Sokol movement, known as Sokol Hall or Tabor Hall, because of its location in the Tabor quarter of Ljubljana, and two very similar structures, one in Golnik and another one, which was destroyed during World War II, in Kranj. He rejected the search for a "National Style". In 1919, Vurnik managed to establish a department of architecture within the Technical Faculty of the University of Ljubljana. Upon his invitation, the great Slovene architect Jože Plečnik became one of its founding faculty. Nevertheless, a rival relationship developed between the two. Vurnik thought it was Plečnik's influence in the conservative circles of local Slovenian policy-makering that prevented him to carry into effect his more functionalist projects. Another reason for the antagonism between the two architect might have also derived from their different political ideology, since Plečnik was a conservative and fervent Roman Catholic, while Vurnik (although also religious) belonged to the Slovenian progressive and national-liberal tradition. After 1925, he devoted his time mostly to teaching. He continued to draw architectural and urbanistic projects until his death, but almost all remained on paper. Among the very few realized projects from this second period, the most famous are perhaps the summer swimming pool in Radovljica and Radovljica's only hotel, the Grajski dvor. A less famous, but still important work from this period is a set of family houses for industrial workers in Maribor, which fully exemplify Vurnik's new vision of a simple, ascetic and purely utilitarian style. In 1965, Vurnik renovated the Slovenian national Catholic shrine at Brezje, thus briefly returning to the "National Style" which he had abandoned earlier in his career. Awards In 1961, Vurnik was awarded Pechtl Award in Vienna In 1966, Vurnik was awarded Prešeren Award in Ljubljana In media In 2013, Slovenian National TV broadcast a film, directed by Alma Lapajne, about the Vurnik couple's life story. See also Vladimir Šubic References Further reading Miran Kambič, Arhitektura Ivana Vurnika (Ljubljana: Arché, 1994) Janez Koželj (ed.), Ivan Vurnik: 1884-1971. Slovenski arhitekt = A Slovenian architect, bilingual Slovenian-English special edition of the Architect's Bulletin of Ljubljana (Ljubljana, 1995). Breda Mihelič, Art nouveau Ljubljana (Ljubljana: Zavod za turizem, 2005). External links Ljubljana Art Nouveau sightseeing Walking Tour, Ljubljana Tourist Information Center Some of Vurnik's works in the Architectural Guide of Slovenia Postal Stamp in Vurnik's Honour (1995) Article on Vurnik's renovation of the church in Brezje (with picture) 1884 births 1971 deaths