Author(s)

N. Jaksic

Abstract

The church of Saint Anthony of Padua in Zagreb was built in 1934 and represents a valuable ecclesiastical monument of the Modern Movement. It was originally designed with a crypt and a tower that were not built at the time. The aim of this paper is to emphasize the importance of a correct reading and understanding of the complexity of architecture in order to provide a proper methodology for its (re)construction and site preservation. Eight thoroughly analysed and evaluated elements of the original architectural design – programme, context, concept, form and space, movement, technology as well as perceptual and conceptual readings – provide more objective information of their value and help in assessing the achieved architectural quality of the church and its later additions. The church tower, which has now been recently built, has the same form and purpose as the original tower design, but other elements have contributed to disharmony with the church’s design. It has become the primary focus of the site instead of the unambiguous expressiveness of the original design of the church complex. The comprehensive method used in this study proved to be a useful tool. It is possible to create appropriate later additions to built heritage, but the above eight elements have to be carefully evaluated before making decisions. Keywords: addition, analytic method, church, reconstruction, 20th century heritage.

Keywords

addition, analytic method, church, reconstruction, 20th century heritage