Hrvoje Njiric gained acknowledgement in the 90's with projects developed by the former njiric+njiric partnership. The schemes for Europan (3 first prizes) and Slovenian projects for Baumaxx and McDonald's were widely published and awarded. The new practice evolved from and continued the work of the former office.
njiric+ regards architecture to be much more than a physical definition of its boundaries or a formal assemblage of building materials. It's non-physical aspects are about phenomena of contemporary society and mass culture.
Urban studies were undertaken extensively throughout the 90's and significantly less in the last decade, due to the collapse of public realm in Croatia. The exemplary nature of the projects is derived from the necessity to tackle different issues and to push them to the limits.
Working on the projects outside Croatia is a chance to offer new answers to the same questions – mainly in housing domain, tourism and territorial operations.
Regarding design work, we pursue three different approaches – upgrading schemes, moderate inventions and visionary projects. Current housing designs – Gracani (2006) and Rural Mat (2007) are based on the critique of an overproduction of dwellings in the post-war Croatia, lacking necessary substance and promoting subversive lifestyles and typologies. The efforts of the office should be regarded in such a context of upgrading, efficiency, modesty and everydayness.
Social public buildings, such as kindergartens, schools, libraries and faculties are the second major concern of the office. In a numerous competition entries we are investigating these typologies and shifting their limitations toward moderate inventions. Besides the kindergarten MB (2007), chances are that three of them will be built – the city library in Rijeka (GKR 2005-), the law faculty in Split (Palazzo Bolognese 2008-) and the university library in Zadar (2009-).
