May 14, 2026 I 5:30 PM
05/26
Alan Braun, PhD
Ida Križaj Leko
Anton Kummermehr
/ VIA Material /
Powered by ADDE
Sustainable Hour: Terrazzo – the Building Material of the Future opens a thematic focus on terrazzo as a material of refined aesthetics, impeccable hygiene, easy maintenance, and exceptional durability.
It can be found on the floors of lavish Venetian family residences, precisely designed public buildings of the 19th and 20th centuries, as well as in places of profound spirituality across religions. Simple and elegant, sometimes geometrically reduced and often richly ornamented, terrazzo is once again strongly present in contemporary architectural discourse through two equally demanding approaches — the restoration of historic terrazzo floors and the execution of contemporary interpretations of this material.
As an inheritor of Venetian traditions, Croatia possesses a rich terrazzo heritage. After the craft of terrazzo flooring nearly disappeared at the beginning of this century, we are now witnessing a revival of terrazzo craftsmanship, partly encouraged by post-earthquake restoration efforts. Whether restoring monumental historicist public buildings such as the Museum of Arts and Crafts, scenographic interiors combining elements of Neoclassicism and late Art Nouveau such as Cinema Europa, or restrained public spaces of late modernism, these tasks cannot be successfully carried out without a deep understanding of terrazzo craftsmanship.
Alan Braun, PhD, from the Department of Architectural Theory and History, will introduce us to the subject of terrazzo and its artistic, cultural, and craft significance. Anton Kummermehr will speak from the perspective of a manufacturer, expanding our understanding of contemporary terrazzo flooring technologies, their creative application, and execution. Ida Križaj Leko, MFA, practicing architect and head of Urban Studies in Rijeka, will complete the discussion through her own professional experience and the challenges encountered in practice, emphasizing how learning from failures and mistakes often shapes us more than successful realizations.
It is encouraging that in recent years the use of terrazzo — and with it the number of skilled craftsmen capable of executing it properly — has been steadily growing, because only through a true understanding of tradition can we shape contemporary practice responsibly.
Whether executed traditionally with cement-based techniques or through contemporary mineral binders, both approaches require exceptional craftsmanship, technical expertise, and strict adherence to manufacturers’ guidelines.
At a time when the ability to prepare standardized tenders is often valued more than the skill of translating an architectural project into a precise and detailed bill of quantities, and when land value rarely includes architectural excellence as a criterion, conversations about terrazzo restore hope for a better built future.
Photo: Archive of Studio Nekoliko
Vjeran Piršić
Marko Sušanj
Antonija Radošević
05/26
Michela Zenari
04/26
Marco Ernesto Rossi
02/26
Ljuba Južnič
Silvana Mihaljević
Maks Udov
Siniša Staničić
Nikolina Krešo
01/26
Zdravko Tomšić
Daniel Fischer
Nataša Jukić
Ana Marija Šimić
Anita Markota Štriga
Bojana Mrvoš
12/25
Juraj Pojatina
Marko Gusić
Mia Kozina
Duje Katić
Miha Bogotaj
11/25
Irena Križ Šelendić
Branimir Šegotić
Velimir Dvorščak
Tomislav Stašić
Dražen Pomper
11/25
Prof. Kristian Jambrošić, PhD
Prof. Antonio Petošić, PhD
Assoc. Prof. Marko Horvat, PhD
Prof. Zoran Veršić, PhD
Mateja Nosil Mešić
Bojan Borko
Romana Ilić
doc. art. Mateo Biluš
10/25
Alan Kostrenčić, PhD
Ivana Tutek, PhD
Maja Stanić
Eli Kodnik
09/25
Aida Riđanović
Helena Matuša
Milan Koštro
09/25
Kaja Šprljan Bušić
Ines Hrdalo
Ljuba Južnič
08/25
Ivana Šajn
Silvije Novak
07/25
Ivan Dell’orco
Tedi Chiavalon
Vladimir Sabo
Rudolf Šaravanja
Anica Petričević
Tea Pestotnik Prebeg
06/25
Vesne Šoić
05/25
Morana Ikić Komljenović
Nerma Mehadžić
Sanja Borčić
05/25
Tomislav Fabek
04/25
Vjeran Piršić
Marko Sušanj
Aida Čustović
03/25
Nataša Ivanišević
Fausto Ferlin
Marko Iveković
03/25
Saša Poljanec-Borić, PhD
Zoran Paunović
Davor Bruketa
Silvije Novak
03/25
Marina Zajec
01/25
Zoran Šuša
Juraj Pojatina
12/24
Marko Dabrović
Boris Centner
Neven Mikec
11/24
Seats are limited, so please reserve your place here. Admission is free!