The residents of 30 Czech cities will commemorate architecture

Prague - The inaugural year of Architecture Day will offer laypeople and professionals a guided cycling trip to construction sites in Brno, a walk in wellington boots around Prague's Botič, and a number of other events aimed at introducing Czechs to the beauties of domestic architecture. Contemporary Czech architects will take on the role of guides, familiarizing participants with the significance and history of architectural gems in over 30 Czech cities, as well as with buildings that mar the public space. The event will take place on Sunday, October 2, in celebration of World Architecture Day, which occurs the following day.
    The event is organized by the civic association Kruh, which has been providing information about current events in architecture to interested parties for ten years. "The aim of the project is for visitors to leave the tours with a positive relationship to architecture, to be able to discuss it, and to potentially raise critical opinions about city development in their municipal parts or offices," said the initiator of the project and chairwoman of the association, Marcela Steinbachová, to ČTK.
    A number of recognized architects and architectural theorists will conduct excursions, lectures, and guided walks through cities across the Czech Republic, including Jaroslav Wertig, Pavel Nasadil, Roman Brychta, Petr Lešek, and Ondřej Císler. Some of them will guide tours in the city where they were born. The project has involved the Czech metropolis, Brno, and Olomouc, as well as the eight-thousand-strong Zbraslav. "We are interested in exceptional buildings and the genius loci of a given place. We aim to showcase exceptional constructions of an industrial or economic nature while also highlighting unsuccessful realizations and insensitive urban interventions," added Steinbachová, stating that the walks and excursions are completely free of charge.
    Residents of Prague will be able to learn more about the metropolis through tours of three educational buildings. Architect Ondřej Císler will comment on the Bílá Elementary School, the Faculty of Architecture of the Czech Technical University, and the National Technical Library. For sports enthusiasts, an excursion on rollerblades to significant interwar and contemporary villas in Břevnov is planned. In Vinohrady, there will be a ceremonial conclusion of the event in the evening hours, featuring music and an architectural workshop for children.
    More information about the events can be found at www.denarchitektury.cz.