Two original scientific papers have been published in the scholarly journal Prostor (WoS, Q2):
- Modern Port-Industrial Town of Ploče, Croatia – Research on Public Architecture (1952–1970)
Authors: Prof. Dr. Zrinka Barišić Marenić, Associate Prof. Dr. Jasenka Kranjčević, Scientific Advisor at the Institute for Tourism, and Duje Jelčić, M.Arch.
Although Ploče has often been dismissed by international media as a place with little to offer, research reveals a different story. The town and its public architecture have long been overlooked in Croatian architectural scholarship. This paper focuses on modern public architecture (built between 1952 and 1970), which contributed to the town’s transformation towards increasing urban characteristics. The research is based on limited archival sources, fieldwork, and comparative analysis of similar public buildings constructed in Croatia during the same period. As Ploče became increasingly urban over time, landscaped green areas were also analyzed as indicators of urban development. The study highlights the value of Ploče’s modern public architecture as an important and previously neglected part of Croatian architectural heritage, with potential significance for both cultural and tourism purposes.
Available at: https://hrcak.srce.hr/clanak/481378
- Slavonia Hotel System – Planning and Programme Starting Points, Architectural Concept and Realization (1974–1982)
Authors: Dr. Nebojša Antešević and Associate Prof. Dr. Jasenka Kranjčević, Scientific Advisor at the Institute for Tourism
This paper examines the project of Croatian hotel architecture in the second half of the 20th century through the Slavonia Hotel System (HSS), developed in the mid-1970s by a team of experts from the Urban Planning Institute of Croatia, led by architect Matija Salaj. The HSS project was based on the principle of standardization—regarding spatial and functional organization, architectural design, interior decoration, equipment, visual communication elements, and business operations—with the aim of promoting the development of continental tourism in Slavonia and Baranja. The paper analyzes the planning framework, programmatic specifics, and urban-architectural design of HSS hospitality and tourism facilities (including two versions of a city hotel model, a spa hotel, and a motel), using sources from Salaj’s personal archives and documentation from the Urban Planning Institute. These aspects are complemented by a review of tourism development trends during the 1970s and the characteristics of hotel architecture within a market economy.
Available at: https://hrcak.srce.hr/clanak/481377
Both studies were conducted in collaboration with experts from the Faculty of Architecture at the University of Zagreb and within the internal scientific project Activating Cultural Heritage in Croatian Tourism, led by the Institute for Tourism.