Lead Dušan 2024 - competition results
31st Annual Competition of Students of the Faculty of Architecture CTU
Oh, Dušan! This year's edition of the Olověný Dušan awards was accompanied by more awards or a student radio.
On Thursday, March 7, 2024, the 31st edition of the largest student architecture and design competition in the Czech Republic took place at the Faculty of Architecture of the Czech Technical University in Prague. An independent jury selected by the organizers from the Association of Architecture Students (SPA) traditionally evaluated projects created at FA CTU during the previous winter semester. The individual award in the Architecture category was won this year by the project Housing Libeň by Eliška Cibulková. In the Design category, two awards were given. The projects Emotional Armor by Markéta Dvořáková and HI-FI cast-iron speakers by Petr Brancuský shared the honors. The best architectural studio was the Císler–Pazdera studio. The Design category was dominated by the Fišer–Nezpěváková studio. This year's novelty was the broadcasting of the student radio raDuše, which preceded the festive announcement.
About this year's edition
The winners were selected by juries made up of independent creators and practitioners. In the Architecture category, Tereza Rapsová, Jakub Mareš, Barbora Šimonová, Ivan Jarina, and Anna Svobodová sat on the jury. In the Design category, Jakub Pollág, Markéta Kratochvílová, and Ihor Sabadosh were members of the jury.
One main award is traditionally given in each category. This year, the jury for the design section of the competition decided to award two prizes. Juror Jakub Pollág commented on the decision: "This year was particularly challenging in terms of fairly comparing the diverse approaches among the various studios, where the rich spectrum of approaches ranged from the shaping of devices to philosophical and psychological challenges, or specific treatments of such abstract themes as the phenomenon of light. Nowadays, the diversity of approaches is so varied that it is impossible to honor only one student and declare that this is the right way. Therefore, we decided to award two prizes this year, and I believe that in the future, it will be necessary to recognize multiple approaches to keep the award fair and fulfill one of its primary purposes, which, in my opinion, is to motivate students."
The event organizer, the Association of Architecture Students, decided to allow this change after proper justification from the jurors.
Radio
RaDuše, or Dušan radio, was this year's new feature of the Olověný Dušan. The goal of the radio was a detailed presentation of the nominated projects through live broadcasts modeled after British pirate radios and independent student projects like Furka Radio and Easa FM. This led to the concept of live broadcasting filled with interviews and musical accompaniment directly from the Faculty of Architecture. Recordings can be listened to on the raDuše website.
Winners
Awarded Individuals - Architecture: Eliška Cibulková - Housing Libeň
Juror Anna Svobodová: "The floor plans are very well designed in terms of layout. The expression of the houses is not extravagant or subservient to the contemporary architectural spirit of the time. They feel sincere, appropriate, very well-balanced compositionally, and realistic in the Czech environment. The decision to create a structure with two mainly private courtyards and one less private in the southern part of the plot is clearly understandable, as is the completion of the block in the northern part of the area. A key moment for the nomination was the insertion of a physical model into the situational model. It seems that the already present genius loci at the end of Pivovarnická Street, where the imaginary clash and at the same time the focal point of the diverse worlds of the assigned territory are, has been strengthened. It is a place created between the lower mass of workshops with a playground on the roof, the motorway structure, the edge of Rokytka, and the beginning slope with smaller buildings, where one can easily animate the everyday interactions and lives of current and future residents."
Awarded Studios - Architecture: Studio Císler - Pazdera with the assignment Košíře - 4 blocks, 10 parcels
Juror Jakub Mareš: "It is probably good to mention at the outset that this studio definitely ranks among the best studios at the school from all perspectives. At least from the perspective of what can be traced and read on-site.
I will try to describe the criteria - There is a well-balanced ratio of the variability of the assignment, the quality of work done, the quality of presented outputs, and interesting directions on how to approach the assignments from the architect's perspective.
This semester, the studio focused on 4 blocks of houses and a park in the Košíře area of Prague, along Vrchlického Street. This involves new buildings, the concept of blocks and their completion or transformation, as well as smaller interventions with an emphasis on the atmosphere of the places.
In terms of diversity, there is, thanks to the above-mentioned, a great variety of approaches. Each work thus has its directional line based on a different, often bold or even experimental line.
So somewhere, you are more drawn to the approach to the whole, elsewhere the nature of the composition or the artistic interpretation of façades. In other places, the courage of the approach or a small floor plan detail draws you in. Thank you."
Awarded Individuals - Design #1: Markéta Dvořáková - Emotional Armor
Markéta Kratochvílová: "Markéta Dvořáková's project addressing the topic of utilizing AI in a designer's work brings a valuable reminder to the world of fashion that designing clothing is not merely about the visual aspect, but functionality and the possibilities of use in the current context of modern problems are also important. In the field of fashion, we have the opportunity to consume attractive visual material produced through AI daily. However, the student managed to answer the question of how to handle it further, primarily by establishing an interesting and even noble value framework. Garments that help and simultaneously contain an aesthetic of the future may face challenges during actual production. Even here, the student succeeded in producing a quality sample collection."
Awarded Individuals - Design #2: Petr Brancuský - HI-FI cast-iron speakers
Juror Jakub Pollág: "At first glance, the project is significantly detailed, which distinguishes it from most other projects. We also appreciate the carefully documented process. This makes it clear that there is a deep understanding of manufacturing processes and that Petr has progressed to solving complex details in his design, which is clearly reflected in the overall harmoniously refined project. Moreover, such an approach would reflect a realistic path of product development that would hold up even outside the university environment. Despite all the above, the project still radiates a desire to experiment and a strong motivation to succeed, which we believe is the key to successful study."
Awarded Studios - Design: Studio Fišer - Nezpěváková with the assignment Artificial Intelligence & Design
Jakub Pollág: "First of all, we must commend the very well-defined assignment, which not only reflects the current times but also allows students to think about the issues currently troubling many creative professions. In the context of the projects, excellent pedagogical guidance was evident, allowing students space for experimentation, searching for ways, and understanding various tools currently available to them. Students had the opportunity to first master the process of working with AI and then utilize it to enhance their projects. The carefully documented process revealed that it was necessary to find functional ways of communicating with AI, and various students used different software according to their needs. The resulting projects in collaboration with artificial intelligence had high representational and aesthetic qualities, and in many cases, collaboration with AI raised the project to a significantly higher level. However, the project also revealed current challenges regarding the possibilities of producing such complex products that are primarily driven by form and aesthetic rather than function. Finally, there was critical reflection on this process, where students evaluated the collaboration, and most found added value in it. This practical approach to new technologies is rated extremely positively. Testing new technologies firsthand is much more valuable than mere contemplation and discussions stemming from concerns about the future. We believe that this approach has an extremely positive impact on students and prepares them valuable for their future practice."
More information >
On Thursday, March 7, 2024, the 31st edition of the largest student architecture and design competition in the Czech Republic took place at the Faculty of Architecture of the Czech Technical University in Prague. An independent jury selected by the organizers from the Association of Architecture Students (SPA) traditionally evaluated projects created at FA CTU during the previous winter semester. The individual award in the Architecture category was won this year by the project Housing Libeň by Eliška Cibulková. In the Design category, two awards were given. The projects Emotional Armor by Markéta Dvořáková and HI-FI cast-iron speakers by Petr Brancuský shared the honors. The best architectural studio was the Císler–Pazdera studio. The Design category was dominated by the Fišer–Nezpěváková studio. This year's novelty was the broadcasting of the student radio raDuše, which preceded the festive announcement.
About this year's edition
The winners were selected by juries made up of independent creators and practitioners. In the Architecture category, Tereza Rapsová, Jakub Mareš, Barbora Šimonová, Ivan Jarina, and Anna Svobodová sat on the jury. In the Design category, Jakub Pollág, Markéta Kratochvílová, and Ihor Sabadosh were members of the jury.
One main award is traditionally given in each category. This year, the jury for the design section of the competition decided to award two prizes. Juror Jakub Pollág commented on the decision: "This year was particularly challenging in terms of fairly comparing the diverse approaches among the various studios, where the rich spectrum of approaches ranged from the shaping of devices to philosophical and psychological challenges, or specific treatments of such abstract themes as the phenomenon of light. Nowadays, the diversity of approaches is so varied that it is impossible to honor only one student and declare that this is the right way. Therefore, we decided to award two prizes this year, and I believe that in the future, it will be necessary to recognize multiple approaches to keep the award fair and fulfill one of its primary purposes, which, in my opinion, is to motivate students."
The event organizer, the Association of Architecture Students, decided to allow this change after proper justification from the jurors.
Radio
RaDuše, or Dušan radio, was this year's new feature of the Olověný Dušan. The goal of the radio was a detailed presentation of the nominated projects through live broadcasts modeled after British pirate radios and independent student projects like Furka Radio and Easa FM. This led to the concept of live broadcasting filled with interviews and musical accompaniment directly from the Faculty of Architecture. Recordings can be listened to on the raDuše website.
Winners
Awarded Individuals - Architecture: Eliška Cibulková - Housing Libeň
Juror Anna Svobodová: "The floor plans are very well designed in terms of layout. The expression of the houses is not extravagant or subservient to the contemporary architectural spirit of the time. They feel sincere, appropriate, very well-balanced compositionally, and realistic in the Czech environment. The decision to create a structure with two mainly private courtyards and one less private in the southern part of the plot is clearly understandable, as is the completion of the block in the northern part of the area. A key moment for the nomination was the insertion of a physical model into the situational model. It seems that the already present genius loci at the end of Pivovarnická Street, where the imaginary clash and at the same time the focal point of the diverse worlds of the assigned territory are, has been strengthened. It is a place created between the lower mass of workshops with a playground on the roof, the motorway structure, the edge of Rokytka, and the beginning slope with smaller buildings, where one can easily animate the everyday interactions and lives of current and future residents."
Awarded Studios - Architecture: Studio Císler - Pazdera with the assignment Košíře - 4 blocks, 10 parcels
Juror Jakub Mareš: "It is probably good to mention at the outset that this studio definitely ranks among the best studios at the school from all perspectives. At least from the perspective of what can be traced and read on-site.
I will try to describe the criteria - There is a well-balanced ratio of the variability of the assignment, the quality of work done, the quality of presented outputs, and interesting directions on how to approach the assignments from the architect's perspective.
This semester, the studio focused on 4 blocks of houses and a park in the Košíře area of Prague, along Vrchlického Street. This involves new buildings, the concept of blocks and their completion or transformation, as well as smaller interventions with an emphasis on the atmosphere of the places.
In terms of diversity, there is, thanks to the above-mentioned, a great variety of approaches. Each work thus has its directional line based on a different, often bold or even experimental line.
So somewhere, you are more drawn to the approach to the whole, elsewhere the nature of the composition or the artistic interpretation of façades. In other places, the courage of the approach or a small floor plan detail draws you in. Thank you."
Awarded Individuals - Design #1: Markéta Dvořáková - Emotional Armor
Markéta Kratochvílová: "Markéta Dvořáková's project addressing the topic of utilizing AI in a designer's work brings a valuable reminder to the world of fashion that designing clothing is not merely about the visual aspect, but functionality and the possibilities of use in the current context of modern problems are also important. In the field of fashion, we have the opportunity to consume attractive visual material produced through AI daily. However, the student managed to answer the question of how to handle it further, primarily by establishing an interesting and even noble value framework. Garments that help and simultaneously contain an aesthetic of the future may face challenges during actual production. Even here, the student succeeded in producing a quality sample collection."
Awarded Individuals - Design #2: Petr Brancuský - HI-FI cast-iron speakers
Juror Jakub Pollág: "At first glance, the project is significantly detailed, which distinguishes it from most other projects. We also appreciate the carefully documented process. This makes it clear that there is a deep understanding of manufacturing processes and that Petr has progressed to solving complex details in his design, which is clearly reflected in the overall harmoniously refined project. Moreover, such an approach would reflect a realistic path of product development that would hold up even outside the university environment. Despite all the above, the project still radiates a desire to experiment and a strong motivation to succeed, which we believe is the key to successful study."
Awarded Studios - Design: Studio Fišer - Nezpěváková with the assignment Artificial Intelligence & Design
Jakub Pollág: "First of all, we must commend the very well-defined assignment, which not only reflects the current times but also allows students to think about the issues currently troubling many creative professions. In the context of the projects, excellent pedagogical guidance was evident, allowing students space for experimentation, searching for ways, and understanding various tools currently available to them. Students had the opportunity to first master the process of working with AI and then utilize it to enhance their projects. The carefully documented process revealed that it was necessary to find functional ways of communicating with AI, and various students used different software according to their needs. The resulting projects in collaboration with artificial intelligence had high representational and aesthetic qualities, and in many cases, collaboration with AI raised the project to a significantly higher level. However, the project also revealed current challenges regarding the possibilities of producing such complex products that are primarily driven by form and aesthetic rather than function. Finally, there was critical reflection on this process, where students evaluated the collaboration, and most found added value in it. This practical approach to new technologies is rated extremely positively. Testing new technologies firsthand is much more valuable than mere contemplation and discussions stemming from concerns about the future. We believe that this approach has an extremely positive impact on students and prepares them valuable for their future practice."
More information >
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