Course detail

Contemporary Czech Architecture

FA-SOA-TEAcad. year: 2025/2026

This cycle of lectures provides an overview of the latest architecture in the Czech Republic which has not been included in publications, but which is partially described in journals. The lecturer is in everyday contact with the contemporary architects and publishes articles about them, thus he is able to give students a close look on the contemporary Czech scene.
Students will acquire professional English terminology and learn about contemporary topics in architecture and thus they will improve their chances to find work in the international context.

Language of instruction

English

Number of ECTS credits

2

Mode of study

Not applicable.

Guarantor

MgA. Ing. arch. Petr Šmídek, Ph.D.

Department

Department of Theory (UT)

Offered to foreign students

Of all faculties

Entry knowledge

Not applicable.

Rules for evaluation and completion of the course

Based on the lectures, students will learn to place buildings and their authors into the context of continuous history of architecture. At the end of the course, students will elaborate a presentation about their architectural interests that they will present to the fellow course participants. Students will prove their knowledge of contemporary architecture in the follow-up discussion.
In the case of a student's apology and with approval of the course guarantor, personal participation may be substituted with online participation in the lesson.

Aims

The course aims to locate the contemporary Czech architects into the historical context. To teach students how to perceive the contemporary Czech architecture in depth, and as a continuous development. To introduce students to the theory, and then to go on an excursion to the field, and to familiarize with the structures directly on-site. Similarly, the course stimulates students to visit exhibitions and lectures given by the architects in question. The goal is to awaken students’ interest in buildings and in their creators, so that consequently the students would start searching for the architects, try to contact them on their own, and eventually start a cooperation.
  • Students will have an overview of the contemporary Czech architecture.
  • Students will learn to place buildings and their authors into the continuous history of architecture.
  • Students will learn to perceive the present-day architectural development in the context.

Study aids

Not applicable.

Prerequisites and corequisites

Not applicable.

Basic literature

HLAVÁČKOVÁ, Petra; KORYČÁNEK, Rostislav; SVOBODOVÁ, Šárka; VALDHANSOVÁ, Lucie. Brno Architecture Manual. Brno: Dům umění města Brna, 2017. ISBN 978-80-7009-180-7. (EN)
KRATOCHVÍL, Petr; ŠENK, Filip, (Ed.). Architektura mimo centra. Architecture Outside the Centres. Liberec: FUA TUL, 2013. ISBN 978-80-7494-052-1. (EN)
STEMPEL, Jan; TESAŘ, Jan; BENEŠ Ondřej. Czech houses. České domy. Praha: KANT, 2014. ISBN 978-80-7437-140-0. (EN)
ŠVÁCHA, Rostislav. Czech architecture and its austerity. fifty buildings 1989–2004, Praha: Prostor 2004. ISBN 978-8090325746 (EN)

Recommended reading

Not applicable.

Classification of course in study plans

  • Programme B_A+U Bachelor's 3 year of study, winter semester, compulsory

Type of course unit

 

Lecture

24 hod., optionally

Teacher / Lecturer

MgA. Ing. arch. Petr Šmídek, Ph.D.

Field trip

4 hod., compulsory

Teacher / Lecturer

MgA. Ing. arch. Petr Šmídek, Ph.D.