Monetary Institutions and the Emergence of a New Building Type

Fellner and Helmer’s Design for the Croatian Escompte Bank in Zagreb

Authors

  • Azra Suljić ASK Atelier Ltd., Trg N. Š. Zrinskog 17, Zagreb, Croatia
  • Karin Šerman University of Zagreb, Faculty of Architecture, Fra Andrije Kačića Miošića 26, Zagreb, Croatia

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.31522/p.29.1(61).2

Keywords:

Croatian Escompte Bank , Fellner and Helmer, monetary institutions, typology, Zagreb

Abstract

In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Zagreb witnessed the appearance of a new building typology meant to accommodate various sorts of monetary institutions: banks, savings banks, insurance companies and stock exchanges. This paper presents one important early example of that type – the seat of the Croatian Escompte Bank in Zagreb. It was designed in 1898-1899 by the Vienna-based studio Fellner and Helmer for a prominent location at 3 Ilica Street and it heralded the defining features of the new building type, such as the union of diverse facilities within a single structure, imposing architectural features and overall grand appearance, and a highly prominent role in the urban fabric of the city.
In particular, it contributed to the definition of a spatial and formal scheme for commercial corner buildings, as the most exposed and attractive segments of downtown city blocks. In that sense it served as a productive model for a number of corner buildings intended for business purposes that were to follow.

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Published

2021-06-28

How to Cite

Suljić, A. and Šerman, K. (2021) “Monetary Institutions and the Emergence of a New Building Type: Fellner and Helmer’s Design for the Croatian Escompte Bank in Zagreb”, Prostor, 29(1(61), pp. 14–29. doi: 10.31522/p.29.1(61).2.

Issue

Section

Preliminary Communication