History
The professional activity which used to deal with the issue of decoration of gardens, parks and other landscaped area surrounded by greenery, including the production of garden and park plants, as a specific field of professional interest and activities was presented to the public in Zagreb for the first time. Zagreb has been a strong centre of these activities even since the time of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia.
The first Horticultural Society was organized in Zagreb, probably modelled on the famous Royal Horticultural Society in London, by, at that time, leading naturalists, university professors in the field of botany, horticulture, owners of historic buildings, etc., who had, in addition to their regular duties, interest in improving and raising city and private gardens and parks. As a result of a lasting value of their volunteer efforts was the issuance of a quarterly magazine, the magazine “Our Garden”, which was published in Zagreb from 1934 to 1941.
As another one of the pioneering achievements in the field of more contemporary development of these horticultural landscaping activities is the establishment of the first gardening school in Božjakovina near Zagreb. Several generations of prominent educated master-gardener were made, who after the World War II were the holders of the professional activity in the city and private nurseries in Zagreb, Croatia and elsewhere, working to raise landscaped green space. Their teachers were Ciril Jeglič, one of the city’s leading landscape architects, (1897 to 1988), later on the head of the public plantations in Zagreb and after the war professor in Ljubljana. Another important person was prof. Elza Polak (1910-1995), the head of the Department of gardening at the University of Zagreb, Faculty of Agriculture and the founder of the first post-graduate study of landscape design (1968).
The crown of these activities in the period before the World War II was the establishment of the Institute for gardening at the Faculty of Agriculture in 1936, which was headed by prof. dr. Zdravko Arnold (1898 to 1943), who was also one of the main promoters of the magazine “Our garden”. During the three quarters of a century of its existence until today the Institute passed through all the phases related to the development of the profession, from Horticulture (gardening), through orientation “VOP” (gardening and landscaping) to an independent study of Landscape architecture, as it is today.
After the World War II as a logical continuation of pre-war events in 1954 in Zagreb professional association was renewed and was officially called Horticultural Association of People’s Republic of Croatia. In the following years such associations were established in other Republics of Yugoslavia (Serbia and Macedonia in 1956, Slovenia in 1957).
Individual experts in the field of physical planning in the green and production of garden plants, municipal institutions and enterprises of public greenery and production of ornamental plants enrolled in the association. Horticultural Association united all the major carriers in horticulture and landscape architecture in Croatia, trying to encourage the education of professionals and the development of individual institutions as well as the print of the magazine. The first president of the Association was prof. PhD Elza Polak.
In 1955 the Association began printing the magazine “Horticulture”, which was published quarterly. The journal had been continuously published until 1996. The term ‘’horticulture’’ was used for the activities related to gardens and parks, for the production of ornamental plants and for landscaping. It is still used today only in the wrong practice, especially by the architects and even the historians of art.
In April 1958 Horticultural Association of Croatia organized a general Yugoslavian symposium in Zagreb. For this conference Association prepared a series of drafts of laws, regulations and standards for the legal regulation of the profession for action and education that the most influential Croatian experts spent almost a year on the preparation of. This material was duplicated on a separate volume as legislation for regulation of horticultural profession and landscape architecture. In these regulations Croatian term “gardening-landscape-architectural profession” has been alternatively used for the first time.
One of the results of the actions of Horticultural society of Croatia was achieved in education of gardeners, masters on how to grow garden and park plants and those for decoration of green spaces. In this regard, the Association issued a script written by the experts: “Garden technique” – by architect Zvonimir Fröhlich, “Introduction to the basics of soil science, processing and plant nutrition”, Vinko Jurčić B. Sc., “Technical equipment gardening production,” Zvonimir Kani, B. Sc., landscape architect and “Cultivation and propagation of garden plants,” Truda Furač, B. Sc. and Stanko Radoš, Garden technician.
In 1959 by the persistent efforts from the Association within the Arboretum Opeka on the estate and by the Bombelles castle in Vinica near Varazdin the Central gardening school was opened, equipped with the necessary resources and facilities for the university. The school has produced several generations of educated gardeners, mostly for the Croatian market, but also for other countries in Yugoslavia.
In 1962 by the change of the law the Horticultural Association of Croatia ceased to operate as such. It continued to work through the Croatian Chamber of Economy as a professional branch of the municipal economic organizations for gardening and landscape design. Editorial Board of “Horticulture” moved to Split. Prof. Petar Matković became editor in chief and the magazine is published as professional journal with the help of the Ministry.
In 1976 after the re-establishment of Horticultural society of Croatia the magazine goes back to Zagreb under the same name and is continuously issued until to 1996.
In 1967 prof. dr. Elza Polak has launched an initiative to launch the first post-graduate study for ”Landscape design’’ at the Faculty of Agricultural Sciences (today Faculty of Agriculture) with the participation of Architecture and the Faculty of Forestry in Zagreb and the Department of Landscape Architecture of Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana. The study started in May 1968, which was the beginning of the modern concept of education of landscape architects in Croatia and the former Yugoslavia, but also significantly contributed to the affirmation of landscape architecture as a separate interdisciplinary study.
At the time, Prof. Dušan Ogrin, as the holder of the Landscape design class at the graduate school, was the only member of IFLA in the former Yugoslavia. Because the study participants were from Croatia, Slovenia, Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina, during the study it was agreed to undertake the establishment of the Yugoslavian Association of Landscape Architects – YALA. Some preparatory steps in that direction were taken. It was agreed to try and take over and reorganize the current issue of the magazine “Horticulture” in order to edit the content of the magazine and to subordinate a new perspective on the profession. These attempts of taking over the magazine failed (Tomšić Zoran from Split and Bruno Šišić from Dubrovnik, one of the members of the editorial board participated in the negotiation, and later on left the editorial). In 1970 prof. Dušan Ogrin published a trial number of the new magazine “Landscape and Space” (L + S), but since there was no financial support to continue issuing this attempt failed.
The Centre for Historical Gardens and Landscape Development was founded in Dubrovnik in 1982 under the patronage of the Faculty of Agricultural Sciences at the University of Zagreb and with the support of the Department for Ornamental Plants, Landscape Architecture and Garden Art and with the great merit from Bruno Šišić, M.Sc.L.A.
In consultation with the relevant individuals and institutions the Centre organized the first symposium on the historical heritage of garden art in Yugoslavia, held in Dubrovnik from September 21st to 23rd 1983. It was a gathering of landscape architects and horticultural experts, art historians and representatives of related fields from all over the former Yugoslavia interested in the theme of landscape heritage. Hundreds of experts were present.
After postgraduate studies it was also the first real opportunity for the interested who meet the criteria of IFLA to be found in the same place and to establish Yugoslavian Association of Landscape Architects. YALA was founded on September 22nd 1983, in a room next to the conference hall of the hotel “President” on the Babin Kuk in Dubrovnik where the symposium was held. The Assembly was made up by fifteen members, who met the criteria for membership in IFLA.
Prof. Dušan Ogrin from Ljubljana was elected president of YALA, the secretary was Sonja Jurković from Zagreb and members were Stevan Milinković and Nada Pejović from Belgrade, Bruno Šišić from Dubrovnik, Branka Vukičević from Sarajevo and Dragan Šojlevski from Skopje. The headquarters of YALA was in Dubrovnik, located in the Centre for Historical Gardens and Landscape Development. Immediately after establishing YALA joined the IFLA, registered under international abbreviation YALA (Yugoslavian Association of Landscape Architecture) as its 46th national association. After the disintegration of Yugoslavia in 1991 YALA ceased to exist.
On December 6th 1991 during the siege and bombing of Dubrovnik by the Yugoslav army more flammable grenade hit the building of Inter-University Centre (IUC) in Dubrovnik and completely gutted it. In this building the Centre for historical gardens and landscape development was located. All the documentation that was located in the Centre, burned including all the documentation of YALA that was deposited there.
By:
Ph.D. Bruno Šišić
In Dubrovnik, May 2nd, 2013
After the disintegration of Yugoslavia in 1991, on November 20th 1992, the Founding Assembly of the Croatian Association of Landscape architects was held in Zagreb.
Croatian Association of Landscape Architects registered in the Register of associations of citizens January 25th 1993, and the next year, June 30th 1994, Croatian Association of Landscape Architects became a member of IFLA – The International Federation of Landscape Architects
The structure and management of Croatian Association of Landscape Architects
1983 – 1991
The first Assembly of the Yugoslavian Association of Landscape Architects was held on September 21st 1983 in Dubrovnik. Members of the Board were:
– Dušan Ogrin, president (Ljubljana),
– Stevan Milinković,
– Nadežda Pejović (Beograd),
– Bruno Šišić (Dubrovnik),
– Sonja jurković (Zagreb),
– Dragan Šojlevski (Skopje),
– Branka Vukičević (Sarajevo).
In 1987 YALA was registered as the 46 national member of IFLA – International Federation of Landscape Architects.
1991 – 1997
After the disintegration of Yugoslavia, the founding assembly of the Croatian Association of Landscape Architects was held on November 20th 1992 in Zagreb. Elected members of the Board were:
Steering Committee:
– Sonja Jurković, M.Sc.A. – president
– Branka Aničić, M.Sc.Agr. – secretary
– Muzafer Bračković, mag.ing.silv.
– Dražen Grgurević, mag.ing.silv.
– Dragutin Kiš, mag.ing.silv.
– Franka Odak, mag.ing.arch.
– Lido Sošić, PhD, mag.ing.prosp.arch.
Supervisory Board:
– Jadranka Janjić
– Lela Rotkvić
– Lido Sošić
Staff Comitee:
– Branka Aničić
– Slobodan Bajagić
– Mladen Obad Ščitaroci
– Bruno Šišić
– Mira Halabek-Wenzler
Court of Honour:
– Zdenko Sila
– Bruno Šišić
Croatian Association of Landscape Architects was registered in the Civil Association Registry on January 1st 1993, and the very next year, on June 30th 1994, Croatian Association of Landscape Architects becomes the member of IFLA – International Federation of Landscape Architects.
1997 – 2006
On December 12th 1997 elections were held and Branka Aničić, PhD was elected the new president of Croatian Association of Landscape Architects. Members of Comitee for Registration was elected, too:
– Jadranka Janjić
– Mladen Obad-Ščitaroci
– Bruno Šišić
– Mira Wenzler
– Branka Aničić
Croatian Association of Landscape Architects was registered in Association Registry by the Ministry of Administration of the Republic of Croatia in February 24th 1998.
Members of the Board of CALA:
– Lido Sošić, president
– Branka Aničić, vice president
– Ines Avdić, secretary
– Nataša Tiška Vrsalović (until 04/07/2008, resigned)
– Dobrila Kraljić (from 03/12/2008)
– Katarina Ogresta
– 6th member was not elected
Members of the Board for Registration of CALA:
– Lido Sošić
– Sonja Jurković
– Vesna Koščak Miočić Stošić
– Dobrila Kraljić
– Robert Duić
2010 – 2014
On June 6th 2010 electoral Assembly of CALA was held and the new members of the Board were elected:
– Mario Jukić – president
– Ines Hrdalo – vice president
– Andrea Knez – secretary
– Luka Jelušić
– Mirjana Miškić Domislić
– Nataša Avakumović
– Barbara Klemar
– Danijela Jurić
Croatian Association of Landscape Architects became the member of EFLA (European Federation of Landscape Architects on January 1st 2012. Electoral Assembly was held on July 27th 2012 were new members of the Board were elected as substitutes for the members who applied for dismissing. One more member was elected since the new Statute called for 7 instead of 6 members of the Board. New members were Barbara Klemar and Danijela Jurić.
2014 – today
On the electoral Assembly on September 15th 2014 the new Board was elected:
– Mario Jukić – president of CALA
– Andrea Knez – vice president of CALA
– Barbara Klemar – secretary of CALA
– Danijela Jurić
– Ivana Miletić
– Momir Pavletić Slobođan
– Lana Mesić
Darija Perković was elected delegate in IFLA and IFLA Europe on October 27th 2016. Up until then, secretary of CALA, Barbara Klemar performed those duties.