hewaswaryofmaterialistdogmas and believedthatarchitectureisa
discipline with adegree ofautonomy. In the ensuingdecades uptohisdeath in 1993,Ravnikar's
architecturalproductionreflected anacceleratedindustrialisation.Earlyinhiscareer hedrew
lessonsfrom awidevariety ofsources from Aaltoand Nordic modernismtoTerragni and
Italian Rationalism.Lateron Ravnikar wascertainlyawareofcontemporarytendenciesin
architectureabroadbut heassiduouslyavoided fashion, evenusingthe distancesuppliedbythe
marginalityofYugoslaviatopursuehismain guidingthemes in relativeisolation.
ForRavnikar oneofthe basicsocial functions ofarchitecturewasthe formal expression of
collectivebeliefs.Inpost warYugoslaviathe staterequiredpublic monumentsand here hewas
inhiselement. Hehad workedon Plecnik'sNational and University Library in Ljubljanainthe
latethirtiesthen executed hisown design forthe ModernGallery inthe samecityin 1940.A
witness tothe collapseofempires,tothe aspirationsofnewstatesand tothe disasters ofwar,
Ravnikar wasacutelyawareofthe impactofworld forcesupon the faultlinesofthe Balkans.
Heunderstoodthe roleofmonumentalityin representinginstitutionsand inanchoringthe
fluxofepicevents.Ravnikar'spost warpublic buildingssuch asthe CouncilAssemblyBuilding
in Kranj (1958-60) or the Revolution (later Republic) Square ComplexinLjubljana(1961-83)
demonstratehiscommitmentto civicsymbolismand the public realm.Hisdesigns forwar
memorialsinplacessuch asDraga (1952), Begunje(1952-3) or the island ofRab (1952-3)
revealhismasteryofthe basicsofarchitecture,hiscontrolofspace,hisunderstandingofstone
construction,hissensitivity tolandscape,hissenseofthe tragic dimension inhumanaffairsand
hissubtle useofabstraction inexpressing acomplex contentinmaterialsand forms. Ravnikar
wished to interpretcontemporaryrealitiesbut wasnonethelessdrawn toarchetypesin the
Mediterraneanworld.Forhim there wasno contradictionbetweenthe bestofmodernismand
what hethoughtofasessentials ofclassicism.
ForRavnikar architecturewasaboveallanart ofintegration,and many ofhisprojects were
based uponsimplestructuralideaswhich revealed metaphoricalpossibilities.Theparabolic
masonryroofofthe 'Museum'in the MemorialComplexatRabisacaseinpoint,asthis
symbolic shelter isformed from slenderstone piecesheldtogetherwithoutmortarbyleadclips
and hiddensteelcables:the result isatellingyetambiguousrepresentationinsolid materials
ofatent orsome otherarchetypalstructure.TheCouncilAssemblyBuildingin Kranjpresents
the imageofamonumental'houseofthe people'on the outside, acuriousfusion ofclassical
temple and alpine cabin, but realized in modernmaterialssuch asthe reinforcedconcrete
frame which holds thewhole thingup,allowingthe floorstosuspendedbelowand the facades
tobesuspendedin front. Ravnikarabsorbedsome ofGottfriedSemper'sideason structure
and claddingfrom Plecnikwho exploredthe meaningand tectonicexpression ofmasonry,
but Ravnikarwasincreasinglyconcernedinthe 1960sand 1970Swith newtechniquesof
constructionand facingbased uponthe possibilities ofconcreteskeletons and frames. Inworks
such asthe Hotel Creinain Kranjof1968-70heresortedto adramaticdisplayofconcrete
cantileveredbeams combinedwith ornamentalpatternsofbrick infilling,while inother
IPreface
projectsofthe sameperiodheused rustedsteelor ceramics inwovenpatternsinthe curtain
walls,ratherlikesolidifiedtextiles.Inthis pathtowards greater thinnessinthe skin offramed
buildingsRavnikar sometimeserredin the directionofamannerisedfussinessatodds with the
heroic power ofhisearlymasonrymonuments.
In hisroleasaProfessor atthe LjubljanaSchoolofArchitecture,where hefollowedin
the footsteps ofPlecnik, Ravnikar insisted on the importanceoftown and countryplanning,
not asarid statistical exercises(althoughhedid encourageaspirit ofscientificanalysis)but
asbasicallyarchitecturalactivities requiringspatial intelligence, asense oftopographyand
climate,and asensitivity tobothsocialpatternsand historicalcontext. He reprimanded
technocraticmodernistsfortheirbrutalinterventionsand soughtinsteadafusion ofcivic
spaceand buildings,sometimesintegratingartificial landscapeand architecture.Thisapproach
showsmost clearlyinthe unfinishedproject foratouristcomplex (Sv.Stefan-Milocer-Przno)
proposedin 1964forastunningcoastal siteinMontenegrooverlookingtheAdriatic. Ineffect
Ravnikar blendedthe scheme into the landscapebytreatingitasaseriesofhorizontalstrata
perforatedhere and therebyMediterraneanvegetation. Ravnikar wasattentive tothe urban
grain,scaleand open spacesoftraditionaltowns and hopedthatitmightbepossibleto translate
some ofthese qualities into amodernurban architecturebased upontechnicalstandardisation
and geometricalsystemsoforder.There aresome loose parallelswith the urbanisticaims
ofarchitectsofTeamTenatthe time but intruth Ravnikar had been concernedwith such
questionslongbefore.TheMontenegro project isnot the onlyone byRavnikar where one feels
the influence ofAlvarAalto'sabstracturbanlandscapeswith theirerodedpatios and cascading
levelsrecalling aMediterraneanruin.
Ravnikar's trajectoryasan individualand asanartistoccurredagainst thebackgroundof
vastpolitical upheavals and shifting territorialallegiances.Whenhewasbornin 1907,Slovenia
wasstillpartofthe Austro-Hungarianempire. Afterthe firstworld war,itacquiredadegreeof
culturalautonomyaspartofthe Kingdom ofthe Serbs,Croats and Slovenes,transformedinto
the short-livedKingdom ofYugoslaviain 1929. Duringthe second world waritexperienced
Italian Fascistand Naziinvasions, thenboththe struggles forliberationand the civilwars
leading to the creationofMarshall Tito'sFederal People'sRepublicofYugoslavia,withinwhich
Sloveniahad the status ofasocialist republic. Duringthe coldwarYugoslaviaresisted both
the dominationofthe Sovietcommunistblock and thatofthe capitalist westledbythe United
States,maintaininganon-alignedpositionalongwith statessuch asIndiaand Egypt.Mostof
Ravnikar'sarchitecturalproductionoccurredwithinschemes ofmodernisationestablished
byasocialist stateinwhich the publicsectorplayedakeyrolein economicplanningand
technologicaldevelopmentbutinwhich there wasno dictatorshipon matters ofarchitectural
aestheticsaswasthe caseintheSovietUnion.While art and architecturewereableto
flourish with afreedom inconceivable in the communistblock,the statewasmore presentin
establishingthe linesofterritorialand socialplanningthan wasthe caseinwestern Europe.
Ravnikar livedjustlongenoughtoexperiencethe gradualliberalisationofYugoslaviabut also
itsfragmentation and descent into civilwar.Bythe time hedied in 1993,Sloveniahad achieved
independenceasademocraticrepublic with astrongorientationtowards the EuropeanUnion
but with allthe risksofcapitalist privatisationon the horizon.
Thegeneral histories and narrativesofmodernarchitecturearefarmore influencedby
geo-politicalrealitiesthanisusuallyadmitted.ItwasonlyafterFranco'sdeath in 1975 and
I
Preface
Spain'sadmissiontothe camp of'acceptable' democraciesthat attentionwasdevotedtosuch
enigmaticfiguresasAlejandrodelaSota (1912-95) who had developed anuanced modernism
fullofsubtle allusions tothe past inthe 1950S,sometimesinthe service ofaright wing,
statist model ofmodernisation(e.g.the GobiernoCivil,Tarragona, 1957).Thearchitectureof
Yugoslaviainthe sameperiod-thatofRavnikar's earlymaturity- wasalsoignoredinthe west
but foralmost oppositereasons stemmingfrom ideological caricaturesofthevisualculture
ofleftwing,socialist countries.Theavant-gardistprejudices ofthe 'freeworld' rejected art
forms contaminatedin anywaybythe socialist realism or heavyhandedstaterhetoricofthe
communistworld, treatingthemasautomaticallyretrogradeinartisticterms. Ithasbeen some
time sinceYugoslaviafellapartand sincethe Berlin wallcamedown but stillrelativelylittle
hasbeen done toaccomodatethe complexitiesofmodernarchitecturaldevelopmentinthe
former 'eastern block: Non-alignedYugoslaviaoffersan interestingexception,aunique,mixed
modelofmodernisation within which avariety ofarchitecturaltendencieswasableto develop.
Atypicalfiguressuch asEdvard Ravnikar,who infactavoided statedogmas, stillneed tobe
asessedagainst thisbackgroundthensituatedwithinbroader, more internationalschemes of
modernarchitectural history.
Todaythere aredangers ofanotherkindwhich riskdistortingthe reappraisalofEdvard
Ravnikar'scontribution.ThenewdemocraticSloveniaseesitselfaspartofwestern Europe.
Thosewho promotefreeenterprisetendtolookback upon theTito yearsofYugoslaviaasones
ofstiflingdictatorshipand excessive,centralisedstate control. Theypossibly under-ratethe
progress made bythe publicsector ineducation,healthand cultureduringthe peaceful years
ofthe Yugoslavconsensus,and the effortsatachieving equilibriumbetween countryand city:
abalancedform ofdevelopmentnowbeing sacrificed toland speculationand commercialism.
Todayarchitecturalcriticismhasallbut abandonedthe socialdimensionand looks upon
political ideology asanautomaticdistractionfrom artistic selfexpression -anemphasisupon
individualism,iconic buildingsand art forart'ssakewhich surelysayssomethingaboutfree
marketcapitalism.Whenwritinghistoryitisbest not toprojectthe assumptionsofthe present
on the past. Edvard Ravnikar cannotbesevered from the social,political and geographical
contextinwhich heworked,even ifhedid liveintensionwith some ofthe architectural
normsand political positionsofhistime.Inhisbestworks (and here Ithinkofthe Memorial
Complexon Rabof1952-3 inparticular)hemanagedto respondtotragic historicalevents,
tostir existentialquestions,evento evokeatimeless dimension inpowerfulabstractforms.
Thechallenge when dealing with afigurelikeRavnikar istostrike the right balance between
hisuniqueartistic contributionand the complex world inwhich heworked. Itisnecessary to
reconstructthe overlappingterritoriesand shiftingboundariesofthe past and tosituate the
architect's work within them,examiningbuildingsand ideasinthe light ofbothmodernand
earlier traditions.
Copyright:William f.R.Curtis, August2009.
10 IPreface
1
Introduction
With the exceptionofIozePlecnik'sarchitecture,Slovenearchitectureisalmost unknown
in the world,similar to the architectureofex-EasternBloccountries,which isakind ofhuge
greyspoton the world map ofmodernart and architecture. Abroad the discovery ofPlecnik
waslargelyaconsequenceofinterest inhistoricismsduringthe eraofpost-modernism.This
isakind ofparadoxforanyone familiar with hisarchitecture. On the otherhand,the work
ofEdvard Ravnikar,the mostimportantrepresentative ofSlovenemodernarchitecture,is
littleknown withininternationalprofessional circlesdespite the factthat Ravnikar became
an undisputedarchitecturalauthorityforthe entireareaofYugoslaviasoonafterWWII. His
biographyisdistinguished byaseriesoffirstprizes in competitionsforthe mostimportant
nationalprojects, togetherwith earlyrealisations that combinethe principlesofmodern
architecturewith traditionalelements ofconstruction,hispioneeringroleinthe developmentof
urban planning,over 200publishedarticles and, aboveall,hisuniquepersonaland pedagogical
charisma.
Ravnikar neverpaid anyattention tohispersonalpromotionor tothe documentingand
preservationofhiswork. Hisdesigns,sketches,drawings and writingremainedwhere he
worked- athishome, atthe architectureschool, invarious architecturalofficesand design
institutions.Hiswork isstillnot collected and archived inone place.On the occasion ofthe
ioo'"anniversaryofhisbirth,inDecember2007,the FacultyofArchitecturepreparedan
internationalsymposiumand exhibition ofRavnikar'swork in collaborationwith the Ambient
architecturalofficeand the ArchitectureMuseumofLjubljana.Thisexhibitionpresented, forthe
firsttime,the originaldesigns,drawings,working drawings, models,photographsand paintings
kept inthe above-mentionedinstitutionsand served asanopportunitytocreateamonograph
ofEdvard Ravnikar'slifework.
Themonographconsistsofthree parts.Thefirstpartisacollectionofpapers thatshed
light on Ravnikar'swork in the contextofzothcenturyarchitecture.Thesecond part consists
ofRavnikar's most importantwork,togetherwith photographs,designsand personal sketches
accompaniedbyhisowndescriptionsin caseswhere theyexisted or wereavailable.Thelastpart
comprisesaselection ofRavnikar'stextsthatmirrorthe breadthofhisinterests.
Wewould liketoexpressourgratitudeto the manywho helped duringthe process of
publishingthisbook.Aboveallwewould liketothankarchitectMajda Kregar,Prof.Ravnikars
ex-studentand long-termcollaborator,who wasmost helpful incollecting and documenting
the bodyofhiscreativeoutputfrom the Ambient architectural office.Hergreat engagement,
sensitivity and knowledge made possible the presentingofRavnikarswork tothe public,firstin
the form ofanexhibitionand nowinamonograph.
Wewould liketothankallthosewho allowedusaccesstotheirphotographicarchivesand
made them availableforuseherein. Thegreatest partofthe photographicmaterialisfrom the
estateofDamjanGale,which wasgenerouslymade accessibleto usbyhiswidow Zmaga Gale.
SpecialthanksgotoZlata Kalisnikforgrantingusthe useofher latehusbandIanezKalisnik's
vastand extremelyvaluablebody ofphotographicdocumentation.Part ofthe material that is
kept in the Architecture MuseumofLjubljanawascollected and editedbyBogoZupancicwith
the assistance ofMartinaMalesic,
IIntroduction