Interview Dr.Sc. Borka Bobovec The Ministry of Construction and Physical Planning author of the monograph Miroslav Begović

Transcription

1 Croatian Real Estate Newsletter Volume 87, November 2013 TOPIC OF THIS ISSUE: Interview Dr.Sc. Borka Bobovec The Ministry of Construction and Physical Planning author of the monograph Miroslav Begović The multidisciplinary approach, which Begović used so skilfully in most of his projects, when that was not so usual or omnipresent as it is today, is the key which will open up a new, better future for the space that surrounds us. CREN Patrons:

2 TABLE OF CONTENTS 1. ANNOUNCEMENT The Tenth Annual International Conference on the Real Estate Market in Croatia 3 2. TOPIC OF THIS ISSUE Interview: Dr.Sc. Borka Bobovec, The Ministry of Construction and Physical Planning author of the monograph Miroslav Begović 4 3. ANNOUNCEMENT 7th Croatian Forum on Sustainable Construction ready to restart construction activities STATISTICS 4.1. Average Asking Prices of Real Estate Offered for October Statistical Reports of the Central Bureau of Statistics from the Area of Construction Construction work indices, August Building permits issues, September Prices of new dwellings sold, fi rst half-year of Construction Works, 2012 Annual Report on Construction Works in the Republic of Croatia, Legal Entities Employing 5 or More Persons 13 Croatian Real Estate Newsletter, November

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4 2. TOPIC OF THIS ISSUE dr.sc. Borka Bobovec The Ministry of Construction and Physical Planning author of the monograph Miroslav Begović To start with, we congratulate you on your monograph about the architect Miroslav Begović. As an introduction to this interview, please introduce yourself to our readers. Thank you for your congratulations. I was born in Karlovac, which always makes me think of fog, my carefree childhood and swimming at Foginovo, like everyone else who comes from Karlovac. I graduated and later gained my MSc from the Faculty of Architecture of the University of Zagreb, and I defended my PhD thesis at the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, also in Zagreb. I work in the Ministry of Construction and Spatial Planning and, in a professional sense, I have always dealt with housing in the widest sense of the word. Moreover, for many years I have been a member of professional associations (DAZ and UHA) and since 2004 I have been president of the international professional organization, Europan Croatia, which works actively to organize and implement international urban architectural tenders, and promote Croatian architecture and architects on a European level. There is also ApolitikA and many other minor and major programs and projects. I have published two books, and I also write and publish professional and scientific papers in the field of housing and Croatian architecture in the second half of the twentieth century. From time to time I am invited to speak or be a guest critic, and that is about it. What prompted you to choose and study the work of the architect Miroslav Begović? It is very simple to answer this question - he was my teacher, and since he had a large number of classes, I listened to him throughout my entire university course, I graduated under him and later I took a post-graduate course he was running. The lectures were held at the Croatian Museum of Architecture. I got to know him from the perspective of a student, which later, in my analysis and interpretation of some aspects related to his work, proved to be extremely important, since I had actually been a witness of the time he was actively at work. And while I was working on the material, I knew who and what I could ask, since over time I had got to know most of his co-workers in one way or another, and with their help I put together a mosaic on Begović, made up of his questions, dilemmas, stubbornness, determination and above all commitment to architecture and finding the best response to the task set, within a specific time limit, both in terms of technology and politics. For our readers, could you briefly describe the role of the architect Miroslav Begović in contemporary Croatian architecture. The work of academic Miroslav Begović has not yet been evaluated, apart from in sporadic articles, so that this is one, I hope, of a series of studies, which will make it possible to take a position and make a definitive judgement on the real significance and contribution of his work in this region. Although an Croatian Real Estate Newsletter, November

5 Photo: Atelier Meštrović, Mletačka Street 8, Zagreb extensive quantity of archive material has been studied, probably, due to the fact that his work, and the work of more of his contemporaries, has not yet been systematized, in the future more material will be found which was not available at the time when I was writing. The social context and the possibilities of the time when he was at work and creating gave a specific direction to his work, and the monograph shows his contribution to creative continuity in the second half of the twentieth century. History always shapes individuals, however, in that sense the possibility still exists of shaping oneself and one s work, in the sense of stepping out, stepping out from what is generally accepted and all-present. It means finding one s own expression in new social circumstances, whereby the work he created is not just a response to a specific system, but a well-thought out project, striving for an ideal, that was established much earlier in this region. There is also consistency in his concept of space and form, and an appropriate interpretation in his projects and completed work, which received the highest recognition from the profession and society. How is the book structured? In the monograph, his completed works are dealt with in separate chapters, as works which left their mark on the place where they were built. From the Đuro Đaković exhibition hall at the Zagreb Trade Fair, which is now in a sad state, the Meštroivć Studio in Zagreb and the Gallery of Naive Art in Hlebine, which are almost identical to when they were built, the Varteks department stores in Photo: Varteks, Franjevački Square, Varaždin Varaždin and Zagreb, on which he spent more than a decade, to the Eden Hotel in Rovinj, still an unforgettable example of hotel architecture, and the work which marked his life - the revitalization and interpolation of the Tkalčićeva- Radićeva-Krvavi Most block in Zagreb, on which he worked actively for more than three decades. His interiors have also found their place in the book, as one of the architect s important interests, along with his competition work and projects that were not realized. The last part is dedicated to his theoretical work, and also his work at the Faculty of Architecture of the University of Zagreb, and in professional and social organizations. In the end, there is a catalogue of his work, drawn up as part of the regular work of the Croatian Museum of Architecture, by Dubravka Kisić, Tamara Bjažić Klarin, Ivana Nikšić Olujić and myself. Which of his most important works would you point out in particular and why? For more than forty years he worked on projects within the scope of urban studies, buildings for public use, housing blocks and interior decorating. My favourite is the Đuro Đaković exhibition hall, which was also his first completed work. It already showed the way he was to work throughout his Croatian Real Estate Newsletter, November

6 entire working life. The combination of modern architecture and refinement in his selection of industrial elements was made with a sense of proportion and skill. Glass placed in a frame becomes a transparent membrane, which, fixed along the edges of the steel mesh, reveals the load bearing structure, and in that clear way sends a message about contemporary architecture. All the elements, still used today by architects all around the world, were already being used here. The pavilion is light and airy, with a visible construction, a work that absorbs and radiates light. The purity and lightness of construction, the steel skeleton and grey metal - materials like a sketch defining the frame and geometry of a house, and today, although devastated by time, still show the power of his handiwork. Then the Meštrović studio, where he combined the high artistic and functional qualities of the given space, ennobling it with a modern style gallery and staircase, all emphasized by the targeted placement of day and artificial light. Work on this project make it possible to implement the idea of the importance of light in the presentation of a work of art, and the fact that he undoubtedly captured the essence and form of lighting, is demonstrated by the fact that the gallery is still today Photo: Varteks, Ilica 17, Zagreb in the form of the original design. The strongly emphasized artistic elements, that he interpreted using light, and its effect on the architecture, seen through the eye of the sculptor, is one of a series of elements that bring together in continuity the quality of the creative work of Croatian architects in the twentieth century. And finally, the Eden Hotel in Rovinj, just one in a series of brilliant examples of Croatian hotel architecture from the 1960 s and 70 s. It enabled Begović to implement his mature architectural expression in an undeveloped natural environment. The unobtrusive accommodation of the building in the existing environment, following the differences in height of the ground and the different parts of the building, resulted in architecture which establishes a balance between the artificial and the natural. If we add to this the formation and the way he chose his materials, which complement the logical and simple architectural expression, we can read the handiwork of the architect, who through his work, preserves and improves, but does not destroy the integrity of the forest in which the building stands, and becomes one with it. How long was the idea in the formation and how long did you need to actually write it? Photo: Galery of Naive Art Hlebine Almost seven years passed from the decision to write the book to its publication. I spent most of that time collecting and analysing material, as well as going round all the buildings and interiors still accessible today. Croatian Real Estate Newsletter, November

7 Photo: Hotel Eden, Rovinj Perhaps it was a bit more than expected, since my work is far removed from science and research work, but it was worth spending my weekends and holidays seeking out the lost. The text itself was written in about two years, and for one more year I worked occasionally with Damir Gamulin and Katarina Eljuga, selecting photographs, plans and everything else designers need to create a book. The research for a work like this is demanding and takes a great deal of time. How and where did you fi nd the material you needed? You are right, it takes a great deal of time, and above all patience. The book was the continuation of my doctor s dissertation, through which I in fact analysed the work of the architect, Miroslav Begović. I was fortunate that most of his heritage has been kept in the Croatian Museum of Architecture and at the time when I began to work on this subject, the collection had already been catalogued, so it made my work significantly easier. I found some of the archive materials in other institutions and private collections, of which I should especially point out Varteks from Varaždin, for whom he worked for many years, and they have everything preserved in their archives, from the original project design, to specifications and calculations of materials for the tiniest adaptations and alterations undertaken on their buildings over the years. Then there is the Meštrović Studio and the Gallery of Naive Art in Hlebine, who unselfishly provided me with information and materials vital for completing the catalogue of his work and evaluation of his opus. The Zagreb Trade Fair also has significant archives, as do many other owners of premises where I went over the years, to check to see whether there was any work by Begović left there, or was what remained only a record on paper and some old photographs. Academics Velimir Neidhardt and Andrija Mutnjaković gave me access to their private archives, and this proved to be invaluable, because alongside access to the archives I was also given stories from his life, told in the language of his co-workers and contemporaries. Another, recently deceased architect, that is Ivo Bartolić, took me into the world and relationships in architecture and amongst architects of the 1970 s. I will remember to the end of my life the visits to Palmotićeva and his stories over tea, not just about his work with Begović, but about life in general, architecture and Zagreb. Then there are the City of Zagreb Museum, the State Archives, and institutions and museums in towns and places where he worked. When writing a book, the author needs the support of professionals and close friends and relatives. Who helped you write this book and whose support was most important to you in that process? Sincere support is extremely important to anyone in creative work, especially when you are doing it for the first time. Because you do not know and you are not sure how much and where to show things, whether it is too much or not enough, and especially, whether it is comprehensible. I must not forget to mention that it is extremely important for someone to believe in you, without compromise. That person was Dino, my son, from the very beginning. I have to digress slightly here, and tell you how it all started. After I had decided to register my dissertation and begin work on it, I brought home another dissertation that had just been defended. I could barely carry it up to the third floor. I sat over those two, blue, extremely fat books, terrified about what I had got myself into. Just then Dino came in, took one of the books and leafed through it. In the end he made this comment: See, this is only printed on one side of paper, there are lots of pictures, so in fact it is a lot smaller than it looks. You can certainly write that many words! Over the following year, whenever I got stuck, he would repeat the following sentence, You can do it! And I did. I also had the support of my colleague Helena Knifić Schaps, who took me through time and anecdotes related to the group of students collected around Prof. Begović, who worked with him on many projects, and also my good friend Damir Tentor, who is a lover of architecture and the written word, although he is not an architect. He read the text through to check how comprehensible and interesting it was for readers, who are not professionally Photo: Tkalčićeva Street, Zagreb Croatian Real Estate Newsletter, November

8 auspices of the Academy, in the desire to preserve and present to the public the projects of their artists, which are easily forgotten in the fast pace of life. Who spoke at the launch? Photo: Sculptures Park, Glyptotheque, Zagreb involved in architecture and relations within the profession. The launch of your book was held in Osijek as part of the 4th congress of Croatian architects, which ran from 27th to 29th September this year. Why did you choose that place and time to launch your book? will be held on November 28 at 6 p.m. in the Library of Croatian Academy of Science and Art on Strossmayer Square 14, where we will also be honouring one of the most important deceased members of the academy. It is important to say that the monograph is one in a series prepared under the The editors of the book, who also wrote the introduction to the book and the president of the Association of Croatian Architects, Hrvoje Hrabak. Andrija Mutnjaković, Begović s longterm friend, spoke on behalf of the Croatian Academy of Science and Art, taking us back with great warmth to a time past, when they attended high school in Osijek. Listening to his words, new doors were certainly opened to the people gathered there for consideration of the work of academic Miroslav Begović, as they read the book. On the one hand the book was edited by a contemporary and friend, and on the other there was my colleague Sanja Cvjetko Jerković, who did not study in Zagreb but in Venice, and who only came across Begović s work after she had completed her studies in architecture. It was interesting to listen to the way Begović s architecture and work was anticipated by two completely different generations. Hrabak described the publication of the book in cooperation with the Academy as a new step and a different form of cooperation The first launch of the book, as you said, was held at the congress in Osijek. In life some things often come together just as they should, without any need to change or add to them. That is how it was with this launch. The publishers of the book were the Croatian Academy of Science and Art and the Association of Croatian Architects. The latter organized the congress, alongside the Croatian Chamber of Architects. Moreover, the Chamber, with the Ministry of Culture, the City of Zagreb and the Academy, partially provided financing for the book, and it was logical to present the book to architect colleagues as part of the congress. Not just to architects, but also to the people of Osijek, since Miroslav Begović was born in Osijek and he lived there with his family until he came to Zagreb to study. The Zagreb launch Photo: Chairs, year 1963 Croatian Real Estate Newsletter, November

9 our own architecture, can we build on it with new and contemporary work, without the need to destroy what is already there, recorded in the memory of materials and, in fact, the entire built environment. Do you have any plans for new scientific research, and if you can tell us, who, or what is the new subject? Of course, a new book is in preparation, which I hope will see the light of day next year. The texts are finished, the graphic material has been collected. What is it about? Again about architecture, of course, but I will talk about it more specifically another time. I can t tell you everything now! Photo: The Great Hall of the Croatian Parliament, St. Mark Square 6, Zagreb in the field of publishing, which has been shown to be extremely useful, since in this way the doors of the Academy and its collection, and through the Croatian Museum of Architecture, have been made wide open to other young colleagues, who will have the will, strength and interest to continue work organizing and cataloguing the material left behind by Croatian architects. In research and writing any book it is necessary to invest a great deal of effort, time, but also love, inspiration and will. What was your main motivation for writing this book? I don t like doing anything by halves. I always try, and sometimes I succeed, to round things off. Writing my PhD dissertation in this case was only half the job, because who reads dissertations? Only those who write other dissertations, which are again only read by PhD students, or someone who is narrowly specialized in that area. At the very beginning of my work on the dissertation, Prof. Dr. Sc. Zlatko Jurić, who was my mentor and later, with academic Velimir Neidhardt, a reviewer of the book, did not only suggest, but rather insisted that when I write I should write so the text could be turned into a book. A book is something else, a book is available to a wide circle of people, not only those who work in architecture. This is in fact a book dealing with a time and relations in which this architecture, and architecture like it, came about. It talks about a man and his consistent effort to create in the given circumstances whatever he had planned, alongside all the good and bad times, which creating brings with it, both for the architect and his work, which remains as a building, or only as a record on soft crinkly paper, forgotten in some cupboard or drawer. Croatian architects created many exceptional works in the second half of the twentieth century, however, many of them are forgotten today, along with their designers. To recognize and get to know them, and not allow them to be forgotten, is important, because only if we are well acquainted with You took an active part in creating ApolitikA, which we have already written about in CREN. How does this book fi t in with it? Once you start, there is no stopping! Each new book, each new article you read or talk you hear activates a tiny switch in you, which draws you forward. The further and deeper you go into a specific area, you become more and more aware of emptiness and vagueness which needs to be filled with texts, photographs, projects, and of course to share it all with all those who care about contemporary Croatian architecture. And these are not and cannot be just architects. The multidisciplinary approach, which Begović used so skilfully in most of his projects, when that was not so usual or omnipresent as it is today, is the key which will open up a new, better future for the space that surrounds us. To enlighten, to teach people how to analyse, apply and implement knowledge that has become buried over generations is the final purpose of ApolitikA, and Begović did this throughout his entire life and professional work. That is the link. Croatian Real Estate Newsletter, November

10 3. ANNOUNCEMENT 7th Croatian Forum on Sustainable Construction ready to restart construction activities Why are the projects asleep? this is the title, but also a question which will be raised at the 7th Croatian Forum on Sustainable Construction which will take place on Saturday, November 30th at the Zagreb Faculty of Civil Engineering. The event is jointly organized by Holcim Croatia Ltd. and the Zagreb Faculty of Civil Engineering. Sustainable construction is a frequently discussed subject, mostly within the context of the usage of certain materials and energy consumption. Less often, we can find considerations on the complete frame where the sustainable construction takes place. That is why Holcim Croatia Ltd. and the Zagreb Faculty of Civil Engineering organized the First Croatian Forum on Sustainable Construction back in In addition to that, the Forum was envisioned as a platform for the promotion of Holcim Awards, a part of the programme of Holcim Foundation for Sustainable Construction. Holcim Awards are dedicated to architects, engineers and other construction professionals, with the goal of creating a world community of renowned experts in sustainable construction. This year s, the 7th edition of the Croatian Forum on Sustainable Construction will try to do its part in restarting the sleeping construction activities in Croatia. It is well known that the construction sector was particularly affected by the global crisis. There are thousands of apartments constructed which haven t been sold, and on the other hand, there are very few large and important projects. Large and important construction companies go through bankruptcy, while manufacturers of building materials record losses from year to year. In this situation, all is clear, almost logical. But, what to say about a situation where the projects which have been approved and for which there is a closed financial construction - are on hold? Why is that so? The answer to these and many other related questions will be provided by the participants at this year s Forum that will be held on Saturday, November 30th at the Zagreb Faculty of Civil Engineering. But, let s go back in order to show the Forum s continuity and systematic approach to the topic of sustainability in construction. The first Forum was dedicated to a variety of general topics related to sustainable construction, while its second edition was focused on the planning of the construction Croatian Real Estate Newsletter, November

11 process. One of the determinants of the Holcim Forum is the participation of top Croatian and foreign experts in the field of sustainable development, so the second Forum presented the Italian architect Luigi Centola and his renovation project of Mulini Valley in Italy. The topic of the 3rd Forum on Sustainable Construction was the use of the characteristics of the construction space. The gathered experts and other participants tackled space as a context and tried to provide an answer to the question how to take advantage of specific features of a given area in order to enhance the quality of people s lives? As a logical continuation of the first three forums, the fourth edition of this conference offered a reflection on public space and construction activities in it, and a very picturesque illustration was provided by architect Vladimir Macura from Belgrade. He presented his project aimed at improving the living conditions of the Roma in Belgrade, who lived in wild urban settlements. 5th Holcim Forum on Sustainable Construction, which gathered experts, investors, architecture and civil engineering students. The last year s Forum, dedicated to the recycling of building materials, gained a great interest of both experts and the public. Specifically, in accordance with regulations of the European Union, by the year 2020, 70% of building materials will have to be recycled, and in order to achieve this objective, it is necessary to start planning in this direction. The last year s Forum was held under the motto Be careful what you use to build today so you can destroy more cheaply tomorrow, and one of the participants was the president of the Austrian Association for recycled building materials Günter Gretzmacher. This year s Forum will also be a good occasion to present the actual cycle of Holcim Awards which stays open for applications until March next year. How passive does a passive house need to be in order to be passive? This question was raised during the Croatian Real Estate Newsletter, November

12 3. 4. STATISTICS 4.1. Average Asking Prices of Real Estate Offered for October average price EUR/m² price range EUR/m² ZAGREB COAST Housing Apartments Houses Commercial space Offices Business premises Office blocks Housing Apartments Houses Commercial space Tourist facilities Average is calculated on the basis of the currently quoted prices on the Burza nekretnina d.o.o. (Real Estate Stock Market ltd.), which is available online: Upon your request, Burza nekretnina composes statistical reports of ask prices and achieved prices in 2-10 days time Statistical Reports of the Central Bureau of Statistics from the Area of Construction Construction work indices, August 2013 According to gross indices, in August 2013, as compared to August 2012, construction works decreased by 12.1%. According to working-day adjusted indices, in August 2013, as compared to August 2012, construction works decreased by 9.1%. According to seasonally adjusted indices, in August 2013, as compared to July 2013, construction works decreased by 3.9%. Advice: Construction work indices, August 2013, Central bureau of statistics, Zagreb, 2013 Croatian Real Estate Newsletter, November

13 4.2.2 Building permits issues, September 2013 In September 2013, there were 704 building permits issued, which was by 5.9% less than in September The total number of building permits issued in the period from January to September 2013 was by 27.3% less than in the same period of In September 2013: - by types of constructions, 81.7% out of the total number of permits were issued on buildings and 18.3% on civil engineering works - by types of construction works, 76.4% of permits were issued on new constructions and 23.6% on reconstructions. According to permits issued in September 2013, it was expected for 690 dwellings with the average floor area of m2 to be built. Advice: Building permits issues, September 2013, Central bureau of statistics, Zagreb, Prices of new dwellings sold, first half-year of 2013 In the first half-year of 2013, the average price per 1 m2 of new dwellings sold by trade companies and other legal entities, excluding POS, was kuna. It was by 7.0% lower than the price per 1 m2 in the second half-year of 2012 and by 10.1% lower than the price per 1 m2 in the first half-year of The average price per 1 m2 of dwellings sold according to POS amounted in the first half-year of 2013 to kuna. In the same period, the total average price per 1 m2 of all sold dwellings (irrespective of the seller) was kuna. In the first half-year of 2013, the calculation of the average price per 1 m2 of dwellings sold according to POS participated with 4.4% in the total volume of monitored m2 sold and other sellers with 95.6%. Advice: Prices of new dwellings sold, first half-year of 2013, Central bureau of statistics, Zagreb, Construction Works, 2012 Annual Report on Construction Works in the Republic of Croatia, Legal Entities Employing 5 or More Persons In 2012, legal entities employing 5 or more persons engaged in construction activities had on the average 8.4% less workers on sites and 10.5% less working hours done on sites than in In 2012, the value of construction works done by workers on sites decreased by 4.8%, as compared to By types of constructions, 44.9% out of the total works were done on buildings and 55.1% on civil engineering works. By types of works, 59.3% out of the total works were done on new constructions and 40.7% on reconstructions, adaptations, repairs and maintenance works. Advice: Construction Works, 2012, Annual Report on Construction Works in the Republic of Croatia, Legal Entities Employing 5 or More Persons, Central bureau of statistics, Zagreb, 2013 Croatian Real Estate Newsletter, November

14 PUBLISHER: Filipović Business Advisory Ltd. Trg bana Josipa Jelačića 3/V Zagreb Croatia Tel: Fax: cren@filipovic-advisory.com It is our wish that the Croatian Real Estate Newsletter / CREN be a source of speedy and quality information for all who are active in the real estate sector developers, planners, contractors, mediation agencies etc. Please send your comments, proposals and opinions to cren@filipovic-advisory.com to help us improve CREN and make it the leading medium on the Croatian real estate market. Editorial staff: Vladimir Filipović editor-in-chief, Natalija Kordić, Tanja Marković, Bojana Mikelenić, Marija Noršić and Petra Škevin. Croatian Real Estate Newsletter, November