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Although difficult to handle, which was not possible without metal tools, stone remained a
symbol of creativity, which is transformed into a significant achievement of the cultural
heritage. The secret of this achievement of the primitive man lies "in his spontaneity,
sensuality and religion" , which allowed him to remain in conjunction with the nature of
134
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which is dependent. The functions of man and nature are characteristic caused agglomeration
of old Bosnian cities (Fig. 2), which speaks of man's nature is shaped by hand. Rarely that
architectural culture, said Neidhardt, is so pure, almost geometric, such as the bosnian
herzegovinian architecture. Hemisphere, cylinder, cube, prism, etc. have become the basic
compositional elements. Vertical elements - towers, minarets, tombstones and horizontal
streets, bridges, represent the unbreakable stone clamp between the nature that overcome and
the human spirit that emiches.
Figure 2,
a. FOliress in Travnik
b. Bridge in Visegrad - a
connection between two
coasts
c. View of the renewed
Pocitelj (Herzegovina)
d. Family house in Pocitelj
e. View of Mostar's Old
bridge over the Neretva with
the towers
f. Tower up Mostar's Old
Bridge
g. Dobricevo monastery, was
transferred to the slopes above
the lake Bileca
The use of stone has been applied in the sacred and folk art (altars, stone altar partitions,
rosettes, baptistery, pulpit, fountains, wells, stone vessels, furnaces), and the objects of use in
the household and crafts (hearth, vessels for food storage, stone mill wheel for cereals, olives,
etc.). Folk ali objects were often made in the spirit of pure functionalism and aesthetics while
remaining simple "as the norm, a measure of which is the standard of man's ancestor - a
savage".
Exhaustive research of Bosnian-Herzegovinian culture and tradition that shortly before the
Second World War began to work and after the war continued Dusan Grabrijan and Juraj
Neidhardt, published in the book "Architecture ofBosnia and the way towards modernity" in
1957, was a significant starting point for understanding the region, mentality, folk customs
and architecture. Like Ernst Lichtblau, student of Otto Wagner, who in 1904 was on a study
tour in Bosnia and on this occasion in the architecture of the Bosnian house discovered
elements of the new architecture, Neidhardt has also found a foothold in the motifs of
vernacular architecture that skilfully applied in the architecture projects of modem expression.
Coming from a source of modem architecture, from the bureau of Le Corbusier, where they
fervently supported the most progressive ideas of modern architecture, Neidhardt in Bosnia
discovered the potential of traditional architecture. Modem architecture of the International
Style, which aimed to uniformity, regardless of the local tradition, climate and region,
experiencing a transformation in the projects of Neidhardt merging with traditional
architectural elements and materials. The stone which was pushed back by new materials that
135
promoted modem architecture has remained present in the project during the early postwar
renewal and reconstruction in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
136
techniques with contemporary materials, have also caused frequent use of traditional materials
and methods of construction that were the easiest, the fastest and which are able to perform
local builders. As the stone was always enough so it's served as the basic and generally the
only building material for plinths of buildings, underpinning of buildings, overcoming the
slope of terrain, access ramps, retaining and main walls, etc.
Ski Chalet or Ski home on Trebevi6 (Fig. 3) built in 1947, represents one of the most
beautiful buildings of Bosnian architecture built on the principles of tradition and modernity,
which unfortunately no longer exists. Architect Juraj Neidhardt has succeeded "in that post
war period of scarcity of materials and resources, with its huge enthusiasm, knowledge and
feeling for the continuity of traditional architecture, he had accomplish the work in which he
brought together the beauty of filigree tameness of local vernacular architecture, and at the
same time he gave it an expression of great european architecture of the time in which it
occurred." 1 Unconcern of our society, which often loses "the connection and continuity with
the time, space and feelings, from the individual to the whole society" 1 , this according to
many pearl-building, was burned and was never rebuilt, to the detriment of cultural heritage.
"The house is built of such materials which can be obtained on the spot itsesf i.e. of wood
and stone, and on the constmction methods of the old builders, the ground floor is made of
stone... which is a good example of how it is possible to utilize indigenous elements in a
modem stmcture" 1 , explains Neidhardt whom Le Corbusier was warned about the values of
the old residential architecture in the Balkans. The ski house, with views of the ski jump on
the hill above Sarajevo, is an example of universal state of mind in post war years which was
turned towards a new future in spite of the bad financial situation.
Figure 3,
Juraj Neidhardt, Ski Chalet or Ski home on Trebevi6 above Sarajevo, 1947
On the objects from 1947 - Housing blocks in Duro Dakovi6 street in Sarajevo (implemented
from 1947 to 1958, Figure 4), the workers' house for unmarried workers (Fig. 5) and
unmarried workers house with restaurant, bowling alley and terrace in Vares, Fig. 6 (which
are the same year completed) by architect Juraj Neidhardt ~ ashlar stone was used to create
the retaining wall of building and the access ramp and also for the pedestals (socle) of housing
blocks (Figs. 4 and 5), and on the unmarried workers house, whose construction has been of
ferroconcrete, which was a kind of privilege during that time, on perimeter fences, retaining
walls and "on the ground-floors, wherever it has been possible, the walls were are built-up of
broken stones" 1 (Fig. 6).
137
Figure 4,
Juraj Neidhardt, Housing blocks in Duro Dakovic street in Sarajevo (today Alipasina Street),
realization 1947-1958
Figure 5,
Figure 6,
Juraj Neidhardt, House for unmarried workers with restaurant, bowling alley and terrace in
Vares, 1947
Architect Muhamed Kadic was designed by several characteristic farm buildings, one of
which is allocated the stables for sheep on Kupres field from 1948 (Fig. 7). Unfortunately,
there is little surviving information about this building of specific form with accented roof
structure. Traditionally built low stone walls with small openings because of the harsh
climate, covering dynamic roof structure expertly constructed of wooden beams. This
building is an example of modernized traditional dinar chalet.
138
Figure 7,
Neidhardt's preliminary design for a tourist restaurant at the source of Bosnia river from 1948
(Fig. 8) needed by its purpose to be in the group of smaller facilities, designed in the manner
to the farmhouse and located in natural surrounding "in order to represent the groundwork of
Bosnian and Herzegovinian tourist facilites, ... and that in tenns of picnic (te/eric) cult" 1
Stone was the most appropriate material for overcoming slope of terrain, underpin of building
and for all retaining walls, because it is planned to adapt the building to the ground through a
stepwise of building volume sequencing. In the conceptual view are clearly outlined all the
stone building segments as well as integration in the lively ambience. Base of the stone has
enabled the fonnation of lighter construction more open first floor.
Figure 8,
Juraj Neidhardt, Conceptual design for a tourist restaurant at the source of Bosnia river, 1948
139
Family house in Konjic from 1952 (Fig. 9), author Andrija Ciein-Sain is a continuation of the
Neidhardt approach 20 in the design of houses. Objects of Ciein-Sain were done in complete
subordination of natural and traditional ambience and also to the man, to his needs and habits.
Emphasized horizontality of cubic shape, hipped roof, ground floor built from stone pebbles
that deposited the river of Neretva in the vicinity, are lessons that CiCin-Sain could draw from
nature and ambience of Konjic. In a similar way CiCin-Sain build three residential buildings
next to the mosque on Didikovac in Sarajevo from 1953 (Fig. 10). Two lower cube shape
objects with a hipped roof, semi-circular connected with stone ground floor taking over the
function of the wall facing to the street, rely again on a traditional style building and are on
the trail of the house in Konjic. The third structure provides vertical accent throughout the
complex, it IS pure cubic shaped, articulated only by horizontal rows of windows and
balconies.
Figure 9,
Andrija Ciein-Sain, Family house in Konjic, 1952
Figure 10,
Andrija CiCin-Sain, Residential buildings next to the mosque on Didikovac in Sarajevo, 1953
Two smaller unrealized one storey building of Juraj Neidhardt, an elementary school in
Blatusa near Zenica project of 1954 (Fig. 11) and cafe-restaurant in Kiseljak (alternative
along the Drina river) project of 1965 (Fig. 12), connects the idea of a simple architecture for
140
human - within reach and penetration interior space and the local environment. All the main
walls are of broken stone, traditionally built, which is due to the low height range of the
building and allow for greater and more complete opening of the other side. The school is
treated to pavilions and with partitioned spatial scheme. Longitudinal front entry side is
contained, and in the courtyard, where the two pavilions housed four classrooms, is
completely open. This has enabled a full lighting and opening of classrooms to the backyard
and nature. By the project for the coffee-restaurant, forming two circumferential stone wall,
was obtained covered outdoor area garden of restaurant with an open stone fireplace in the
center. With simple structure of space, form and materialisation is enabled the integration of
this building in the natural surrounding, while at the same time building does not violate the
ambience.
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Figure 11,
Juraj Neidhardt, Conceptual design for elementary school in Blatusa near Zenica, 1954
141
Figure 12,
Juraj Neidhardt, Conceptual design for cafe-restaurant in Kiseljak (alternative along the Drina
river), 1965
The competition project from 1955 for the new building of the National Assembly of People's
Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina (by the new competition realized in 1976) Figure 13,
Juraj Neidhardt was proposed representative implementation of stone cladding in the interior
and on the facades as a "symbo1 of awareness and resistance in the form of the tombstones
(steeci)" where is "in the form of stone lace carved out the entire history of the Yugoslav
people, from the tenebrous past and slavery through the Liberation to the days of
reconstruction and rehabilitation".2! With this project the author returns further to the past and
for a cloth of the building search a model in mystical architecture and proc~ssing of stone
tombstones as a symbol of the common source.
Figure 13,
Juraj Neidhardt, Competition winning design project for the new building of the National
During the seventies, when the Bosnian-Herzegovinian architecture has greatly progressed
quantitatively and qualitatively, the traditional use of stone is not completely clisappeared. In
this fourth period of development 22 of the Bosnian-Herzegovinian contemporary architecture
of modem expression, the use of new advanced building materials was significantly present.
This is the period when were already working numerous local construction companies and
factories for new builcling materials whose quality has been on the rise the world level.
Although the financial and social circumstances were quite favorable, and the architecture
142
progressed significantly, the use of stone found special application in the individual projects
of 1. Neidhartdt. These are projects of specific purpose, mainly tourism and recreational
character which are located in a picturesque natural setting of Bosnia and Herzegovina. The
typical example for the urban-architectural project is a plan for ethno-park (1968 - 1974)
which was partially realized on the slopes of the dam lake Bileca. At this location is a
necropolis with hundreds of tombstones taken from the riverbed Trebisnjica and around it is
wrapper of the rural and urban material culture of the Herzegovinian past. Stone
agglomeration of ethno-park in Bileca (Fig. 14) consists of several buildings of tourism
purposes (local history museum, tourist house, motel, lapidary, botanic garden). All the
buildings are made of stone, with a traditional technique of drywall construction, roofs are
also covered with stone slabs representing a sort of "artifacts of the past"?3 Neidhardt was
gave similarly a proposal for fishfood restaurant with a terrace in Zvomik (1975), with views
of the river Drina through perforated holes in the old part of the fortress (Fig. 15).
Figure 14,
Juraj Neidhardt, Stone agglomeration of ethno-park in Bileca on the slopes of the dam lake,
1968-1974, model
Figure 15,
Juraj Neidhardt, Idea for fishfood restaurant with a terrace in Zvomik, 1975, model
143
144
Figure 16,
Studio DVA Arhitekta:
Tomislav Curkovi6 and
Zoran Zidari6
Family estate, Bijaca,
Bosnia and Herzegovina,
2011
Photo: Robert Les
References
145
Illustration
Figure 1: 1. Neidhartd, Turisticka bosansko-hercegovacka magistrala, Arhitektura, no. 113
114
(1972), pp. 34,41.
Figure 2: 1. Neidhartd, Turisticka bosansko-hercegovacka magistrala, Arhitektura, pp. 35,
43,64,78.
Figure 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 11, 13: D. Grabrijan, J. Neidhart, Arhitektura Bosne i put u savremeno,
pp.340,
341,368,369,363,372,345,346,384,417,418.
Figure 7, 9: 1. Straus, Nova bosanskohercegovacka arhitektura 1945 -1975, pp. 22, 26.
Figure 10: http: //muzej -rijeka.hr/andrij a-cicin-sain/projekti-stambeni -kompleks-didikovac
1953.htm1
Figure 12, 15: 1. Neidhartd, Vizuelni magneti, Odjek, XXVIII, 1-15 January 1975, no. 1, pp.
27.
Figure 14: 1. Neidhartd, Bastinai novo, Arhitektura, no. 115 (1973), Offprint booklet, pp. IV
arhitekta/
146