Hotel Junior

Originally named Sputnik, the hotel rises on the banks of a lake used for sports and leisure in the town residential area of the Štrkovec district. It was built for the needs of the Cestovná kancelária mládeže (Youth travel agency) and in the past it used to rank among the trendiest accommodation facilities in Bratislava. Both the interiors and building architecture are characteristic for spacious entrance premises, simple layout and well-arranged mass composition based on the “overlapping” of vertical and horizontal prisms. Besides the accommodation units, the premises for events and socialising were also popular with the public, providing opportunities for dining as well as for holding corporate and cultural and social events. The most important sectors were a daily wine bar with a dance floor, a canteen with an exterior terrace overlooking the water-level, a universal hall, a clubroom, a lounge bar, and a snack bar. 

Artistically the most attractive is the hotel hall, studied closely by Dáša Staššáková. The hall interior, allowing for the light to enter from the south, functioned as a roofed, closed yard with courtyard galleries, from where one could enter the guest rooms. The unconventional approach to the hotel’s spatial concept that reminded of a period atmosphere of residential balcony access houses, was unusual and innovative for Slovakia in those days. A sculptural designed interior with sunlight flow offered attractive visual experiences and provided ambience for get-togethers and socialising. 

A defining feature of the technically understood hall interior is the played-up significance of air-conditioning pipes and building structures that now function as pieces of fine art and lighting artefacts. “The main dominant in the central hall’s interior is a monumental air-conditioning sculpture resembling a spacecraft that emerges from the coffered ceiling into the space. Smaller side sculptures on the walls, adding to the visual dynamics of the space, are also impressive. Beneath the air-conditioning sculpture there is a bar whose shape suggests the contours of a rocket base. The hotel hall’s interior also comprises a staircase leading to individual galleries and granting access to guest rooms. Thus the visitors can observe the sculpture from every floor and from various angles.” [3] 

The prevailing material basis of the public premises is the chipboard panelling having white, light-glossy laminated surface, which provides optimal visual background for introducing colour contrasts. Visual dynamics to the hotel hall’s interior is added through striped wall panelling in orange, yellow, green and red colours. To enhance aesthetics of the premises, several pieces of artwork were installed, different in themes and types; however, only some of them are open to the public today. Besides the already mentioned air-conditioning sculpture, occasional visitors may observe a wall stone relief in the entrance foyer, authored by Imrich Vanek, as well as the “cornerstone” with the carved-in hotel name and date when it was open to the public. 

 “Our own observation led us to the conclusion that the interior of the Junior Hotel’s central hall was a remarkable achievement, mainly because of the monumental sculpture made of air-con pipes and the timeless staircase. The lateral walls were later covered by wallpaper, but overall, the hall, staircase, courtyard galleries, ceiling, air-conditioning units and side sculptures have been preserved in their original condition. Partial modifications of the interior made in the entrance section and the restaurant neither reflect the attributes of the original spirit of the building nor speak of a sensitive revitalisation. In conclusion it must be stated that if the hotel is to be preserved, it would deserve appropriate revitalisation of all premises, in particular the interior of the central hall with its specific technical and artistic artefacts”. [3] Accommodation units and other parts of the interior are currently not in use, mainly because of the building’s poor technical condition. Thus the future of what once was a favourite youth hotel is unsure and only time will tell whether it will set out on the right path.