Mail ČKA 2007: Alena Šrámková

Since 2000, the Czech Chamber of Architects has awarded the ČKA Honor - an award that since then the jury annually assigns to "a personality in the field who has significantly marked modern history of Czech architecture with their work and moral approach".
While in the early years of this modern tradition the prize was given to deceased creators, as a sort of compensation for the neglect of their work by the communist regime, since 2005 the Honor has been awarded to living personalities: Karel Hubáček (2005), Miroslav Masák (2006), and this year also for the first time to a woman - Professor Alena Šrámková.

The award was presented on Thursday during a ceremonial evening held at the packed Bethlehem Chapel. After an introductory speech by Markéta Pražanová representing the chamber and a musical performance by students from the Art School in Prague-Strašnice, architect, theorist, and educator Pavel Halík delivered a speech. He reminded the audience that Alena Šrámková has shown that it was possible to create even in the emergency conditions of the previous regime, highlighting her contribution to the theory of the field and not neglecting her pedagogical work at the Faculty of Architecture at the Czech Technical University - for which the term "School of Alena Šrámková" has gradually become established since she began working there in 1991. The laudation concludes with a final passage from a text written for the catalog published for this occasion: "Currently, differentiation is increasing in all areas of art, which also applies to architecture. It is escaping into digital fantasies, often losing sight of the constants of human behavior, the cultural context of the historical environment, disregarding accustomed social norms, and pretending to be a progressive avant-garde that claims the right to manipulate society, considering blobs as the peak of progress. But is this still architecture, or is it merely design, enlarged to gigantic proportions? Being avant-garde at all costs in a time when everything is allowed is not nearly as much of a heroism as it once was; it is more of an established mannerism. And it is precisely here that we must appreciate the inner strength and consistency of conviction that Alena Šrámková invests in her architectural work. Her architecture is not backward even in comparison to the most radical outcries. She is concerned with preserving lasting values that grow from the domestic cultural environment, with architecture representing “the depth of safety...”. It is at once modern and archaic, understandable and close. It is neither hedonistic; for that, it is strict, nor conservative; for that, it is kind, and perhaps it can also educate people. This is how Alena Šrámková would like it to be."
Ladislav Lábus then briefly spoke, describing his past meeting with the honoree as "fateful" and especially emphasizing her moral credit. Next, Josef Pleskot spoke, confirming the earlier statement with the belief that Alena Šrámková is "a personality who can influence behavior, moral standings, and perhaps even conscience."
The moved laureate was presented with the award by Jan Vrana, Vice-Chairman of the ČKA.
In her improvised thank you, Alena Šrámková tried to wipe away the slightly pathetic tone of the evening: She does not perceive her work as an achievement because "architecture is fun and joy. Creation has never been hard work but wonder at architecture." From the stage, she also thanked the students, who, according to her, are more diligent than her generation was in school. She shared with the attendees her observation that students "want to be able to serve." Nevertheless, it would not be Alena Šrámková if she did not conclude by saying that it is also essential for them to know that "they will not make money, (pause) if they are good."

The evening continued with the opening of an exhibition of the architect's work at the Jaroslav Fragner Gallery. Here, models, sketches, drawings, and photographs present studies and realizations from the Šrámková Architects studio from the 1980s to the present. The exhibition is also supplemented by short "letters" from some prominent Czech architects addressed to Alena Šrámková. Among the displayed works are studies for the Tuzex department store (1988), the Myslbek administrative building (1993), Hypobank at Republic Square (1995), the insurance company in Brno (1996), the footbridge over the Vltava (2000), the bridge in Přerov (2003-2007), the malt house in Olomouc (2007), and also completed buildings - the administrative building at Můstek (realization 1974-1983), a tower for a scientific worker (1994), a meteorological station in Cheb (2001), a care service building in Horažďovice (2002), several family houses, and other structures. There is also a proposal for a new building for the Czech Technical University in Prague, which is currently being intensively worked on. The exhibition, originally assembled in the fall of last year by Michal Škoda, Pavel Kolíbal, and Petr Tej for the House of Art in České Budějovice, has been updated and supplemented for the Prague audience.
To accompany the Honor, the ČKA also published an eighty-page color catalog that primarily presents the architect's works post-1996 and thus loosely follows the previous catalog. The introduction text is again authored by Pavel Halík, and the interview with Alena Šrámková was conducted by art historian and current director of the House of Art in Brno, Rostislav Koryčánek.

Exhibition
Jaroslav Fragner Gallery in Prague, April 18 - May 11, 2008

Nominations for the ČKA Honor 2007
Living architects: Emil Hlaváček, Jan Kaplický, Emil Přikryl, Viktor Rudiš, Alena Šrámková;
in memoriam: Karel Filsak, Jindřich Freiwald, Ladislav Konopka, Jan Sokol.
Personalities evaluated by the jury in the final round: Viktor Rudiš, Alena Šrámková, Karel Filsak, and Jan Sokol.

Jury
Assoc. Prof. Ing. Arch. Pavel Halík, Ing. Arch. Jan Bočan, Prof. Ing. Arch. Jiří Suchomel, Prof. Ing. Arch. Jaroslav Šafer, Ing. Arch. Vítězslava Rothbauerová