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- Title
Luksuz na jugoslavenski način – Hotel Ambasador u Opatiji.
- Authors
Počanić, Patricia
- Abstract
Hotel Ambasador in Opatija, designed by Zdravko Bregovac and built in 1966, is a prime example of modern tourist architecture in Yugoslavia. It was built at the height of Yugoslav commercial mass tourism and its typology, design, and implementation are a fine example of adapting to modern tourist standards. The hotel boasts an “A” rating, the highest available, and a prominent location on the Liburnian Riviera. Its freestanding structure with modernist features remains a visual emblem of Opatija’s urban planning, with numerous facilities and services that were state-of-the art at the time of its construction, as well as a rich artistic interior design. The hotel was adorned with works of art by prominent artists, including Zlatko Bourek, Boris Dogan, Dušan Džamonja, Ivo Kalina, Zvonimir Lončarić, Edo Murtić, Šime Perić, Ivan Picelj, and Aleksandar Srnec. In order to create a total work of art, they collaborated with the architect, as well as with Diana Kosec, Inge Kostinčer-Bregovac, Boris Vižintin, and Milan Vulpe. These distinguished painters, sculptors, and designers had largely gained experience in furnishing the interiors of public buildings during the 1950s and, specifically, tourist architecture during the 1960s. By using abstract art and new figuration, they showcased the latest achievements in contemporary Croatian art while including copies of frescoes to pay homage to the country’s cultural and historical heritage. The aim was to educate foreign tourists and promote Yugoslav national identity. The inclusion of artworks in the hotel’s overall design was both a conceptual and practical consideration, as it mirrored the theoretical research on the synthesis of sculptural arts as well as laws and acts by which the state encouraged the use of artworks in investment constructions. Also, since Hotel Ambassador was built in the transitional period of Yugoslav tourism from social to commercial, its architectural design and artworks were crucial in articulating the way in which the country was to be presented to international visitors. As one of the most prominent examples of tourist architecture built in the 1960s, Hotel Ambassador is a particularly interesting display of the relationship between the state, tourism, and art. In this context, architects, urban planners, and artists had the complex task of mediating their own research and experiments with the economic ambitions of the investors and their social responsibility towards the surrounding environment. Based on the previous scholarly literature, archival documentation, and periodicals, this paper analyses the Hotel Ambasador in relation to the state’s attitude towards tourism and tourist architecture, as well as the theoretical reflections on the so-called synthesis of plastic arts and the initiatives of artistic and professional associations and state authorities concerning the allocation of finances for fine arts in investment constructions. The design and realization of Hotel Ambasador are also considered in light of the numerous discussions in professional periodicals and daily newspapers, as its prominent location, exterior, and interior prompted both positive and negative criticism from experts.
- Subjects
YUGOSLAVIA; MASS tourism; MODERN architecture; ARCHITECTURAL design; HOTEL design &; construction; ABSTRACT art; FRESCO painting; PRESS criticism; COUNTRIES
- Publication
Journal of the Institute of Art History, 2022, Vol 46, p207
- ISSN
0350-3437
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.31664/ripu.2022.46.14