Žilina Gallery :: Fotogaléria mesta Žiliny

51 – Financial Palace, Hodžova č. 11

Turistická informačná tabuľka č. 51 s QR kódom na budove Finančného paláca, Hodžova č. 11
(Foto: 6. 7. 2019)

The author of the project is Michal Maximilián Scheer. The architect had at his disposal a narrow trapezoidal corner parcel, and he placed a central stairway at the front of the structure. Between the two wings of the building, in the centre of the A-shaped layout is an atrium, around which were located all the functional business premises. The individual offices are accessible from the balcony-type corridor. The atrium lighting brought to the premises a light and sunny atmosphere. The half-cylindrical structure of the staircase was lightened by using glass over the full area with divided half-landings and fine vertical structuring of the glass wall. That amplified the dominating feature of the quoin. The architect accentuated the entrance to the building with a semicircular awning supported by three columns, which architects link to the impact of the Soviet constructivists. The vertical structure is repeated on the facade of the building.
In 1949, one more storey was added to the building, which suppressed the dominant feature of the half-cylindrical front staircase. This building is one of the best works of the architect Scheer and is also one of the best buildings in Žilina. The subsequent rebuilding of the staircase in 1998 gave to the glass wall a massive raster with a mirror glass. The original intent of the architect, namely the lightness of the staircase and quoin design, as well as other architectural details, was lost when the awning above the entrance was removed.
Currently, the building remains a symbol of functionalist architecture in Žilina. It is a building that is deep in the awareness of Žilina’s citizens. Currently it is occupied by Dexia Bank

Source: Ing. arch. Dušan Mellner. Text prevzatý z webovej stránky TIK Žilina (kliknite): www.tikzilina.eu