Wien | Bratislava: Headquarters of the National Bank of Slovakia

Architects: Martin Kusý, Pavol Paňák
Interior: Alexandra Kusá, Martin Kusý, Pavol Paňák
Project: 1997 – 2002
Realized: 2002
Investor: The National Bank of Slovakia
Built area: 6,272m2
Cost: EUR 162,500,000

The headquarters of the National Bank of Slovakia was the first high-profile governmental investment after the establishment of the Slovak Republic in 1993. It started with a contest in 1996, won by architects Kusý and Paňák. They envisioned a glass vertical structure based on a massive pedestal. The spatial solution of the National Bank of Slovakia was determined not only by the building’s specific function but also by its closeness to the complex of modern buildings of the Slovak University of Technology, blocks of traditional residential buildings, and the expressive Radio Slovakia building. In the centre of the pedestal’s first floor lies an open courtyard with an alley of linden trees. The national state treasure is symbolically hidden here. The high-rise, 28-storey building concentrates office and conference rooms around its central core. The building has a double-skin façade, which allows for the direct natural airing and shading of the rooms. All energy and technical functions are controlled by a central system. The compositions of the entrance and internal representative spaces along with the parterre’s stone panelling are reminiscent of the National Bank’s original building in the 1930s. Today’s architecture thus successfully combines state-of-the-art technology with local tradition and its preference for classical concepts.

Excursion upon application, contact person: usardag@savba.sk