Architects in the spotlight. FA BUT to participate in Architecture Day festival

The Architecture Day festival this year will be held in the spirit of a female perspective. The 15th edition of the nationwide festival will kick off on Thursday and run until Tuesday, October 7. The main theme – the position of women architects in the field and in society – will also be complemented by contributions from experts at Brno University of Technology.

Architecture Day will present the work of Czech women architects as well as important female figures in Czech architecture. “We will showcase to the public buildings by well-known, forgotten, and also the youngest architects, and highlight their influence and the scope of their work,” said festival director and architect Marcela Steinbachová. The festival is free of charge and offers events in various formats, from lectures to guided walks.

Women and men architects from the Faculty of Architecture at Brno University of Technology will also take part in the program, preparing guided tours, discussions, and workshops. Visitors will have the opportunity to explore the faculty’s spaces and meet teachers and students of architecture, with whom they can exchange experiences and inspiration.

Events at the Faculty of Architecture BUT

• Creative Background of Architects (Oct 4, 10:00)

Behind the scenes of architectural creation at the Faculty of Architecture BUT, led by experts from the Institute of Experimental Design. Visitors will explore studios, a robotic workplace, and a prototype polar station, and will try working with materials and architectural tools.

• Let’s Play Architect (Oct 5, 14:00)

A workshop for children aged 6–12, focused on discovering the work of architects. Organized by Artschool.cz in cooperation with the Faculty of Architecture BUT.

Events outside the Faculty of Architecture BUT

• Brno – The Spiritual Heart of Lesná Housing Estate (Oct 2, 16:00)

Guided tour of the Church of Blessed Marie Restituta and its surroundings with architect Marek Štěpán and architectural historian Rostislav Koryčánek from the Faculty of Architecture BUT.

• Kostelec nad Orlicí – New Visions (Oct 2, 16:00)

Guided vernissage of the exhibition Living City, presenting visions and planned transformations of Palackého Square in Kostelec nad Orlicí. Some interventions are already underway, while others remain in the design phase by architects Jiří Palacký, Kateřina Dokoupilová-Pazderková, and their students from the Faculty of Architecture BUT.

• Brno – Brno Metro (Oct 3, 17:00)

Presentation of proposals for future stations of Brno’s underground railway with architect Michal Palaščak and students from the Faculty of Architecture BUT. The designs capture not only possible forms of the stations, but also address the transformation of public spaces and the relationship between transport and the city.

• Brno – Ta Planýrka: Post-Cultural Landscape (Oct 4, 12:00)

A walk through the Planýrka area. Discussion about natural and urban processes in a place where nature intertwines with the city, home to more than 360 species of plants and animals.

• Brno – On Stage! (Oct 5, 16:00)

Behind-the-scenes tour of the Radost Theatre and a workshop for children aged 4–6 about creating theatre spaces with architect Svatopluk Sládeček and stage designer Pavel Hubička. Children will learn how stage designs and theatre buildings are created. The program will also include a playful block prepared by students and teachers from the Faculty of Architecture BUT.

• Rychnov nad Kněžnou – What Will Happen to the Square? (Oct 8, 17:00)

Vernissage of the exhibition Living Riverside of Kněžná and a public discussion with experts about the future of the square in Rychnov nad Kněžnou, offering perspectives from practice and inspiration from neighboring towns. The exhibition will feature projects by students of the Faculty of Architecture BUT under the guidance of architects Jiří Palacký and Kateřina Dokoupilová-Pazderková.

Film and Architecture

The Film and Architecture festival will thematically follow the Architecture Day. It will highlight outstanding but often overlooked female figures in architecture, design, art, and film. Screenings will also take place at the Faculty of Architecture BUT:

• Rabble Rousers: Frances Goldin and the Fight for Cooper Square (Oct 2, 20:15)
• Miralles (Oct 3, 20:15)
• Once It Was (Oct 6, 20:15)

Architecture Day is the largest nationwide event of its kind. Its aim is to bring architecture closer to the public and allow people to see their surroundings from an unusual perspective under the guidance of architects and other experts. The festival is organized by the Kruh association, and every year it involves architects, schools, and cultural institutions from all over the country.

The detailed program of Architecture Day is available on the event website.