Foundation Block (Zakladni blok) (1932)

An impressive ensemble of nine buildings was constructed here according to a unified architectural concept. These seven- to eight-storey reinforced-concrete structures combined shops on the ground floors with offices or halls on the mezzanines and apartments on the upper levels. A passage cuts through the interior of the block, linking the streets around it. It is extremely rare in Europe that an entire block in the centre of a major city was built so consistently and within such a short time during the 1930s. Zagreb thus set a remarkable precedent, especially since buildings of this scale had scarcely existed in the city before. At the same time, the development also created a substantial amount of new housing.

Bogovićeva 2 / Gajeva 2C – Hahn House (1932–1933), designed by Otto Goldscheider and likely developed by a man named Hahn. A distinctive corner building with a gently rounded edge and a mezzanine fitted with ribbon windows. Characteristic features include the flagpole and the partially preserved staircase windows with decorative motifs. Bogovićeva 4 – Levin Schlenger Residential–Commercial Building (1932–1933), designed by Slavko Löwy for Levin Schlenger. One of the most striking buildings of the block, its apartment windows form almost continuous ribbon windows. The centrally placed balconies add rhythm and depth to the façade. Bogovićeva 6 / Petrićeva 7 – Günsberg Residential–Commercial Building (1932–1933), also designed by Slavko Löwy and built for Maks and Jelisava Günsberg. A more restrained design, animated by recessed loggias that subtly enliven the façade. Gajeva 2 / Trg bana Jelačića – Pension Fund Building of the City Savings Bank (1934), designed by Hugo Ehrlich. This is the most prominent building of the entire block. Facing the main square, it displays the richest architectural detailing. A projecting ground floor creates a terrace overlooking the square, while a passage behind it draws visitors into the interior; the circular glass elements literally guide the eye inward. Gajeva 2A – Banovina Savings Bank Building (1935–1936), designed by Stanko Kliska with Antun Ulrich. A very restrained structure that introduces a sense of calm into the ensemble. Gajeva 2B – Alkalay Residential–Commercial Building (1932–1933), designed by Freudenreich & Deutsch for the Alkalay family. In the ground floor and mezzanine, the interior pillars that carry the building’s structural load are clearly visible. Ilica 1A / Petrićeva 1 – International Style Building with the Chapel of the Wounded Jesus (kapelica Ranjenog Isusa) (1932–1933). A highly uncommon architectural solution in which the chapel is seamlessly integrated into the residential and commercial building. The cross on the façade subtly signals and dignifies the presence of the small sacred space on the ground floor. Petrićeva 3 – Central Livestock Insurance Cooperative Building (Središnja zadruga za osiguranje stoke) (1936), designed by Franjo Gabrić. Petrićeva 5 – Šepetanc House (1936–1937), designed by Stjepan Planić for the Šepetanc family. Both Nos. 3 and 5 adopt a more restrained architectural language, comparable to the understated clarity of the building at Gajeva 2A.

Since the early 19th century, the site on Zagreb’s main square was occupied by the Foundation Hospital (Zakladna bolnica). The hospital itself originated as a zakladnica—a charitable foundation established by the Bishop of Zagreb in the early 19th century. When the hospital was demolished in early 1931. The traditional designation zakladnica was transferred to the new urban complex planned for the site, giving rise to the name “Foundation block.” After the grounds were cleared, the city celebrated the moment publicly, and the land was subsequently subdivided and sold for redevelopment. A planning competition held in 1929/30 had already defined the parcel structure and architectural guidelines for this new block.

Throughout the 1930s, a series of modern residential and commercial buildings rose on the former hospital grounds, designed by many of Zagreb’s leading architects:

Bogovićeva 2 / Gajeva 2C – Hahn House (1932–1933), likely developed by a man named Hahn, designed by Otto Goldscheider. Bogovićeva 4 – Levin Schlenger Residential–Commercial Building (1932–1933), designed by Slavko Löwy for Levin Schlenger. Bogovićeva 6 / Petrićeva 7 – Günsberg Residential–Commercial Building (1932–1933), also by Slavko Löwy, built for Maks and Jelisava Günsberg. Together with No. 4, these were the earliest structures completed as a part of the Foundation block. Gajeva 2 / Trg bana Jelačića – Pension Fund Building of the City Savings Bank (1934), designed by Hugo Ehrlich.Gajeva 2A – Banovina Savings Bank Building (1935–1936) by Stanko Kliska with Antun Ulrich. Gajeva 2B – Alkalay Residential–Commercial Building (1932–1933), designed by Freudenreich & Deutsch for the Alkalay family. Ilica 1A / Petrićeva 1 – International Style Building with the Chapel of the Wounded Jesus (kapelica Ranjenog Isusa ) (1932–1933), designed by Franjo Bahovec and Antun Ulrich. Petrićeva 3 – Central Livestock Insurance Cooperative Building (Središnja zadruga za osiguranje stoke) (1936), designed by Franjo Gabrić. Petrićeva 5 – Šepetanc House (1936–1937), designed by Stjepan Planić for theŠepetanc family.

Despite this rapid transformation, a noticeable gap remained between Ilica 1A and Gajeva 2. For years, the empty space held only a single-storey structure used as a shoe shop. It was not until 1958 that the site was fully consolidated with the construction of Zagreb’s first high-rise, the “Ilički neboder.” Significantly taller than the surrounding buildings, the tower soon became a defining landmark in the silhouette of Zagreb's main square Trg bana Josipa Jelačića.

Today, the entire ensemble of buildings erected between 1932 and 1937 is protected as a cultural heritage zone, preserving one of Zagreb’s most coherent examples of early modern urban architecture.

• registar.kulturnadobra.hr Zakladni blok
• arhitektura-zagreba.com
• vintagezagreb.net Zakladna bolnica
• vintagezagreb.net Trg bana Josipa Jelačića 1938