<h1>Limits of Architecture - Minutes from the Third Discussion Evening</h1>

Where does architecture begin and end? This question was posed by the association Architects Without Borders. An association that is interested in public space and interpersonal relationships. Thus, the project of discussion evenings "Borders of Architecture" was created, aiming to bring architects and experts from other professions to the same table. The discussion evenings provide a perspective on a single topic from various angles, or conversely, a meeting point crystallizes from different opinions. The discussion evenings "Borders of Architecture" are open to both professional and lay audiences. Audience participation in the discussion, whether through questions or opinions, is welcomed.
The third discussion evening was on the topic of Social Responsibility of Architecture. What does social responsibility mean for an architect? What does the social engagement of an architect consist of, and what forms does it take? What led to the creation of the position of city architect, and how does it differ from other architects? What are the boundaries of architects' responsibilities in our society, and what space does society itself provide for them? The guests of the discussion evening "Borders of Architecture" in October 2018 were architect Miroslav Vodák and the mayor of Úvaly, Petr Borecký.

CBArchitektura
At the beginning of the evening, Mirek Vodák introduced the association CBArchitektura. It was founded ten years ago in České Budějovice and is dedicated to popularizing architecture. The association consists of socially engaged architects who traveled through the South Bohemian Region and Upper Austria and wrote a brief guide to public buildings in these neighboring regions that were built after 1990. The guide emphasizes a comparison of building culture and appeals for Czech society to aspire to the same level as Austria. As Mirek Vodák lamented, we would be somewhere there if it weren't for our communist past (when we didn't discuss architecture for forty years, among other things). But he optimistically adds, we have the capacity for it.

Úvaly
The town of Úvaly is located in the Prague-East district and has 6,700 inhabitants. Petr Borecký initially tried to improve the functioning of the town through a beautification association but soon realized that without support from the town hall, he could not implement major changes. So, along with some acquaintances, he founded the civic association Open Úvaly. With this association, he got into the town hall, and since 2014 he has been serving as mayor. He was re-elected in the 2018 elections. One of the first steps of the new town hall was an excursion to foreign cities, after which they established the position of city architect, designer, landscape architect, and expert on accessibility. In 2018, the town hall of Úvaly was awarded by the Ministry for Regional Development as the second most friendly in the whole country and the first in the Central Bohemian Region.

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