Žilina Gallery :: Fotogaléria mesta Žiliny

56 – Svojdomov, town district

Turistická informačná tabuľka č. 56 s QR kódom v mestskej štvrti Svojdomov
(Foto: 2. 8. 2012)

A unique architectonic and urban monument - town quarter “Svojdomov” – belongs to important modern architecture monuments in the territory of Slovakia. The construction started in 1931 and until the end of the decade, 48 houses were built. The buildings are unique in particular due to the then modern view on the way of living, as well as due to the materials and construction. The overall look of the new quarter defies the regional conditions. The idea of the town quarter Svojdomov can be compared to the “New Living” programme, which was one of the first events focused on modern living in Europe. The programme was presented in 1927 at the world fair in Stuttgart and implemented in the Stuttgart quarter Weissenhof. The main programme ideas included in particular regulation of the terrace arrangement of the houses and their ideal orientation, especially lighting of residential premises, greenery, etc.
In 1928 the first exhibition of modern living called “Nový dům” (a New House) was organised in Brno and based on it a 16-building colony “Nový dům” was built in the town quarter Brno – Žabovřesky in 1927 – 1928. Architects were trying to present their concept of an ideal family house, while one of the conditions was to use the basement as farm premises. A similar event was organised in Prague at Baba, where 33 new houses were built according to individual projects, while Prague was originally considering building classical houses on that plot.
Establishment of the Svojdomov cooperative „Svojdomov.“ Lack of flats had been a long-term issue in Žilina and therefore the cooperative Svojdomov established in 1930 by Štefan Mellner, the president of the cooperative, took the initiative. The cooperation had 20 members at the very beginning. The number of members increased gradually to 46, later to 155. The cooperative planned to build at least 77 family houses. In 1930 a nation-wide tender was organised, and in 1931 the restrictive procedure for submission of projects was held. An exhibition at hotel Rémi was held from 4 May to 10 May 1931. Tender offers were attached to individual exhibited projects. Forty-six building plots were purchased, the investors got the building permit in June 1931, and 38 investors got the flat permit in 1932. The town architects and architects from other towns participated in the tender, for example the constructor J. Svoboda from Prague, constructors from Ostrava, constructors “Ing. Hollan and Kučera” from Žilina, architect Ing. Žigo Wertheimer, architect and constructors Július Stein, Michal Maximilián Scheer and others.
After establishing the cooperation Svojdomov, they were searching for a suitable locality for building the new modern houses. Finally, they purchased so-called “Bielikove role” (Bielik’s fields) - land next to the old town cemetery and at the planned town entrance. The overall area had 47,410 m² and 68 family houses were planned to be built there. One building plot had 400 m². The purchased plots lay on a moderate slope oriented to the west and they bordered on the cemetery and on the road to Hradisko on the south, and the railway track on the west. An evangelic church was built a bit later according to a design by M. M. Harminc on the top of the hill. The simple concept allowed for three lengthwise streets and perpendicular side streets. The planned double houses were reckoned to be a good economical solution. Several alternatives were prepared. A solution with 68 bigger plots and preserved isolation strip of greenery won. The houses were built in four rows separated by streets that created closed blocks. Houses were facing the streets, and gardens were placed inside the blocks. The whole plan of implementation was prepared by architect Ing. Ž. Wertheimer, who designed the preservation of the greenery strip or bigger gardens. In 1933 the whole urban concept was prepared by the town geometer Mr. Friedländr and thus there were 145 building plots available in the town quarter.
In April 1931 the plot plan was approved and the cooperative requested for demarcation of the building line. On 22 April 1931 a “national” tender for suppliers of the building works was announced. The tender offers had to be structured according to the number of houses e.g. offer for one house, for five houses or for 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60 and more houses. The building company “Ing. Hollan a Kučera” from Žilina won the tender. Building permits were issued from April to July 1931 and the building process started immediately. The original completion deadline was at the end of November 1931, however it was shifted to April 1932. Thus the first stage of building the new quarter Svojdomov ended.“
In 1935 an Evangelic church was built according to the design of M. M. Harminc. Ten building plots were purchased in order to build the church, a parsonage with a school and an orphanage. In the same year the town built the 2nd state folk school according to the design of architect F. E. Bednárik – present Secondary Grammar School Veľká okružná – opposite the church. .
The town quarter Svojdomov in Žilina is rather a practical example of principles applied based on the idea of securing housing and functionality. The housing idea was specified under the influence of the above mentioned exhibitions and based on other underlying documentation. The proposals offering classic architectonic forms of houses were rejected. Only modern forms of housing were requested during the restricted procedure. Thirty-eight houses were built during the first phase and another 10 were built later; five of them created the basic core of the new quarter.
The newly built quarter Svojdomov was interesting in particular because of the clean space concept and modern functionalistic architecture. A decorative garden designated for relaxation and recreation became an inherent part of a house. Architects worked with one-floor houses as with building units, while gardens were either in the front or at the back of each house. The street fencing made of standard wire mesh was designed by architect Július Stein. Unified fences in the whole quarter enabled undisturbed views of the street façade. The architecture of Svojdomov clearly shows the ideas of new, modern housing that were turned into residential premises. At the very beginning, the architect J. Stein designed a classical house with a saddle roof. We do not know who influenced J. Stein so that he shifted to the functionalistic concept - whether it was architect M. M. Scheer, or the building cooperative board presided by Štefan Mellner. The requirements of flat roofs and modern housing applied to the restricted procedure. The personality of M. M. Sheer prevailed over the personality of J. Stein. Later, J. Stein designed a type-house with a half-circular extended staircase that was used in three buildings. He was probably influenced by the work of M. M. Scheer, a young and ambitious architect promoting the ideas of avant-garde and functionalism.
The town quarter Svojdomov is a practical example of the implementation of modern housing ideas in Slovakia between the wars, when life was influenced by the great economic crisis. All the following was built in the 30’s of the 20th century - 52 family houses, one block of flats, shop Budúcnosť (Future), Evangelic church with a parsonage, 2nd state folk school and a building of Sokoloňa gym at the outskirts. Thus an integral picture of a modern town quarter Svojdomov was completed. After the Second World War, another similar project called “Drevoúnia” was implemented. It included 11 family houses and three blocks of flats that resembled pre-war architecture only by the progressive solution and material used. Later, in the 50’s and 60’s, blocks of flats for soldiers were built. They disturbed and changed the overall intent and character of the town quarter in a negative way. The development plans included demolition of the whole quarter in order to build blocks of flats in the area. Fortunately, that did not happen. Only a flyover bridge that damaged a part of the old cemetery and created a barrier around the old town was built.

Source: Mgr. Peter Štanský, doc. Ing. Novák Milan, PhD. Text prevzatý z webovej stránky TIK Žilina (kliknite): www.tikzilina.eu.