The exhibition at MZK introduces the transformations and innovations of Czech libraries while simultaneously looking into the future
The Moravian Regional Library (MZK) invites architecture enthusiasts, readers, librarians, and the general public to an exhibition titled (re)Visions of 21st Century Libraries – Space – Function – Opportunity, which was opened with a vernissage on March 1 at the library building.
The exhibition spans four floors of the MZK and presents a view of the development of architectural solutions for libraries in the Czech Republic through double-sided panels. The core part of the exhibition is located in the gallery on the ground floor, where visitors can view interesting new builds and reconstructions of Czech libraries from the years 2015 – 2020 on 12 panels.
A total of 21 libraries are presented on the panels, ranging from the smallest municipal libraries to regional ones. They were chosen primarily with regard to their unconventional architectural solutions or interesting interior elements. Information such as the year and description of the implementation, design proposals, the population of the city, type of financing, and photographic materials is included, so visitors gain a comprehensive picture of the development and trends in architectural realizations in recent years. Visitors can therefore explore and assess the libraries not only from the outside but also through the innovative approaches in the interiors of the libraries.
“The exhibition’s name refers to the process of successful revitalization of libraries, which have transformed and materialized their vision and can now serve as examples of good practice and inspiration for other libraries. The aim of the exhibition is to show the architectural transformation of Czech library spaces, which is related to the changing role of public libraries, turning them into places of gathering, creative development, and community life, thus becoming an integral part of community life. Supporting the construction, reconstruction, and equipping of libraries as community, cultural, and educational centers is also one of the key goals of the new Concept for the Development of Libraries for 2021-2027. The exhibition was created under the activities of the Methodological Center for the Construction and Reconstruction of Libraries (MCVRK), one of its tasks is to inform both professionals and the general public about current trends in library architecture,” says the exhibition's author, Mgr. Lenka Dostálová, who oversees the MCVRK.
The exhibition is enriched by selected design studies of the exhibited libraries, quotes about libraries from famous personalities, book covers related to the theme of architecture, and a free wall where visitors can create a word cloud on the topic of library architecture.
The first-floor foyer provides insight into the reconstructions of South Moravian libraries between 2016 and 2019, realized through the grant program for support and modernization of library development. Visitors can familiarize themselves with the history of MZK, photographs of the ongoing construction of the current building, and interesting facts in the foyer on the second floor. Proposals and three-dimensional models of students from the Faculty of Architecture at Brno University of Technology (FA VUT), displayed on the third floor, will transport visitors to the present and possible future of Czech library architecture. Students present 15 designs for libraries, including 9 three-dimensional models that were created in collaboration with the Methodological Center for the Construction and Reconstruction of Libraries (MZK) and FA VUT.
“We want to present libraries in the form in which they are prepared to fulfill their roles as cultural, educational, and community centers. For that is what today's public libraries are or strive to be. The time when a library was viewed merely as a storage space for books is gone. Now it is primarily a social institution that, particularly in small towns, is the last remnant of the state's care for its citizens. This has expanded the portfolio of activities of libraries, emphasized their nature as cultural and community centers of the municipality, and concurrently raised the demands for the spaces in which they operate,” adds MZK director Tomáš Kubíček regarding the exhibition.
The exhibition is also designed to be itinerant, and libraries can reach out to MZK for its loan (its core parts). An online version of the exhibition will complement and expand it, available at architektura.knihovny.cz.
Several events, such as debates or film screenings, are also being prepared for the exhibition, which interested individuals can learn about on the library's website and social media.
The exhibition spans four floors of the MZK and presents a view of the development of architectural solutions for libraries in the Czech Republic through double-sided panels. The core part of the exhibition is located in the gallery on the ground floor, where visitors can view interesting new builds and reconstructions of Czech libraries from the years 2015 – 2020 on 12 panels.
A total of 21 libraries are presented on the panels, ranging from the smallest municipal libraries to regional ones. They were chosen primarily with regard to their unconventional architectural solutions or interesting interior elements. Information such as the year and description of the implementation, design proposals, the population of the city, type of financing, and photographic materials is included, so visitors gain a comprehensive picture of the development and trends in architectural realizations in recent years. Visitors can therefore explore and assess the libraries not only from the outside but also through the innovative approaches in the interiors of the libraries.
“The exhibition’s name refers to the process of successful revitalization of libraries, which have transformed and materialized their vision and can now serve as examples of good practice and inspiration for other libraries. The aim of the exhibition is to show the architectural transformation of Czech library spaces, which is related to the changing role of public libraries, turning them into places of gathering, creative development, and community life, thus becoming an integral part of community life. Supporting the construction, reconstruction, and equipping of libraries as community, cultural, and educational centers is also one of the key goals of the new Concept for the Development of Libraries for 2021-2027. The exhibition was created under the activities of the Methodological Center for the Construction and Reconstruction of Libraries (MCVRK), one of its tasks is to inform both professionals and the general public about current trends in library architecture,” says the exhibition's author, Mgr. Lenka Dostálová, who oversees the MCVRK.
The exhibition is enriched by selected design studies of the exhibited libraries, quotes about libraries from famous personalities, book covers related to the theme of architecture, and a free wall where visitors can create a word cloud on the topic of library architecture.
The first-floor foyer provides insight into the reconstructions of South Moravian libraries between 2016 and 2019, realized through the grant program for support and modernization of library development. Visitors can familiarize themselves with the history of MZK, photographs of the ongoing construction of the current building, and interesting facts in the foyer on the second floor. Proposals and three-dimensional models of students from the Faculty of Architecture at Brno University of Technology (FA VUT), displayed on the third floor, will transport visitors to the present and possible future of Czech library architecture. Students present 15 designs for libraries, including 9 three-dimensional models that were created in collaboration with the Methodological Center for the Construction and Reconstruction of Libraries (MZK) and FA VUT.
“We want to present libraries in the form in which they are prepared to fulfill their roles as cultural, educational, and community centers. For that is what today's public libraries are or strive to be. The time when a library was viewed merely as a storage space for books is gone. Now it is primarily a social institution that, particularly in small towns, is the last remnant of the state's care for its citizens. This has expanded the portfolio of activities of libraries, emphasized their nature as cultural and community centers of the municipality, and concurrently raised the demands for the spaces in which they operate,” adds MZK director Tomáš Kubíček regarding the exhibition.
The exhibition is also designed to be itinerant, and libraries can reach out to MZK for its loan (its core parts). An online version of the exhibition will complement and expand it, available at architektura.knihovny.cz.
Several events, such as debates or film screenings, are also being prepared for the exhibition, which interested individuals can learn about on the library's website and social media.
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