Hotel Osijek, the iconic building along the Osijek riverside is a symbol for many people who live in this region. Its impact on the riverside panorama cannot be understated. After the Croatian war of Independence the hotel was damaged and was abandoned. We were tasked to envision a comprehensive reconstruction of the almost brutalist concrete mastodon on the river Drava.

A contemporary architectural approach affirms the position of the hotel on the riverside panorama with one major change, the concrete shell with holes for windows was covered fully in a glass facade. This approach calmed the impact of all the concrete elements that were present and gave beautiful reflections of the river, sunrise or sunset. New, at the time, building materials were used and new technical solutions were implemented to add value to the building. This is confirmed with a fact that this hotel is certified as a “Sustainable Hotel” long before that was even a thought for legislators. Hotel Osijek also carries the proud status as the best hotel accommodation in continental Croatia.

Our project team was involved from the concept phase to the execution designs.