Register of modern architecture oA HÚ SAV

The Water Tower stands on the outskirts of town in the middle of an enclosed large site which was converted into an orchard. Its height of 50 metres (164 ft.) makes it one of the landmarks of the city. Six reinforced concrete pillars ganged together with rings carry a solid cylinder of the water tank. The cylinder between the columns conceals a service staircase and water piping. Relatively small rectangular windows were placed in the cylinder casing. Similar motif is repeated in the upper reservoir, where the windows illuminate a circular hallway. The tower top with a lantern serves for both ventilation and lighting. Upper part of the reservoir is accessed through service ladders. Statuesque impressiveness of this technical work rests primarily in the contrast of the solid volume of the tank with an ethereal load-bearing assembly. The architect managed to form with confidence even those parts of the structure which are typically attributed just a utilitarian function.

Bibliography:

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KUBIČKOVÁ, Klára: Vodojem. Architektúra & urbanizmus 29, 1995, 1 – 2, s. 148 – 151.
KUSÝ, Martin: Emil Belluš. Bratislava, Pallas 1984. 142 s., tu s. 59, 70.
Architekt Emil Belluš. Regionálna moderna. Katalóg výstavy. Ed. Matúš Dulla. Bratislava, SAS 1992.
DULLA, Matúš – MORAVČÍKOVÁ, Henrieta: Architektúra Slovenska v 20. storočí. Bratislava, Slovart 2002. 512 s., tu s. 161, 162, 405.