Architecture in global dialogue. BUT introduced Czech tradition to Japanese students

Czech architecture was presented in Japan by Radek Toman, Vice-Dean for International Relations at the Faculty of Architecture, BUT. In August, he visited Joshibi University of Art and Design in Tokyo, where he delivered a series of inspiring lectures and led a hands-on workshop focused on architecture and urbanism in relation to the urban environment.

Thanks to the combination of lectures and practical teaching, it was possible not only to present the Czech architectural tradition, but also to deepen the discussion about architecture on a global scale and to highlight the ecological dimension of design. In Tokyo, a space for sharing knowledge and experience was created, showing that architecture can be a universal language that transcends borders.

The lecture entitled Czech Architecture and Its Conceptual Approaches: From Raumplan to Rampplan introduced the Japanese audience to the development of modern Czech architecture in connection with the political and historical events that shaped Czech society. It also summarized current trends in Czech architecture and urbanism. The second lecture, Cities and Their Empty Places, focused on the experiences and approaches to studio teaching at the Faculty of Architecture and on how student projects can contribute to the revitalization of urban spaces.

The series of lectures was followed by a several-day workshop led by Radek Toman, in which students of Joshibi University of Art and Design actively participated. The young architects drew on their own observations and analyses of the environment around the Suginami campus, where the university is located, and based on these findings, designed and built small structures intended for often overlooked forms of urban biodiversity, such as birdhouses or nesting sites for solitary bees.

The workshop focused on a deeper understanding of the relationship between architecture, urban nature, and education about the city. It confirmed that spatial design does not target only human inhabitants, but also other species that form an integral part of the urban environment.

Source: Faculty of Architecture – lectures, workshop

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Author	BcA. Lucie Tranová
Published	2025-09-05 08:22
Link	https://www.vut.cz/en/but/f19528/d301303