Acta Musealia

Apart from local architects creating their works at the time of the First Czechoslovak Republic, it was also a group of numerous authors from Bohemia and Moravia, who contributed towards forming the modern architectonic platform in Slovakia. Moravian architect Alois Balán, born in Valašské Meziříčí, was among those, who in his works supported initiating new ideas and advent of Modernism. He established, together with a Czech architect Jiří Grossmann, a successful studio which existed for nearly two decades. Balán took an active part both in regulatory project for the new capital and creating a specialist platform. At the same time he published a lot of material pertaining to contemporary topics of urbanism and architecture. Several important projects, influencing the modern look of towns were implemented in Slovakia, and above all, in Bratislava, being the result of either common production of the studio or individual designs. Three of them are considered iconic. Having returned to his native town, Balán continued his career of an architect and worked on projects for Valašské Meziříčí; considerable part of his creation was devoted to urbanism of the town. The main objective of this contribution is, apart from comprehensive introduction of the personality of Alois Balán, also to create a complete and integrated picture of his architectural work in Slovakia and Moravia. In the framework of Slovak history, architect Balán is seen as one of the leading representatives of modern architecture of the interwar period, while in his native land his projects in Slovakia lack the recognition. The aim of this text is to fill in the empty spaces and contribute towards deeper understanding of the personality of Alois Balán as well as completely assess his life work and its importance for Czech, respectively Moravian, architecture historiography.

Keywords: Modern architecture, urbanism, Slovakia, Bratislava, Moravia, Valašské Meziříčí