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Built Heritage 19th – 20th c.

The scientific research unit conducts research on architectural and urban development in Croatia, examining it at national and international levels within the framework of the social, cultural, and political processes of the modern and contemporary periods. Special attention is given to the genesis of urban planning concepts for cities and settlements, as well as to spatial, structural, technological, and stylistic/formal innovations in housing construction and in public buildings serving social needs, including infrastructure. These themes are examined through individual projects and realizations, housing models, and the use of public space – that is, through the processes of their formation in the context of international knowledge exchange and continuous transfers occurring via journals, exhibitions, architectural and urban planning competitions, participation in international associations of architects and planners, professional study trips, and advanced training. Consequently, the focus is directed not only toward the works themselves, but also toward their direct and indirect creators and co-creators – both individuals and institutions: architects, urban planners, design offices, planning institutes, republican, federal, and international associations of architects and planners, investors, as well as local and state authorities, all of whom are essential to understanding the relationship between architecture, urbanism, and society.

The unit’s activities include participation in national and international research, exhibition, and publishing projects; the organization of scientific and professional conferences; the dissemination of research results; and the development of educational and outreach programs. Notable exhibitions such as Towards a Concrete Utopia: Architecture in Yugoslavia, 1948–1980 (MoMA, New York, 2018–2019) and Art and Life Are One: The Zemlja Artists’ Association, 1929–1935 (Klovićevi dvori Gallery, Zagreb, 2019–2020) stand out as highlights. Among publishing projects, a significant contribution is the preparation of encyclopedic entries on Croatia for The Bloomsbury Global Encyclopedia of Women in Architecture 1960–2020 (London, 2025).

The research employs interdisciplinary methods, including fieldwork and archival studies, visual and spatial analysis, digital technologies, and GIS tools. This approach allows for systematic mapping, cataloguing, interpretation, and valorization of 19th- and 20th-century architectural and urban heritage, while also supporting the development of new digital tools for research and presentation.

Examples of past research include studies, books, articles, and documentary films on leading architects and urban planners (Vladimir Antolić, Hildegard Auf Franić, Ivan Čižmek, Drago Galić, Marijan Haberle, Drago Ibler, Dinko Kovačić, Le Corbusier, Rikard Marasović, Andrija Mutnjaković, Radovan Nikšić, Berislav Šerbetić, Radovan Tajder, Ernest Weissmann, the Zagreb Working Group); on the architecture and urbanism of Croatian cities in the 19th and 20th centuries (Zagreb, Dubrovnik, Rijeka, Split, Šibenik, Zadar); on architectural and urban competitions; on architectural exhibitions; and on international professional associations (CIAM – Congrès internationaux d’architecture moderne, UIA – Union Internationale des Architectes).

The results contribute new insights into historical and contemporary urbanism and provide a basis for enhancing conservation practices and revitalising settlements. This, in turn, creates opportunities for a deeper understanding of heritage values and their role in contemporary society.

For an overview of previous research in the field of 19th and 20th century architectural and urban history, see the chapter “Research on 19th and 20th Century Architecture” by Željka Čorak, published in “Heritage in Focus” (IPU, Zagreb, 2010).

Current research project of the unit:

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