Analysis of the Geometry and Composition of the Main Facade of Interwar Architecture, Using the Jaroň Villa in Bratislava as an Example

Abstract

Abstract The perception of interwar residential architecture in Slovakia, particularly among the lay public, reflects a significant lack of information and recognition of its architectural values. This limited understanding contributes to low social interest and negatively affects the current state of these works. Here, “interwar architecture” refers to buildings designed between 1918 and 1939. This article examines the architectural quality of family houses and villas in Bratislava, which reached an exceptional level during this period. We argue that, in the Slovak context, where radical spatial creation is largely absent, architectural value is concentrated in geometric and proportional order. We propose a methodology for geometric analysis of dominant facades, implemented in a digital BIM environment. The analysis progresses from the primary proportional framework through compositional nodes and rhythmic axes to a synthesis confronting facade geometry with internal spatial and structural logic. We examine harmony and timeless canons, including the golden ratio and root systems, replacing subjective description with precise data. The methodology will be tested on the former Bratislava villa Jaroň. The resulting objective framework may support understanding and conserving interwar architectural heritage, monument restoration, and sensitive new design in historically valuable environments. It also establishes a transferable analytical framework for assessing architectural quality systematically, supporting more informed interpretation, documentation, and conservation of valuable residential works from the period within contemporary architectural practice and heritage.