- Professor Robert Špaček graduated with a Master’s degree from the Faculty of Civil Engineering of Slovak University o... moreProfessor Robert Špaček graduated with a Master’s degree from the Faculty of Civil Engineering of Slovak University of Technology in Bratislava (FA-STU) in 1976, and in 1984, he finished doctoral studies. He has undertaken many research fellowships: in Weimar (1980), Hannover (1981-82), Manchester (1993-98, occasionally) and Graz (2001). He is a co-founder of the Institute of Ecological and Experimental Architecture at the Faculty of Architecture of Slovak University of Technology in Bratislava, Slovakia (1990). His appointments include the following: Dean of the Faculty of Architecture of Slovak University of Technology in Bratislava (1990-94 and 1996-2002), Vice-Rector of Slovak University of Technology (2003-2007), Head of the Institute of Architecture II at the Faculty of Architecture of Slovak University of Technology (2004-05). Since 2010, he has held a post of the Vice-Dean for Foreign Affairs and Human Resources, and is a member of the scientific board of FA-STU. He is a member of the editorial boards of several magazines.edit
Sustainability, beauty, and power are notions that hit our contemporary perception every day. However, they have been an integral part of architecture and urban planning in various forms since the ages. The paper presents their... more
Sustainability, beauty, and power are notions that hit our contemporary perception every day. However, they have been an integral part of architecture and urban planning in various forms since the ages. The paper presents their fundamental descriptions, followed by an assessment of their mutual relations and impact on architecture through a triangular architectural relation model developed by the authors of the article. Using the theoretical thought experiment, it highlights eight boundary models along with their main characteristics, in particular, the implosion, explosion, shared-control, utilitarian, no-control, supremacy, inside-forced, and outside-forced architectural related models. Such models can help predict future events, explain past events, make decisions, and plan strategies, or reveal problems and propose new solutions. Other applications include determination of the causes of certain results or finding out the responsibility and mechanisms that led to them. The authors are of the opinion that the mutual denominator of sustainability, beauty, and power represents ethics that should be forced in architectural education and practice.
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests: Architectural Engineering, Photovoltaics, Cultural Heritage, Renewable Energy, Sustainable Development, and 10 moreRenewable energy resources, Sustainable Architecture, Solar Energy, Smart City, PV system simulation, Solar PV Systems Installation, Architecture and Urban Planning, Photovoltaic system, Sustainability, and Historic Urban Centers
In the context of the current energy crisis and climate change, the importance of discussions on how to incorporate monument protection into sustainable strategies that mitigate the human impact on the environment and implement renewable... more
In the context of the current energy crisis and climate change, the importance of discussions on how to incorporate monument protection into sustainable strategies that mitigate the human impact on the environment and implement renewable sources while preserving cultural values is raised. Through the case study of the Monument Reserve in Bratislava, Slovakia, this article presents the potentials and limits of the integration of photovoltaic systems in historic urban structures that directly affect their feasible participation in smart city and positive energy district concepts by means of energy cooperativeness. This study highlights the most current recommendations and basic principles on how to assess their visual impact and select the most appropriate solutions. Using the datafication process, it analyzes the irradiance of pitched and flat roof polygons of the set area based on their characteristics such as the normal vector azimuth and slope of the rooftops. For this purpose, a ...
Research Interests: Architectural Engineering, Photovoltaics, Cultural Heritage, Renewable Energy, Sustainable Development, and 10 moreRenewable energy resources, Sustainable Architecture, Solar Energy, Smart City, PV system simulation, Solar PV Systems Installation, Architecture and Urban Planning, Photovoltaic system, Sustainability, and Historic Urban Centers
One of the main targets of globally aimed strategies such as the UN-supported Race to Zero campaign or the European Green Deal is the decarbonisation of the building sector. The implementation of renewable energy sources in new urban... more
One of the main targets of globally aimed strategies such as the UN-supported Race to Zero campaign or the European Green Deal is the decarbonisation of the building sector. The implementation of renewable energy sources in new urban structures, as well as the complex reconstruction of existing buildings, represents a key area of sustainable urban development. Supporting this approach, this paper introduces the solar-surface-area-to-volume ratio (Rsol) and the solar performance indicator (Psol), applicable for evaluation of the energy performance of basic building shapes at early design stages. The indicators are based on the preprocessors calculated using two different mathematical models—Robinson and Stone’s cumulative sky algorithm and Kittler and Mikler’s model—which are then compared and evaluated. Contrary to the commonly used surface-area-to-volume ratio, the proposed indicators estimate the potential for energy generation by active solar appliances integrated in the building...
Research Interests:
Changes in the teaching of the basic spatial concept in Slovakia over the past 50 years is the subject of this article. During this time, education was influenced by global architectural trends producing various educational paradigms.... more
Changes in the teaching of the basic spatial concept in Slovakia over the past 50 years is the subject of this article. During this time, education was influenced by global architectural trends producing various educational paradigms. These are described by three generations of pedagogues discussing their works. The first generation deals with the process based on typology and functional-programmatic relations according to the form follows function principle. The second generation considers the postmodern experimental approaches, applying the opposite idea that function follows form and the emergence of the digital turn in architecture. The third generation is inspired by the digital turn, accelerated by data accessibility and artificial intelligence. Each of these is diametrically different but intertwined in education to this day. The new forms of teaching have an impact on the classic profile of a graduate as a universal architect and imply new directions for architectural practice.
Research Interests:
Since the beginning of this century, STEM education has become increasingly important in preserving prosperity and economic competitiveness. Architecture has its own specific attributes. It overarches the STEM and HASS disciplines, and it... more
Since the beginning of this century, STEM education has become increasingly important in preserving prosperity and economic competitiveness. Architecture has its own specific attributes. It overarches the STEM and HASS disciplines, and it should be perceived as a cultural phenomenon rather than as a field of study. The main objective of this article is to highlight the methodology based on the statistical method evaluating the correlation rate between the Bachelor’s student performance (SP) in design studio courses and STEM and HASS categories, represented by particular subjects of various areas of study. The relationship between the admission examination procedure and the academic performance of graduates in the DESIGN category was also analyzed. Although the level of knowledge and skills required based on the study results within the curricula was more significant in the HASS category, the direct correlation between subjects in the STEM category, especially engineering, and the qu...
Research Interests:
Architectural education emerged a long time after humans began to construct their dwellings. The process of its formation began by passing down skills from generation to generation. Later, it was systematised in workshops. Even during... more
Architectural education emerged a long time after humans began to construct their dwellings. The process of its formation began by passing down skills from generation to generation. Later, it was systematised in workshops. Even during antiquity, but especially in the Renaissance period, the education was further enriched with theoretical and practical rules of architecture. The current way of life implies specific changes in methodology of teaching the new generation of architects. The construction process is also changing with the use of new technologies and practices, such as 3D printing of entire building elements or the use of drones. Capitalising virtual reality, increasing emphasis on the introduction of practical skills, and the presence of practicing teachers are now part of the academic scene. Is institutional educational still necessary? Would it be possible to gain the requisite knowledge and skills solely through experience in the architectural office, as it was the case...
Research Interests:
Architectural education emerged a long time after humans began to construct their dwellings. The process of its formation began by passing down skills from generation to generation. Later, it was systematised in workshops. Even during... more
Architectural education emerged a long time after humans began to construct their dwellings. The process of its formation began by passing down skills from generation to generation. Later, it was systematised in workshops. Even during antiquity, but especially in the Renaissance period, the education was further enriched with theoretical and practical rules of architecture. The current way of life implies specific changes in methodology of teaching the new generation of architects. The construction process is also changing with the use of new technologies and practices, such as 3D printing of entire building elements or the use of drones. Capitalising virtual reality, increasing emphasis on the introduction of practical skills, and the presence of practicing teachers are now part of the academic scene. Is institutional educational still necessary? Would it be possible to gain the requisite knowledge and skills solely through experience in the architectural office, as it was the case...
Research Interests:
Since the beginning of this century, STEM education has become increasingly important in preserving prosperity and economic competitiveness. Architecture has its own specific attributes. It overarches the STEM and HASS disciplines, and it... more
Since the beginning of this century, STEM education has become increasingly important in preserving prosperity and economic competitiveness. Architecture has its own specific attributes. It overarches the STEM and HASS disciplines, and it should be perceived as a cultural phenomenon rather than as a field of study. The main objective of this article is to highlight the methodology based on the statistical method evaluating the correlation rate between the Bachelor’s student performance (SP) in design studio courses and STEM and HASS categories, represented by particular subjects of various areas of study. The relationship between the admission examination procedure and the academic performance of graduates in the DESIGN category was also analyzed. Although the level of knowledge and skills required based on the study results within the curricula was more significant in the HASS category, the direct correlation between subjects in the STEM category, especially engineering, and the qu...
Research Interests:
História sídla a rieky je neustálym striedaním víťazstiev a porážok, neutíchajúcou snahou ukázať svoju silu a schopnosti. Človek stavia tam, kde nemá, potom krotí rieku, príde nečakane veľká voda... Prírodným hrozbám sú dnes vystavené... more
História sídla a rieky je neustálym striedaním víťazstiev a porážok, neutíchajúcou snahou ukázať svoju silu a schopnosti. Človek stavia tam, kde nemá, potom krotí rieku, príde nečakane veľká voda... Prírodným hrozbám sú dnes vystavené malé aj najväčšie mestá a v nich stovky miliónov ľudí po celom svete. Platíme za nerozumný boj s prírodou. Staviame mestá v záplavových územiach, na svahoch sopiek, v oblastiach výskytu hurikánov, či tornád. Občas sa, samozrej-me, vyskytnú aj neočakávané prekvapenia. Obviňovať prírodu však nie je na mieste, ona nekoná so zlým úmyslom. To len my jej málo rozumieme. Na druhej strane je treba priznať, že nemáme veľa možností na iné riešenie. Pred 500 rokmi žilo na celej Zemi iba pol miliardy ľudí a aj v roku 1950 iba 2,4 miliardy. Teraz sa blížime k počtu 7 miliárd a nič nenasvedčuje tomu, že by sa mal tento počet v blízkej budúcnosti stabilizovať, prípadne znižovať. Ľudia postupne obsadzujú aj doteraz rizikové a nebezpečné re-gióny. V porovnaní s minulos...
The structure of education within the Faculty of Architecture, Slovak University of Technology, Bratislava, Slovakia, is a standing topic of discussion. The authors have tried to perfect a model, which could join knowledge of... more
The structure of education within the Faculty of Architecture, Slovak University of Technology, Bratislava, Slovakia, is a standing topic of discussion. The authors have tried to perfect a model, which could join knowledge of architecture, civil engineering, statics and material in a natural way. The structure is an element, which has the power to connect them. It connects the thought with matter in education and in real architecture. Integration of the knowledge of structures and civil engineering is a part of the study programmes in subjects from the studio creation group. The first part is a theoretical preparation in individual blocks of compulsory subjects with a focus on structure, which confirms the need to direct the education by encouraging analytical thinking, understanding of structural principles and, finally, attempting to try something new and unconventional (an experiment) in the studio. This system is being tested, but it follows the line from mechanical absorption a...
The text is a reaction to the excessively broad conception of the topic encapsulated in the slogan “everything is design and design is everything” in the degree program 2.2.6 Design at the Faculty of Architecture of the Slovak... more
The text is a reaction to the excessively broad
conception of the topic encapsulated in the slogan
“everything is design and design is everything”
in the degree program 2.2.6 Design at the
Faculty of Architecture of the Slovak University of
Technology.
At the present moment, the idea of “dizajn”
has come rushing down through our vocabulary
here in Slovakia with the force of an avalanche.
Originally, it made its appearance through the
assumption of the word’s original English form,
design, most often preceded with the word “industrial”
(priemyselný). Within the former federal
Czechoslovakia, the idea received institutional
backing in such designations as IPD – “Institut
průmyslového designu” [Industrial Design Institute],
the journal Průmyslový design [Industrial
Design] and the like. Indicating its domestication
within the Slovak language is the later transcription
according to Slovak phonetic rules into the
current “dizajn”, used as a masculine substantive,
with the adjective expanded as “dizajnérsky”.
Nonetheless, while English expands the grammatical
range further into the realm of the verb “to
design”, we in Slovakia still “tvarujeme, navrhujeme,
tvoríme” [i.e. form, propose, create].
Equally noteworthy is the development of
design as a concept, its semantic fixation being
described in the Slovak setting through the works
and studies of a variety of authors (Ľudovít Petránsky,
Zdeno Kolesár, Bohdan Malanjuk et al.)
In this original use, the idea of design implied
the creation of elements intended for industrial
mass production.
From the outset, neither the meaning nor the
word posed too many problems. As of December
1986, Ministry of education of the Slovak socialist
republic began the systematic implementation
of university programs in industrial design
through establishing working groups: creation of
individual custom-made structural elements was
assigned to architecture, while the creation of elements
intended for mass production in set quantities
was viewed as “design”. During this period,
the conceptual model followed was the German
practice termed “industrielle Formgebung”.
As the idea made its way into professional
usage in Slovakia, discussion focused on its necessity
and foundations, along with a search for
a domestic linguistic terminology – priemyselné
tvarovanie, priemyselné navrhovanie, and the
like. In the decades to follow, the situation
changed dramatically: the idea became fashionable
and exclusive, particularly in the very word’s
shift back to the original Anglicism of “design”.
The general content and sense of the concept
of design still remains close to the primary formulation:
the shaping or forming of practically anything.
Recently, we have witnessed the phenomenon
of “design hotels” where not a single item
of furnishings or interior surfaces is standardised,
but instead “designed”. Design is no longer restricted
merely to industrial mass production:
now it is enough to propose, formulate, create
one unique, unrepeatable situation.
In essence, we have two possibilities. For popular
communication, we could leave everything
as it is, where anyone can “design” anything
(indeed, we don’t have any other possibility).
And on the other hand, in professional usage we
should (?) continually take care of the purity and
consistency of the basic idea.
Design will undoubtedly remain the object of
investigation among theorists, whose interest it
is on the one hand to formulate a sensible comprehension
of the idea and its content, and on
the other to delineate their position in the “marketplace”.
As long as we support the thesis that
design is everything that is an object of creation,
then simultaneously we risk the complete loss of
the subject of investigation. Yet this loss, after all,
only applies to its etymological and linguistic aspects.
With respect to the study program Design
2.2.6, this is a luxury we cannot allow.
We feel a natural need to return back to
Heidegger his own “return to the things”, since
the greater part of research and texts suffer from
excessive “over-interpretation” of the objects or
processes they describe. Design must return
from its position of a speculative metaphysical
(indeed somewhat totalitarian) ideology back to
the description of concrete activities, processes
and things.
In the case of activities within a university program,
we need to insist that the material content
of the idea remains bound by the descriptions
of the program itself in the accreditation papers
for the relevant period. But bearing in mind that
the accreditation certificate completely lacks
a definition of the idea in concrete terms, it still
remains possible that “design” occurs whenever
the word is used. In the interest of establishing
clarity, there is no reason not to continue with the
nomenclature of the current second study level,
“Product Design”.
In the program Design 2.2.6, it is of course
possible to look for a wider context, but it is not
possible for research to leave out design as it
transpired within its historic (Czecho-)Slovak
framework.
Following the evaluation of several years of the
ongoing conference on technical education, it is
possible to establish the existence of two phases
or branches. One is theoretical, grounded in the
natural sciences, possibly a preparatory stage;
the second is active, creative, finalising. Within
the international context, this second level is best
captured by the English term design.
If, however, we use the idea of design for everything
that the word describes and implies in
English, then we would have a blanket concept
encompassing all of the area of plan-making,
creating, or constructing. Theoretically, we could
then have – in place of the present Faculty of
Architecture – a new “Faculty of Design” with departments
of urban design, architectural design,
landscape design, environmental design, product
design...civil engineers would have building
design, structural design, chemists could have
“design of technological or production systems”...
going even further, lawyers could have
“law design”.... if the theoretician of design is (in)
sufficiently versed in English, then the tendency
would be to incorporate all of this into the umbrella
concept of design, just we originally stated,
i.e. the design of products and possibly as well
graphic design: ergo, all into the program Design
2.2.6.
With all of this, the Slovak University of Technology
could then theoretically divide itself into a
basic two-part structure: a faculty of design with
all construction areas reflecting creative work,
and a faculty of science with specialised theory.
conception of the topic encapsulated in the slogan
“everything is design and design is everything”
in the degree program 2.2.6 Design at the
Faculty of Architecture of the Slovak University of
Technology.
At the present moment, the idea of “dizajn”
has come rushing down through our vocabulary
here in Slovakia with the force of an avalanche.
Originally, it made its appearance through the
assumption of the word’s original English form,
design, most often preceded with the word “industrial”
(priemyselný). Within the former federal
Czechoslovakia, the idea received institutional
backing in such designations as IPD – “Institut
průmyslového designu” [Industrial Design Institute],
the journal Průmyslový design [Industrial
Design] and the like. Indicating its domestication
within the Slovak language is the later transcription
according to Slovak phonetic rules into the
current “dizajn”, used as a masculine substantive,
with the adjective expanded as “dizajnérsky”.
Nonetheless, while English expands the grammatical
range further into the realm of the verb “to
design”, we in Slovakia still “tvarujeme, navrhujeme,
tvoríme” [i.e. form, propose, create].
Equally noteworthy is the development of
design as a concept, its semantic fixation being
described in the Slovak setting through the works
and studies of a variety of authors (Ľudovít Petránsky,
Zdeno Kolesár, Bohdan Malanjuk et al.)
In this original use, the idea of design implied
the creation of elements intended for industrial
mass production.
From the outset, neither the meaning nor the
word posed too many problems. As of December
1986, Ministry of education of the Slovak socialist
republic began the systematic implementation
of university programs in industrial design
through establishing working groups: creation of
individual custom-made structural elements was
assigned to architecture, while the creation of elements
intended for mass production in set quantities
was viewed as “design”. During this period,
the conceptual model followed was the German
practice termed “industrielle Formgebung”.
As the idea made its way into professional
usage in Slovakia, discussion focused on its necessity
and foundations, along with a search for
a domestic linguistic terminology – priemyselné
tvarovanie, priemyselné navrhovanie, and the
like. In the decades to follow, the situation
changed dramatically: the idea became fashionable
and exclusive, particularly in the very word’s
shift back to the original Anglicism of “design”.
The general content and sense of the concept
of design still remains close to the primary formulation:
the shaping or forming of practically anything.
Recently, we have witnessed the phenomenon
of “design hotels” where not a single item
of furnishings or interior surfaces is standardised,
but instead “designed”. Design is no longer restricted
merely to industrial mass production:
now it is enough to propose, formulate, create
one unique, unrepeatable situation.
In essence, we have two possibilities. For popular
communication, we could leave everything
as it is, where anyone can “design” anything
(indeed, we don’t have any other possibility).
And on the other hand, in professional usage we
should (?) continually take care of the purity and
consistency of the basic idea.
Design will undoubtedly remain the object of
investigation among theorists, whose interest it
is on the one hand to formulate a sensible comprehension
of the idea and its content, and on
the other to delineate their position in the “marketplace”.
As long as we support the thesis that
design is everything that is an object of creation,
then simultaneously we risk the complete loss of
the subject of investigation. Yet this loss, after all,
only applies to its etymological and linguistic aspects.
With respect to the study program Design
2.2.6, this is a luxury we cannot allow.
We feel a natural need to return back to
Heidegger his own “return to the things”, since
the greater part of research and texts suffer from
excessive “over-interpretation” of the objects or
processes they describe. Design must return
from its position of a speculative metaphysical
(indeed somewhat totalitarian) ideology back to
the description of concrete activities, processes
and things.
In the case of activities within a university program,
we need to insist that the material content
of the idea remains bound by the descriptions
of the program itself in the accreditation papers
for the relevant period. But bearing in mind that
the accreditation certificate completely lacks
a definition of the idea in concrete terms, it still
remains possible that “design” occurs whenever
the word is used. In the interest of establishing
clarity, there is no reason not to continue with the
nomenclature of the current second study level,
“Product Design”.
In the program Design 2.2.6, it is of course
possible to look for a wider context, but it is not
possible for research to leave out design as it
transpired within its historic (Czecho-)Slovak
framework.
Following the evaluation of several years of the
ongoing conference on technical education, it is
possible to establish the existence of two phases
or branches. One is theoretical, grounded in the
natural sciences, possibly a preparatory stage;
the second is active, creative, finalising. Within
the international context, this second level is best
captured by the English term design.
If, however, we use the idea of design for everything
that the word describes and implies in
English, then we would have a blanket concept
encompassing all of the area of plan-making,
creating, or constructing. Theoretically, we could
then have – in place of the present Faculty of
Architecture – a new “Faculty of Design” with departments
of urban design, architectural design,
landscape design, environmental design, product
design...civil engineers would have building
design, structural design, chemists could have
“design of technological or production systems”...
going even further, lawyers could have
“law design”.... if the theoretician of design is (in)
sufficiently versed in English, then the tendency
would be to incorporate all of this into the umbrella
concept of design, just we originally stated,
i.e. the design of products and possibly as well
graphic design: ergo, all into the program Design
2.2.6.
With all of this, the Slovak University of Technology
could then theoretically divide itself into a
basic two-part structure: a faculty of design with
all construction areas reflecting creative work,
and a faculty of science with specialised theory.
ABSTRACT: Is it still possible to keep global warming below 2°C? Is climate change an inevitable disaster, already causing extreme heat and flooding coastal cities? With regards to this, the authors dislike the atmosphere of... more
ABSTRACT: Is it still possible to keep global warming below 2°C? Is climate change an inevitable disaster, already causing extreme heat and flooding coastal cities? With regards to this, the authors dislike the atmosphere of Götterdämmerung, especially in education. The fact is, along with industrialisation and economic growth, CO2 emissions have increased significantly. However, economic growth and the reduction of CO2 emissions are possible at the same time: through an increase in renewable energy. At present, there is enough knowledge and technology available to reverse climate change. Renewable energy is the fastest growing energy source worldwide. In urban planning and architecture, there are many good examples of resource and energy-saving projects. There is a need for more such efforts. Everyone must act now: through a success-orientated approach and best practice. The authors of this article believe that an optimistic approach is a necessity in education. Science and technology are good sources of optimism. Social systems inculcate and propagate information, regardless of its veracity. This is not the role of education.
We are pleased to announce the deadlines for contributions to the journal Architecture Papers of the Faculty of Architecture of the Slovak University of Technology (ALFA) for the year 2020. The journal is a valuable source for those... more
We are pleased to announce the deadlines for contributions to the journal Architecture Papers of the Faculty of Architecture of the Slovak University of Technology (ALFA) for the year 2020. The journal is a valuable source for those interested in the areas of architecture, urbanism and product design as well graphic design. It focuses on topics concerning the history, philosophy and psychology of architecture and urbanism, dealing with the relationships between architecture and urbanism, architecture and landscape, architecture and design, architecture and art, as well as architecture and society. ALFA is a channel to learn about the most recent outcomes helping the branch of architecture to further develop and gain ground in the society, while there is also an overlap with other disciplines. Furthermore, the journal features theoretical and research based articles, papers on the methodology of education, as well as reviews and conclusions of research projects.
Research Interests:
Humans are characterised by curiosity about the world. They gain knowledge especially from studies and experience. Since there is a postmodern era characterised as post-factual, the world needs to be seen in an interdisciplinary way. The... more
Humans are characterised by curiosity about the world. They gain knowledge especially from studies and experience. Since there is a postmodern era characterised as post-factual, the world needs to be seen in an interdisciplinary way. The authors of this article share an ambition to show the intersections between architecture and other fields of study at Slovak University of Technology in Bratislava (STU), Bratislava, Slovakia. They are convinced that if the University cultivates understanding among the fields of study, it can establish and strengthen the principles and integrity of the institution. The objective in this article is to report on the connection of architecture and architectural education to other fields of research and education, such as mathematics, chemistry, biology, art, informatics and engineering. There is an assumption that such crossovers in education can offer students a more
comprehensive view of the world.
comprehensive view of the world.
Research Interests:
The emergence of democracy and of the first public space - Agora dates back to the ancient Greece. Urban environment is an essential attribute of development of cultures and civilizations. It concentrates the nature of environment,... more
The emergence of democracy and of the first public space - Agora dates back to the ancient Greece. Urban environment is an essential attribute of development of cultures and civilizations. It concentrates the nature of environment, history, people’s mentality and affects the way and quality of life of inhabitants. Public spaces have played and will always play an important role in the life of every society by providing the place for revolutions, executions, control of the masses (by barricades, cameras, through their layouts) and for the demonstration of political and economic power. In general, democracy in relation to public spaces implies the equality of access and approach on grounds of age, physical predisposition, sex, wealth and faith. It represents the freedom of movement (with minimum of prohibitions), safety, environmental friendliness and an opportunity to explore new “secrets” of public spaces. The city with its public spaces has to be open and amiable for everybody. Foucault said that the 20th century was the century of space. We would be pleased if we could entitle the 21st century THE CENTURY OF PUBLIC SPACES. The contribution tries to answer the two basic questions - what represents the public spaces and who constitutes them? In this respect, the authors introduce the spatial interpretation of Wilhelm Landzettel. The authors clarify these aspects by many examples of historical periods (antiquity, middle age, period of the monarchy until the recent past) and examples from different countries. Public spaces are changing and are closely linked to political regimes. The relation between totality and democracy is the best example. Monumentality characterizes both of them. Mainly, it is the attribute of the “Cult of Faith” (Parthenon), the “Cult of Man” (Hitler´s Zeppelinfeld), the “ostentatious architecture” (Koolhaas´s Bigness (or the problem of Large) or of the “military force” (Pentagon). An architect, as the creator, plays a key role in the issue of public spaces. One can mention the Haussmann´s renovation of Paris, projects of Albert Speer for German Führer or the Gottwald Square in Bratislava. Public spaces are primarily intended for people and inhabitants need to be involved. In this context, the Greek term politeia can be used. It represents the “conditions and rights of citizens or citizenship” in analogy with the Latin civitas. As actors in the public spaces we need to acquire “civic virtues”.
Research Interests:
Cities originate from more simple settlements. Before the city, there was a hamlet and a shrine and a village; before the village, a camp, a cache, a cave. As the food producer, the village is closely linked with the city. However, the... more
Cities originate from more simple settlements. Before the city, there was a hamlet and a shrine and a village; before the village, a camp, a cache, a cave. As the food producer, the village is closely linked with the city. However, the city concentrates more complex energy-exploitative human activities such as industry, transport, but also education, innovation or culture. Each creation is energy. In terms of supply, the city lives at the expense of its surrounding - energy for consumption (converted into higher value), be it electricity, heat sources, but also food or fuel; and construction materials are transported to the intensively growing urban areas. The increasing rate of growth of human population is also highly obvious in cities. In regard to all these aspects, the image of the city has been formed as a large energy consumer. There are plenty of shining examples of foreign cities responding to their increasing energy demand for renewable sources. The energy conservation measures, except for thermal insulation of buildings, are being implemented in our environment – cities very slowly and still remain mainly at the level of theory and research. The change of current urban paradigm is adopted by detecting the potential of the city to use renewable energy sources. One can speak of two strategies – energy cooperativeness of urban structures and a production of energy eff ective urban structures based on solar access principle. Ideally, cities will become energy-independent from non-renewable energy resources. Such situation can be at least reasonably expected in urban fragments. The energy dependence rate will decrease within the progressive development of a city as a whole. Town planning will acquire a new quality - there appears a new aesthetic of building shapes and urban structures generated under criterion of optimally inclined solar surfaces. The solar potential of urban structures is characterized by two proposed urban indicators – a solar index and a cooperative indicator. Intensifying of the solar energy use within the urban structures can transform the "traditional" city into the green, intelligent and sustainable settlement. Solar roadways, solar parking lots and piezoelectric floor systems generating electricity are new achievements of the high technology. The solar town planning including the solar cadastre of the city can provide a new principle in urban regulation represented by a new aesthetic paradigm. Shall we codify it or modify it?
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ABSTRACT: The authors of this article champion critical thinking on conventional teaching of sustainable design to architecture students at Slovak University of Technology in Bratislava, Slovakia. Teaching is closely related to building... more
ABSTRACT: The authors of this article champion critical thinking on conventional teaching of sustainable design to architecture students at Slovak University of Technology in Bratislava, Slovakia. Teaching is closely related to building practice, responding to ever-tightening standards on the thermal protection and energy efficiency of buildings. Requirements for the building envelope are progressing towards a nearly zero energy standard and do not take into account the wider context of sustainability. Contrary to this trend, a number of studies prove the economic, ecological and social aspects of the conventional solution. Holistic concepts based on the principle of dynamic building envelopes respond to changes in the surrounding environment, as well as the user’s changing demands, with renewable energies, decentralised energy generation or collective infrastructure management in a neighbourhood. The main challenge in educating future architects is to outline the wider view concerning sustainable design, to give students critical insight into evolving trends and direct them towards a deeper understanding of the subject.
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ABSTRACT: Architecture has long been considered the mother of art. Society and architecture are changing, and so it is logical that changes may be made to the entrance procedures, which are a necessary condition for beginning study in a... more
ABSTRACT: Architecture has long been considered the mother of art. Society and architecture are changing, and so it is logical that changes may be made to the entrance procedures, which are a necessary condition for beginning study in a given field. In this context, entrance procedures are continuously being modified and modernised at the Faculty of Architecture, Slovak University of Technology in Bratislava (FA-STU). In this work, the authors deal with the Bachelor entrance procedures. The entrance procedure is an opportunity to seek an answer to the question of how to choose applicants for study who will then be successful in study. There have been several types of entrance procedure at the Faculty since the 1980s. Weightings and indicators for applicants are selected from art-scientific and exact disciplines. Also, the time demand of the process has been changed, and has been simplified in the light of the social climate and interest.
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ABSTRACT: Small dwellings have started to receive more attention. Partly, it is caused by their extraordinariness in the context of standard dwellings; however, one should not overlook their sustainability potential. Moreover, the houses,... more
ABSTRACT: Small dwellings have started to receive more attention. Partly, it is caused by their extraordinariness in the context of standard dwellings; however, one should not overlook their sustainability potential. Moreover, the houses, small in size, but carefully designed, offer great use. In this sense, small houses are efficient in offering life quality by minimising economic and environmental costs. The study follows previous research on this topic at the Institute of Ecological and Experimental Architecture, where the potential of small scale architecture is researched in a theoretical way, as well as through studio assignments. The focus of the study is on the sustainability of small houses and their integration into the educational process. From a sustainability perspective, smaller size indicates lower consumption of materials, energy, building plot and goods, and it also comes with a change of a lifestyle to a more sustainable one. The minimax principle plays a key role. In architectural education, the small house presents a challenging task in space organisation, and it also connects building design with lifestyle, which is where the sustainability of the small houses lies.
ABSTRACT: When one speaks about crisis today, one means a phenomenon that has hit many sectors of the economy. When one speaks about a global financial crisis, paradoxically, people in most countries of the world have not noticed any... more
ABSTRACT: When one speaks about crisis today, one means a phenomenon that has hit many sectors of the economy. When one speaks about a global financial crisis, paradoxically, people in most countries of the world have not noticed any crisis at all. Crisis has become a fashionable word to excuse our helplessness. Apparently, the problem is being dealt with by analysts rather than by people who have first-hand experience of it. Architecture is no longer bound by any borders. In the globalised world, staff turnover is increasing. It has been 30 years since Christian Norberg-Schulz pointed out the problem in the education of young architects, who are not able to solve the problems of their time. His statement could easily be used in the contemporary situation. How should schools react to the present challenges? Should the education system be changed? Does one have to change the architect’s view of creating new architecture? Is it possible to solve the current problem of crisis by an ecological approach to the world and by sustainable architecture? This article endeavours to clarify the present situation concerning the architecture profession in the European Union, discussing the needs and requirements of students, teachers and people in practice.
ABSTRACT: One of the most important tasks of mankind is to take responsibility for a sustainable life for future generations. Education along with research plays a key role in the reduction of energy demands and spreading of utilisation... more
ABSTRACT: One of the most important tasks of mankind is to take responsibility for a sustainable life for future generations. Education along with research plays a key role in the reduction of energy demands and spreading of utilisation of renewables. An energy revolution has to take place at the level of urban planning. This article deals with sustainable urban design, and it presents two solar strategies based on the energy efficient urban structures generating and on the principle of synergic energy cooperation among urban structures within a city district. New energy-related urban indicators have been defined and verified on a typological variety of urban structures. The article presents doctoral research of volumetric optimisation of urban blocks using IT script written in Grasshopper software. The authors’ examination is based on information technologies and software simulations. CAD-technologies are gaining importance in the holistic architectural and urban design process. All these aspects have to be implemented in education, what will positively affect the future urban development in a sustainable way.
ABSTRACT: The university environment has shifted from the principle of co-operation to the principle of competitiveness. As a result, a variety of rankings, requiring evidence-based (self)evaluation of quality, has emerged. In this... more
ABSTRACT: The university environment has shifted from the principle of co-operation to the principle of competitiveness. As a result, a variety of rankings, requiring evidence-based (self)evaluation of quality, has emerged. In this article, the authors focus on the preferred evaluation of the quality of architectural design studios. How should creative work be evaluated? Should this be systemically-based on fixed criteria by comparing student projects with each other or purely intuitively, subjectively? By default, the evaluation of the quality is objectified through public presentation of design studio projects. The problem is that the design studio supervisor cannot compare these results, because of the different assignments, approach of teachers or presentation preferences of individual departments. The authors present the one-task model of design studios for all the students in the same year of study. In this case, a studio supervisor has one unified matrix of studio outputs displayed within a single printed publication. Moreover, one can consider student feedback by using a questionnaire. This model also provides evaluation of the quality of teachers.
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ABSTRACT: Mastering the art of effectivity is essential for the healthy functioning of an activity in every profession. Effectivity is understood as an economic category, which is connected mainly with the production sphere, but it also... more
ABSTRACT: Mastering the art of effectivity is essential for the healthy functioning of an activity in every profession. Effectivity is understood as an economic category, which is connected mainly with the production sphere, but it also relevant to the area of education. Educational effectivity is also enriched by using of more methods in the trajectory of a project, problem education, using case studies, team work, etc. In this article, the authors compare effectivity in methods applied to different content categories of subjects in architectural education. The hypothesis was defined and answers were sought to questions of whether rationalisation and effectivity of the teaching process provides a kind of feedback, and whether it also has an impact on the quality of output and the competence of graduates. At the same time, a small study was used to evaluate the attitude of students to the change of methodology of teaching groups of technical-constructional subjects. Their realisation is demanding, because they are a part of architecture and, at the same time, they oscillate between technique and art.
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ABSTRACT: This article deals with the role of the experiment in architecture and a way to teach experimental architecture. It defines the concept of experimental architecture by dividing it into two parts, and with the experimentation on... more
ABSTRACT: This article deals with the role of the experiment in architecture and a way to teach experimental architecture. It defines the concept of experimental architecture by dividing it into two parts, and with the experimentation on construction and research dealings with the problems of architecture design. The aim is to deepen the understanding of an experiment during the design phase of architectural research. The approach adopted has been divided into research into new architectural tools for the design, and into the problems of social, environmental, political and economic environments. These two lines of architectural experiment are verified in education in the Master’s degree studio. In the article, the authors suggest a shift from classical architectural education towards a more experimental and computer driven study process that reflects the contemporary shift in digitalisation of society. The primary task of new architectural education should be to accentuate the pedagogical tools, which would enable the graduates to realise their potential in a broader area of future creative disciplines.
ABSTRACT: Authors of this article focus on the confrontation between artistic sketching (represented by architectural works) and technical sketching (represented by engineering designs) in the digital era. The current discussion... more
ABSTRACT: Authors of this article focus on the confrontation between artistic sketching (represented by architectural works) and technical sketching (represented by engineering designs) in the digital era. The current discussion concerning the actual process taking place between the moment an idea comes into existence and the eventual final design or product is a natural continuation of the discussion associated with the start of the process that, in this respect, may be considered creative. The discussion was held at the analogue level until digital media took the stage. Sketching and drawing as a sole means of the minus 30Y Generation has been substituted with the uncompromising perfection of digital technology. The fact that the word digital originates from digit - finger, is definitely a paradox, as the digital technologies have condemned the fingers to clicking. In architecture, it is still useful to start the creative process with the mind - hand - paper sequence and, then, to follow up with technology to make it more precise. Sketching gives the architect - designer absolute freedom.
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ABSTRACT: The article begins with a thought borrowed from the book The Peter Principle. The result of the analysed hierarchical regression is the loss of the competency value of individual levels of education. This can be loosely... more
ABSTRACT: The article begins with a thought borrowed from the book The Peter Principle. The result of the analysed hierarchical regression is the loss of the competency value of individual levels of education. This can be loosely interpreted as follows: ...in the past, everybody who could read and write was competent to work in a position of responsibility. For the generation born in the 1920s, high-school graduation was a sufficient competence criterion to be able to hold fairly respectable jobs. If one accepts the validity of the hierarchical regression, one has two alternatives to choose from. The first is the aforementioned principle of hierarchical devaluation, where career-related hierarchical structure is maintained and the competency-related hierarchical structure based on the achieved level of education is suppressed. The second alternative involves the upgrade of the existing education-based hierarchic structure, i.e. the increase of the validity of the established levels of education. The appraisal of the position of the Bachelor’s degree in the Faculty of Architecture at Slovak University of Technology in Bratislava started with its introduction in 1991, i.e. before the implementation of the Bologna process. The objective was, and still is, to clearly define the position of a Bachelor’s degree with respect to competency in the education hierarchy.
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ABSTRACT: The structure of education within the Faculty of Architecture, Slovak University of Technology, Bratislava, Slovakia, is a standing topic of discussion. The authors have tried to perfect a model, which could join knowledge of... more
ABSTRACT: The structure of education within the Faculty of Architecture, Slovak University of Technology, Bratislava, Slovakia, is a standing topic of discussion. The authors have tried to perfect a model, which could join knowledge of architecture, civil engineering, statics and material in a natural way. The structure is an element, which has the power to connect them. It connects the thought with matter in education and in real architecture. Integration of the knowledge of structures and civil engineering is a part of the study programmes in subjects from the studio creation group. The first part is a theoretical preparation in individual blocks of compulsory subjects with a focus on structure, which confirms the need to direct the education by encouraging analytical thinking, understanding of structural principles and, finally, attempting to try something new and unconventional (an experiment) in the studio. This system is being tested, but it follows the line from mechanical absorption and gathering the knowledge to constructional creativity. This is the only way to confirm the motto To think in architecture, to feel in structure. The motto is broad and offers freedom of creativity, and encourages exploration, cooperation and discussion in the multi-genre science in which architecture is located.
ABSTRACT: The authors of this article present an analysis of architectural education at Slovak University of Technology (SUT) in Bratislava, Slovakia. The reason for the summary analysis is to mark the 70th anniversary of architectural... more
ABSTRACT: The authors of this article present an analysis of architectural education at Slovak University of Technology (SUT) in Bratislava, Slovakia. The reason for the summary analysis is to mark the 70th anniversary of architectural education in Slovakia and to acknowledge the 40 years of existence of an independent Faculty of Architecture. The aim of the article is neither to criticise the current state of affairs nor to formulate a programme for the future of architectural education. The article describes things as they are and leaves room for discussion about things as they should be, which must primarily occur via more flexible communication techniques and media. The educational context is documented with examples of current student projects - output in individual subjects/courses. Examples of student work consist in the contemporary output; however, for those who remember explicitly architecture-oriented education, they are a proof that the substance of the education changes only through the inclusion of main topics selected by the institutions. Modifications to the current status in comparison to the optimism of memories correspond with the objective development of the position of architecture.
Humour as a specific way of communication is closely linked to human life, architecture and education. One of the most important benefits of using humour is that it can engage students in learning. Other positive benefits include... more
Humour as a specific way of communication is closely linked to human life, architecture and education. One of the most important benefits of using humour is that it can engage students in learning. Other positive benefits include physiological, psychological, pedagogical and cognitive effects. It can contribute to establishing a tranquil and socially inclusive classroom milieu. Therefore, there has arisen a genre of lecturing, widely referred to as edutainment. It means a hybrid mix of education and entertainment, which relies on more informal, less didactic forms of presentation. The authors assume that it is highly important to teach without burdening students with yet another obligatory subject that is taught solely through a serious, strict and grave approach. Argumentation with paradox or hyperbole is often incomparably more effective than traditional lecturing. The authors advocate the use of humour as a teaching tool in architectural education and allowing students to include humour or caricature in their work. Included in the study here is student work and also works of well-known cartoonists closely linked to architecture.
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Architectural education emerged a long time after humans began to construct their dwellings. The process of its formation began by passing down skills from generation to generation. Later, it was systematised in workshops. Even during... more
Architectural education emerged a long time after humans began to construct their dwellings. The process of its formation began by passing down skills from generation to generation. Later, it was systematised in workshops. Even during antiquity, but especially in the Renaissance period, the education was further enriched with theoretical and practical rules of architecture. The current way of life implies specific changes in methodology of teaching the new generation of architects. The construction process is also changing with the use of new technologies and practices, such as 3D printing of entire building elements or the use of drones. Capitalising virtual reality, increasing emphasis on the introduction of practical skills, and the presence of practicing teachers are now part of the academic scene. Is institutional educational still necessary? Would it be possible to gain the requisite knowledge and skills solely through experience in the architectural office, as it was the case in the past? Will the architect’s position remain justifiable and tenable in the future? Can this role be taken over by the technologically advanced and ever more reliable automation, which could efficiently satisfy the most specific requirements and design details demanded by the investor? Compared to the automated process, what added value does the architect offer?
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The paradigm of the city is now undergoing much change against a background of economic, technological and social transformations caused by globalization. The traditional post-industrial city is to be replaced by the city characterized by... more
The paradigm of the city is now undergoing much change against a background of economic, technological and social transformations caused by globalization. The traditional post-industrial city is to be replaced by the city characterized by such attributes as green, sustainable, open, rational, ecological, ideal, creative, global, and generic... – and the notion of Smart City is the overarching summation of all of these characteristics. Bearing in mind that the English adjective smart is replaced in Slovak by the equivalent intelligent, the question remains whether an inanimate entity (like the city in the traditional thinking) can be intelligent. That is, if we define intelligent as possessing or displaying the ability to learn or understand things, or to deal with new or difficult situations.
No precise definition of the Smart City concept can be said yet to exist. Perhaps the most useful statement might define it as a district, urban fragment, and ultimately an entire city which is energy efficient, which saves resources, produces minimum emissions, and provides the highest quality of life for its residents. The basis is a well-functioning infrastructure at all network levels.
According to the authors of this article, the concept of the Smart City can be divided into several distinct layers (strata). This layering / stratification is evaluated by a series of vertical sections, aiming to analyse the interplay, overlaps and influences, mostly on urban society. Does thinking about the Smart City concept really start at the edge of the town, or instead within its environmental and economic substructures? Is it possible to speak of the “smart region” or even “smart country”? The authors present the selected layers and their essential characteristics,
the impact on the lives of people or on the environment.
No precise definition of the Smart City concept can be said yet to exist. Perhaps the most useful statement might define it as a district, urban fragment, and ultimately an entire city which is energy efficient, which saves resources, produces minimum emissions, and provides the highest quality of life for its residents. The basis is a well-functioning infrastructure at all network levels.
According to the authors of this article, the concept of the Smart City can be divided into several distinct layers (strata). This layering / stratification is evaluated by a series of vertical sections, aiming to analyse the interplay, overlaps and influences, mostly on urban society. Does thinking about the Smart City concept really start at the edge of the town, or instead within its environmental and economic substructures? Is it possible to speak of the “smart region” or even “smart country”? The authors present the selected layers and their essential characteristics,
the impact on the lives of people or on the environment.