Jože Plečnik: Difference between revisions

{{short description|Slovenian architect (1872-1957)}}

| caption = Plečnikat ina drawing desk, 1943

| nationality = SloveneSlovenian

| significant_projects = unrealized [[Plečnik Parliament|SloveneSlovenian Acropolis (Cathedral of Freedom)]] (1947)

'''Jože Plečnik''' ({{Audio|Sl-Jože Plečnik.oga|pronunciation}}) (23 January 1872 – 7 January 1957) was a [[Slovene architect|Slovenian architect]] who had a major impact on the modern architecture of Vienna, Prague and of [[Ljubljana]], the capital of [[Slovenia]], most notably by designing the iconic [[Triple Bridge]] and the [[National and University Library of Slovenia|SloveneSlovenian National and University Library]] building, as well as the embankments along the [[Ljubljanica|Ljubljanica River]], the [[Ljubljana Central Market]] buildings, the [[Žale|Ljubljana cemetery]], parks, plazas etc.<ref name="AJPGM"/> His architectural imprint on Ljubljana has been compared to the impact [[Antonio Gaudi|Antoni Gaudí]] had on [[Barcelona]].<ref name="Impact_comparisonTNZG">[http://www.rtvslo.si/kultura/drugo/joze-plecnik-za-ljubljano-tisto-kar-je-bil-za-barcelono-antonio-gaudi/275330 Jože Plečnik was for Ljubljana what Antonio Gaudi was for Barcelona] (In Slovene: "Jože Plečnik za tisto, kar je bil za Barcelono Antonio Gaudi"), [[MMC RTV Slovenia]], 23 January 2012</ref>

From 1900 through 1910, while practicing in the Wagner's office in Vienna, he designed the [[Langer House, Vienna|Langer House]] (1900) and the [[Zacherlhaus]] (1903–1905). The Zacherlhaus was notable for its use of reinforced concrete columns in the ground floor and mezzanine. This practice was considered risky at the time as the practice was fairly new. His use of reinforced concrete columns continued in his later project, The Church of the Holy Spirit.<ref name="PC"/>

His 1910–1913 ''Church of the Holy Spirit'' ([[:de:Heilig-Geist-Kirche (Wien)|Heilig-Geist-Kirche]]) is remarkable for its innovative use of poured-in-place concrete as both structure and exterior surface, and also for its abstracted classical form language. Most radical is the church's crypt, with its slender concrete columns and angular, cubist capitals and bases.<ref name="PC"/>

In 1911, Plečnik moved to [[Prague]], where he taught at the college of arts and crafts. The first president of the new Czechoslovak Republic from 1918 onwards, [[Tomáš Masaryk]], appointed Plečnik chief architect for the 1920 renovation of [[Prague Castle]]. From 1920 until 1934 Plečnik completed a wide range of projects at the castle, including renovation of gardens and courtyards, the design and installation of monuments and sculptures, and the design of numerous new interior spaces, including the [[Plečnik Hall]] completed in 1930, which features three levels of abstracted [[Doric order|Doric]] colonnades. His final work in Prague was the [[Church of the Most Sacred Heart of Our Lord]] (Roman Catholic, 1929–32).

Upon the 1921 establishment of the [[Ljubljana School of Architecture]] in his hometown of Ljubljana, he was invited by the fellow SloveneSlovenian architect [[Ivan Vurnik]] to become a founding faculty member and moved to teach architecture at the [[University of Ljubljana]]. Plečnik would remainremained in Ljubljana until his death, and it is there that his influence as an architect is most noticeable.<ref name="CEMM"/>

===Giving the city of Ljubljana its modern identity===

Plečnik gave the capital of [[Slovenia]], the city of Ljubljana, its modern identity by designing iconic buildings such as the [[National and University Library of Slovenia|SloveneSlovenian National and University Library]] building. Plečnik was also a transformative figure in the city planning of Ljubljana. This included restorations and improvements to historic buildings and sites. His work in city planning differed from many other efforts of the time, as his focus was further from practical problems found in the city, but instead focused on the overall experience of Ljubljana. He also designed other notable buildings, including the [[Vzajemna Insurance Company Offices]], and contributed to many civic improvements. He renovated the city's bridges and the [[Ljubljanica|Ljubljanica River]] banks, and designed the [[Ljubljana Central Market]] buildings, the [[Žale|Ljubljana cemetery]], parks, plazas etc. Buildings designed by Plečnik were built by the constructor [[Matko Curk]].<ref name="Kobilica1999VDB">{{cite book |title=Volja do dela je bogastvo: mikrozgodovinska študija o ljubljanskem stavbnem podjetniku Matku Curku (1885–1953) in njegovi družini |language=Slovenian |trans-title=The Will to Work Is a Fortune: A Microhistorical Study About the Ljubljana Construction Businessman Matko Curk (1885–1953) |first1=Katarina |last1=Kobilica |first2=Andrej |last2=Studen |author-link2=Andrej Studen |publisher=Nova revija |year=1999 |series=Korenine |isbn=961-6017-78-0}}</ref>

DuringAfter the [[HistoryWorld ofWar Slovenia|Communist period of Slovene history]]II Plečnik fell out of favor as a [[Catholic]] {{Citation needed|date=January 2019}} and his's teaching role at the university was gradually reduced because he was over 70 years old. In 1947, athe thewas invitationinvited ofby [[Ferdo Kozak]], the president of the SloveneSlovenian People’sPeople's Assembly to design athe new Parliament building,. PlečnikHe proposed the Cathedral of Freedom (also known as the [[Plečnik Parliament]]), wherea hecylindrical wantedtwo-story tomain razebuilding, thetopped [[Ljubljanaby Castle]]a tall conical dome and tosurrounded buildby a monumentalmassive octagonalsquare buildingcolonnade. insteadProbably the most daring Plečnik's project, 120 meters high, dubbed The Slovenian Eiffel Tower, was shelved because of the instability at the breakup between Yugoslavia and [[Cominform]] in 1948.<ref name="KSKS"/> In 1952, Ljubljana city leaders asked Plečnik to remodel the [[Križanke]] monastery into a venue for the Ljubljana Festival, his last big Ljubljana project. Other projects he completed at that time included the renovation of the Prešeren Theater, plus the Plečnik Arcades, stairway and fountain, all in Kranj, the reconstruction of churches, the design of the Pavilion on [[Brijuni|Brionian Islands]] (Tito's summer state residence), and numerous National Liberation War monuments (in Ljubljana-Trnovo, Vipava, Radeče, Črna na Koroškem, Dolenja vas, Sevnica, Laško, Split, Kraljevo, etc.).<ref name="SNJP"/> For his work, he twice received the [[Prešeren Award]], in 1949 and 1952 for his life's work. Plečnik died in 1957 and received an official state funeral in [[Žale]], attended by many political, cultural and church leaders.<ref name="MSTD"/>

== Legacy ==

In the 1980s, with [[postmodern architecture|postmodernist]] interestattention into Plečnik's work, the general interest in him has also been revived, as well, after being forgottensidestepped during the 1960s and 1970s.{{citation<ref needed|datename=September 2013}}"PZP"/> Since then, Plečnik's legacy has been commemorated in various ways, most notably in the 1990s on the SloveneSlovenian 500 [[Slovenian tolar|tolar]] banknote, with the National and University Library of Slovenia depicted on the reverse.<ref>{{Cite web|urlname=http:"B500T"//banknote.ws/COLLECTION/countries/EUR/SLV/SLV0016.htm|title = P-16}}</ref><ref>Shafer, N., Cuhaj, G. S., Thern, R., & Bruce, C. R. (2019). Standard catalog of world paper money. Iola, WI: Krause Publications. Pg. 996</ref>

The unrealized [[Plečnik Parliament|Cathedral of Freedom]] designedproject by Plečnik is featured on the SloveneSlovenian [[Plečnik Parliament#Cultural significance|10 cent euro coin]].<ref name="Impact_comparisonTNZG" /> ''[[Slovenska Akropola|Slovenska akropola]]'' is the title of a 1987 album by the SloveneSlovenian [[industrial music]] group [[Laibach (band)|Laibach]]. During August 2008, a [[maquette]] of the Parliament was featured at the ''Project Plečnik'' exhibition on the architect's life, held at the [[Justus Lipsius building|Council of the European Union building]] in [[Brussels]], [[Belgium]] on the occasion of the SloveneSlovenian [[European Union|EU]] Presidency. The exhibition's curator [[Boris Podrecca]] described the Parliament as "the most charismatic object" of Plečnik's opus.<ref>[http://www.triera.net/novica.php?id=A139313 Triera.com: Podreccova slovenska trilogija v Bruslju]{{dead link|datename=December 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} {{in lang|sl}}<"PSTB"/ref>

In addition, on 23 January 2012, to celebrate the 140th anniversary of Plečnik's birth, a picture of the Triple Bridge was featured as the official [[List of Google Doodles in 2012#January|Google logo (Doodle)]] adaptation in Slovenia.<ref name="Impact_comparisonTNZG" />

Plečnik's home in Ljubljana houses a museum of his life and work.<ref>{{Cite web|urlname=https:"PH"//www.visitljubljana.com/en/visitors/things-to-do/sightseeing/plecnik-house/|title = Plečnik House}}</ref> There are several busts and sculptures of him situated around [[Ljubljana]] as reminders of his works and legacy.

In 2021, selected works of Plečnik in Ljubljana and [[Črna vasVas]] were inscribed on the list of [[World Heritage Site]]s under the name "[[The works of Jože Plečnik in Ljubljana – Human Centred Urban Design]]".<ref>{{cite news |urlname=https:"IPDL"//www.dnevnik.si/1042960042/Ljubljana/izbrana-plecnikova-dela-v-ljubljani-vpisana-na-unescov-seznam-svetovne-dediscine |title=Izbrana Plečnikova dela v Ljubljani vpisana na Unescov seznam svetovne dediščine |trans-title=Selected Plečnik's works in Ljubljana inscribed on the Unesco's World Heritage list |date=2021-07-28 |work=Dnevnik |accessdate=2021-07-28}}</ref>

=== Work on Prague Castle ===

== See also ==

== References ==

{{reflist}}|refs=

*Krečič, Peter. (1993) "Plečnik, the complete works." New York. Whitney Library of Design. {{ISBN|0-8230-2565-9}}