If we were to find the most progressive modern functionalist building in Slovakia, it would be no doubt the Municipal Savings Bank in Bratislava by Juraj Tvarozek. At the turn of the twenties and thirties of the last century it was accepted as an extraordinarily courageous and mature endeavour and even today it appears fresh and avantgarde among the buildings in the neighbourhood. following earlier, more traditional designs, the architect has decided to proceed with this concept. Basement and two upper floors occupy the entire narrow lot. A passage crossed through the centre of the street level of the building. At the first floor there is an impressive deposit hall with offices, with more offices and apartments at the top floor. The building has a distinctive steel structure exterior design complete with opaque glass. The building is among the first buildings in Slovakia with distinctive functionalist features. Its overall structural concept (reinforced concrete frame, suspended facade with glazing) was very progressive. Architectural design of the street facade reminds of the Moravian bank in Brno by B. Fuchs and E. Wiesner of the same period. Contemporary press with regard to the Municipal Savings Bank stated that "The future belongs to functionalism." At the turn of the century the building was renovated, led by Jan Bahna.
Bibliography:
gš - vk: Mestská sporiteľňa v Bratislave. Slovenský staviteľ 2, 1932, 3, s. 69 – 79.
Juraj Tvarožek – Mestská sporiteľňa v Bratislave. Bratislava 1932. 13 s.
KUSÝ, Martin: Architektúra na Slovensku 1918 – 1945. Bratislava, Pallas 1971. 186 s.
FOLTYN, Ladislav: Slovakische Architektur und die tschechische Avantgarde 1918 – 1939. Dresden, Verlag des Kunst 1991. 236 s.
BARTKOVÁ, Soňa: Mestská sporiteľňa. Architektúra & urbanizmus 29, 1995, 1 – 2, s. 54 – 58.
DULLA, Matúš – MORAVČÍKOVÁ, Henrieta – STOLIČNÁ, Elena: City Savings Bank. In: Curtain Wall Refurbishment. Eindhoven, 1997. s. 71 – 73.
DULLA, Matúš – MORAVČÍKOVÁ, Henrieta: Architektúra Slovenska v 20. storočí. Bratislava, Slovart 2002. 512 s.
Architektúra na Slovensku. Stručné dejiny. Ed. Henrieta Moravčíková. Bratislava, Slovart 2005. 182 s.
