Güney görünüş / South elevation
mosques, hamam, markets and tombs were built. From
the 18th century on the city was an important economic
and cultural center of the Austro-Hungarian Empire
displaying today many of neo-classic buildings from
the Hapsburg period. In the post-Socialist era Pécs has
thrived to become in 2008 one of the most liveable cities
in the world (LivCom, International Awards for Liveable
Communities) and in 2010 the city was designated as
one of the European Capitals of Culture. Preparations
for its activities as Capital of Culture under the heading
“Borderless City” saw the refurbishment of many plazas,
streets and public spaces and the construction of a
new cultural center, concert hall and library. The wellpreserved combination of Ottoman, Austria-Hungarian
neo-classic and Socialist architecture has made Pécs
today a good example of low-density urbanism at a
human scale in a pleasant topography of rolling hills and
farmland.
For the Law Court Extension, Koller’s design strategy
revolved around the extensive use of Kanfanar sandstone
from Istria in neighboring Croatia. The stone blocks of the
Courthouse Extension are entirely faced with the same
yellowish beige sandstone with the longer elevations
using smooth slabs while the short ends are clad with
roughly split stone slabs in which the still visible drill holes
TEMMUZ - AĞUSTOS 2013 / JULY - AUGUST 2013 • NATURA 77