Prague, July 29, 2024
The international Architecture Day Festival will once again invite attendees to hundreds of events across more than 120 cities and towns throughout the Czech Republic and Slovakia. From Friday, September 27th to Thursday, October 3rd, 2024, the festival’s packed program will explore forgotten and overlooked sites or present well-known buildings from new perspectives. This year’s festival motto is “The Process of Transformation.” In Slovakia, the festival follows the main theme from the Czech Republic, which is inspired by the 100th anniversary of the death of the prominent writer Franz Kafka. Embracing a “Kafkaesque” atmosphere, the Slovak program will focus on architectural transformations, curiosities, and oddities. However, the program will also feature the latest buildings and inspiring projects, as is tradition. Another theme reflected in several cities is public space, reconstructions and renovations, park design, and landscape architecture. In this diverse program mosaic, visitors can choose from excursions to usually inaccessible buildings, architectural walks with engaging commentary by experts, bike tours, lectures, children’s workshops, and a whole range of other activities.
The festival is organized by the Czech association Kruh and the Slovak association Spolok Kruh. The program is traditionally free of charge, though some events require prior registration. In some cases, the accompanying program is offered for a voluntary contribution or has an admission fee. The events of the Slovak Architecture Day Festival are organized in collaboration with local associations and architects. More information will be published continuously on www.denarchitektury.sk.
The Architecture Day Festival has been organized in Slovakia since 2012, and nearly 200 events have been held as part of it. This year, the festival will take place in Banská Bystrica, Bardejov, Bratislava, Galanta, Humenné, Košice, Kremnica, Leopoldov, Martin, Nitra, Nová Dubnica, Partizánske, Piešťany, Poprad, Rajec, Revúca, Ružomberok, Šaľa, Topoľčany, Trenčín, Vráble, Tatranské Matliare, Zvolen, and Žilina.
In Banská Bystrica, visitors will have the opportunity to experience a diverse program, including a visit to the former production site of Medený Hámor, where experts will explain its historical significance, and visitors can enjoy a site-specific art performance. The program will also focus on an important building from the 1970s, the House of Culture by architect Jozef Chrobák, with the main goal of uncovering the architectural and artistic values of this structure and its relevance for the present and future.
In Bardejov, the highlight will be a walk dedicated to visual art in the architecture of Bardejovské Kúpele, led by artist Matúš Roman, where visitors will discover artworks integrated into the spa architecture and explore the surrounding park landscaping. In Bratislava, participants can look forward to a tour of the water tower with architect Martin Kusý Jr., who will present its creative use within an architectural studio. The program will also focus on the city’s skyline – the Kamzík Tower. On the other side of the Danube, there will be discussions on the history and transformations of the Petržalka district, which was intended to be a “showcase” of socialist construction.
In Galanta, the focus will be on technical buildings and their specifics, with visitors exploring the historical city water tower, an important part of the city’s identity and technical heritage. In Humenné, the tour will lead to other points of interest – postmodern architectural gems from the 1970s and 1980s. In Leopoldov, participants will focus on the architecture of the city center, including the new landmark – the new city hall and library, originally built at the end of the last century, which underwent an architectural and urban transformation.
The city of Martin will also offer a rich program full of interesting activities. Participants can look forward to a tour of the Pavol Országh Hviezdoslav Park, which will be transformed into a vibrant space. The program will include a visit to one of the city’s most famous industrial landmarks – the former chair factory from the 1920s, originally serving as a production facility for Tatra furniture. Another highlight is the visit to the Slovak National Library, designed by architects Dušan Kuzma and Anton Cimmermann, built using the then-progressive technique of raised ceilings.
Nitra will once again offer a wide range of events focused on architecture, public space, and culture. An event called “Hide and Seek” will feature an interactive workshop for children, aimed at discovering the city’s history through hidden clues and fun puzzles. The program will be complemented by a guided tour of contemporary architecture in Nitra, showcasing the renovated functionalist Vila K. In Piešťany, a bike tour will take place, during which visitors will learn about the history and architecture of the city’s most beautiful houses on Kráľovský Rad, which are symbolic of the city. In Ružomberok, the program will focus on the more than 500-year history of education and the architecture of school buildings, which are treasures not only for the city but also have national significance. The city of Šaľa will highlight the work of the prominent sculptor Erna Masarovičová, with her works showcased in the House of Mourning at the city cemetery, where significant sculptural pieces by this artist are located. In Trenčín, the festival will include an exhibition and accompanying program titled “Transformations of Hviezdoslavova Street,” focusing on modernist approaches from the 1970s and 1980s. Vráble invites attendees to discover the often overlooked architectural landmarks of the city, revealing the history and architectural value of local buildings, including the old vinegar factory from the 19th century and the former district office building designed by architect M. M. Harminc in the 1930s.
Tatranské Matliare, a place with a rich history, directly ties into the main festival theme “The Process of Transformation,” taking visitors on a journey through the footsteps of the famous writer’s stay in the Tatras in 1920-21. Franz Kafka, who was being treated for tuberculosis, spent time here that influenced his life and work. Along with other notable figures such as Emil Zátopek, Fraňo Kráľ, and Ludvík Svoboda, he became part of Matliare’s history. The tour, including a personal memorial to Franz Kafka left from his stay, will also feature a visit to the valley station of the cable car to Lomnický štít in Tatranská Lomnica, designed by the prominent Slovak architect Dušan Jurkovič.
In Zvolen, the program will focus on the architectural works of Emil Belluš, one of the most significant Slovak architects of the 20th century. Participants will explore, for instance, the corner building of the former Directorate of State Forests in Zvolen, known for its public road passage, including a tour of its unique interiors. In Žilina, the focus will be on the transformation of school atriums, including a lecture on contemporary school spaces and their impact on students’ futures. The theme will also cover the work of functionalist architect František Bednárik, particularly a small chapel on the edge of the Chrasti forest park, characterized by its ornamentation and picturesque rustic design.
The program’s diversity will be enriched with activities such as guided walks, workshops, children’s programs, and access to normally inaccessible buildings as part of the festival’s “Hooray Inside!” format. Over the thirteen years of its existence, the festival has involved 240 towns in the Czech Republic and Slovakia.
Parallel to the Architecture Day festival, its sister event, the Film and Architecture festival, will be held from September 26 to October 1 in Prague, Brno, and twenty other cities. In Slovakia, it will take place in Nitra, Šaľa, Piešťany, and Žilina. This year’s theme, “Oddities and Peculiarities,” focuses on atypical buildings, unusual nooks, unconventional film treatments, and absurd connections. The festival will also highlight prominent figures in architecture, such as Mies van der Rohe, Balkrishna Doshi, Rem Koolhaas, Sigurd Lewerentz, and Álvaro Siza Vieira.
For 14 years, Architecture Day has offered the general public new perspectives on their surroundings under the guidance of architects, historians, and experts, who introduce participants to the interesting aspects of their neighborhood, town, and beyond. This day is not just about architecture and urban development but also about the broader contexts that shape every house, park, specific place, or city. Last year, the festival offered more than 500 events in over a hundred cities across the Czech Republic and Slovakia, attracting 35,000 visitors. The Kruh Association has been dedicated to the promotion and popularization of architecture for nearly a quarter of a century, drawing on many years of experience in the field and long-term collaboration with architects, associations, and institutions in all regions. Since 2023, the newly established Spolok Kruh has been organizing the festival in Slovakia, in cooperation with the founding Czech Kruh Association.
The program will be continuously updated on www.denarchitektury.sk.
Media Contact:
Eva Rohoňová
M: +421 915 124 994
E: eva.rohonova@gmail.com
