Haludovo Palace Hotel [1972]

Boris Magaš

The Haludovo Palace, short lived as it was, reigned supreme in terms of the sheer extravagant opulence it provided its guests. It’s no suprise, then, that the project was commissioned by Penthouse Magazine owner Bob Guccione who approached architect Boris Magaš to build his dream spot for decadence, a seminal adult’s playground. The Adriatic coast, unspoiled as it was, seemed a perfect fit and work commenced in 1969 with profound optimism. As per LA76, Guccione’s dream had to have ‘hanging gardens, lavish pools, expensive mid-century furniture [and] men wore thick moustaches, Mexican-inspired salsa music was blasting out from the speakers and Penthouse Magazine pets delivered piña coladas and casually spun roulette wheels’. Caviar, lobster and champagne flowed – reportedly with some pools available solely to be champagne-filled. Filing bankruptcy a handful of years after its grand opening, the Hotel stands today as an abandoned relic and a reminder of the comprehensive vision of its creator, with much of the brutal concrete formwork and internal finishes still in place to honour the narrative.

 

 

 

» «