The Concept of the Modern School

Abstract

They were trying to replace the rigid Austro Hungarian multi storey school blocks characterised by long, high, dark hallways and oblong classrooms with fresh concepts such as the corridor-free school system (Emil Navinšek) and dynamic compositions of pavilion type schools situated in parks (Danilo Fürst) or organic construction forms (Stanko Kristl) and regionally defined school constructions (Majda Dobravec). Their ideas were derived from contemporary views on education which were to move from pure learning to research and experimenting. They were inspired by the architectural models of Scandinavian tactile architecture and exploited new construction possibilities involving concrete, steel and glass provided by the post-war Yugoslav industry. Wood and brick were also rather widely used, especially as coating materials.