The 14th edition of the Architecture Day this year will take place under the subtitle “Process of Transformation.” It refers, among other things, to the 100th anniversary of Franz Kafka’s death, which will be one of the main program lines, reminiscing not only buildings associated with this author or structures related to literature but also inviting attendees to places with a Kafkaesque atmosphere. Other program sections will be dedicated, for example, to the work of architects Josef Fanta and Karel Hubáček and their collaborators.
The largest architectural festival in the country last year offered over 500 events in more than a hundred cities across the entire Czech Republic and Slovakia, attracting 35,000 visitors. Enthusiasts can look forward to various architectural walks, excursions with architects and experts on the subject, and other activities in this year’s edition, scheduled for the end of September and beginning of October, from Friday, September 27, to Thursday, October 3, 2024. The events are organized in collaboration with local associations and architects. Simultaneously, the Day of Architecture will coincide with its sister festival, Film and Architecture. More information will be continuously published on www.denarchitektury.cz.
For 14 years, the Festival of the Architecture Day has been organized by the association Kruh, annually commemorating significant personalities in the field of architecture and essential structures. This year, for the first time, it will connect the fields of architecture and literature, thanks to the significant jubilee of 100 years since Franz Kafka’s death. The writer, considered one of the most influential literary figures of the 20th century, serves as inspiration for the festival’s dramaturgy and program composition. The subtitle of this year’s festival, “Process of Transformation,” is derived from the titles of Kafka’s books and takes on various meanings in the context of architecture, urban development, and public space. Marcela Steinbachová, the festival director and founder of the Kruh association, explains, “The program will freely draw from Kafkaesque moods and explore places and architecture that are strange, unusual, absurd, constricted, dreamlike, bureaucratic, or grotesque. We will showcase architecture that is often forgotten or overlooked. However, we will also highlight buildings related to literature (such as publishing houses or printing offices) or technical service structures, such as transformer stations, telephone exchanges, tunnel vents, water towers, fans, and collectors, as well as little-known artistic works in public spaces.”
The festival will also commemorate other anniversaries in 2024, including the 350th anniversary of the birth of the significant late Baroque builder and architect František Maxmilián Kaňka (1674–1766), 70 years since the death of Josef Fanta (1856–1954), the architect of the Prague main railway station building, and the current Ministry of Industry and Trade. The program will also incorporate the 100th anniversary of the birth of Karel Hubáček (1924–2011), one of the most esteemed Czechoslovak architects, co-founder of the Association of Engineers and Architects in Liberec (SIAL), and the designer of the television transmitter and hotel on Ještěd. Attention will be given to his collaborators, including Miroslav Masák, John Eisler, Martin Rajniš, Emil Přikryl, and others, and their achievements.
The aim of the Day of Architecture and its sister festival, Film and Architecture, is to highlight quality architecture, present it in broader contexts, and contribute to the discussion on public space, an integral part of all our lives. The organizing Kruh association guarantees quality content, drawing from over two decades of experience in the field and long-term collaborations with leading architects, renowned experts, associations, and institutions in all regions. In addition to architectural walks and excursions, the Day of Architecture offers lectures, exhibitions, concerts, workshops, and activities for children.
The Kruh association also organizes year-round lecture series. The 24th cycle this year, titled “Kra/jiná” (Other Landscape), will bring representatives of global landscape architecture to the Czech Republic for the first time. These professionals, with their innovative approaches, aim to create a better, healthier, and more resilient environment not only for humans but also for other species, striving to prevent further impacts of climate change. More information is available at www.kruh.info.
Photo: Marie Zákostelecká
