Walks and lectures on architecture and urbanism at the Palace U Stýblů in Wenceslas Square

The main center of this year's international festival of contemporary art 4+4 Days in Motion will be the empty protected landmark Palác U Stýblů (formerly Palác Alfa) at Wenceslas Square in the very center of Prague from October 11 to 19. In addition to an extensive exhibition featuring more than forty visual artists, the building will also serve as a starting point for thematic walks with experts through Wenceslas Square and a venue for public lectures and discussions on contemporary architecture and urbanism.
On October 14 at 5:30 PM, the future of Wenceslas Square will be discussed in a public debate by the Mayor of Prague RNDr. Tomáš Hudeček Ph.D., the director of the Office of Public Space Ing. arch. Pavla Melková, assoc. prof. Ing. arch. Jakub Cigler from Cigler Marani Architects, the mayor of Prague 1 Ing. Oldřich Lomecký, art and architecture historian Josef Vomáčka, and the director of the Department of Heritage Care Mgr. Jiří Skalický. The debate will be moderated by Adam Gebrian.
On October 18 at 6:00 PM, coordinators of neighborhood events and the project "Zažít město jinak" will meet with representatives of city districts and the City of Prague regarding activities in public space. A day later, on October 19 at 7:00 PM, Adam Gebrian will discuss interdisciplinary collaboration using the example of the design of the National Technical Library (NTK) in Prague with his guests.
Festival visitors will also have the opportunity to follow in the footsteps of Prague's prostitution with Václav Hájek, discover valuable historical houses, unique passages, and hidden courtyards of Wenceslas Square with art historian Richard Biegl, walk through local functionalist landmarks with architecture historian Vendula Hnídková, or compare four major European boulevards and their role as city centers with journalist Josef Vomáčka during a walk through the Lucerna passage. Jakub Potůček will present architect Ludvík Kysela (1883–1960), the author of some of the most captivating department stores, including Palác U Stýblů. The city architect of Litomyšl, Zdeňka Vydrová, will introduce this mecca of contemporary modern architecture, its vision, and plans for the city.
The eighteenth edition of the 4+4 Days in Motion festival will take place from October 11 to 19 at Divadlo Archa, the New Stage of the National Theatre, at ORCO – Bubenská 1, at Baráčnická rychtě, and at Studio Alta.

For more information about the program and tickets, visit www.ctyridny.cz.

The exact program of lectures, walks, and discussions at Palác U Stýblů:

WITH VÁCLAV HÁJEK THROUGH WENCESLAS SQUARE: FOLLOWING THE TRAIL OF PRAGUE'S PROSTITUTION / Walk
Saturday, October 12 / 4:00 PM, Palác U Stýblů

WITH RICHARD BIEGL THROUGH WENCESLAS SQUARE: WENCESLAS SQUARE FROM THE 14TH CENTURY TO THE PRESENT / Walk
Sunday, October 13 / 3:00 PM, Palác U Stýblů

LUDVÍK KYSELA AND THE FUNCTIONALIST DEPARTMENT STORE: LECTURE BY JAKUB POTŮČEK ON THE VENUE OF THIS YEAR'S FESTIVAL / Lecture
Sunday, October 13 / 5:00 PM, Palác U Stýblů

PRAGUE FOR PEOPLE: THE FUTURE OF WENCESLAS SQUARE – FUNCTION VS. SIGNIFICANCE? / Public Debate
Monday, October 14 / 5:30 PM, Palác U Stýblů

Do planned modifications of Wenceslas Square correspond to the character and significance of this public space?
Public debate. Moderator: Adam Gebrian.

Discussion panelists:
Mayor of Prague RNDr. Tomáš Hudeček Ph.D.
Director of the Office of Public Space Ing. arch. Pavla Melková
Assoc. prof. Ing. arch. Jakub Cigler from Cigler Marani Architects
Mayor of Prague 1 Ing. Oldřich Lomecký
Art and architecture historian Josef Vomáčka
Director of the Department of Heritage Care Mgr. Jiří Skalický

WITH VENDULA HNÍDKOVÁ THROUGH WENCESLAS SQUARE: THE GLORIOUS ERA OF FUNCTIONALISM / Walk
Tuesday, October 15 / 6:00 PM, Palác U Stýblů

CONTEMPORARY LITOMYŠL OR HOW THE RELATIONSHIPS AND GOALS OF LITOMYŠL COULD BE RELATED TO PRAGUE / Lecture
Wednesday, October 16 / 8:00 PM, Palác U Stýblů

WITH JOSEF VOMÁČKA THROUGH WENCESLAS SQUARE: WENCESLAS SQUARE – WHAT IS THE ROLE OF TODAY'S CENTER? / Walk
Thursday, October 17 / 6:00 PM, Palác U Stýblů

ACTIVITIES IN PUBLIC SPACE AND CITY AUTHORITIES: ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES OF COOPERATION
DEBATE ON HOW TO EXPERIENCE THE CITY DIFFERENTLY / Discussion
Friday, October 18 / 5:00 PM, Palác U Stýblů

Discussion participants: local organizers of neighborhood celebrations (Marcela Stárková - Malvazinky, Yvette Vašourková - Karlín, Kateřina McReary - Vršovice, Tereza Mašková - Dejvice, Markéta Fléglová - Kavalírka, Hanka Třeštíková - Letná, Pavlína Kalandrová - Libeň, Michal Vronský - Žižkov, Jolana Mokrá - Břevnov, Michal Kindernay - Nové Město, Renata Chmelová - Strašnice, Martin Peroutka - Vršovice, and others.), coordinators of the "Zažít město jinak" festival (Tereza Vohryzková), the Office of Public Space of the City of Prague (Ing. arch. Pavla Melková - head, MgA. Žofie Raimanová, Ing. arch. Marek Kundrata), the Department of Development of the City of Prague, mayors of city districts, city district officials, and others. Moderator: Jan H. Vitvar.

ADAM GEBRIAN & GUESTS: ON INTERDISCIPLINARY COLLABORATION / Discussion
Saturday, October 19 / 7:00 PM, Palác U Stýblů
Discussion with Roman Brychta, Adam Halíř, Ondřej Hofmeister, and Petr Lešek (Projektil Architekti), Radim Babák, and Ondřej Tobola (Hippos design), Petr Babák (Laboratoř), Vít Havránek, Tomáš Vaněk, Jiří Skála (PAS) about collaboration on the design of the National Technical Library (NTK) in Prague. Moderator: Adam Gebrian.

Partners:
Festival partners: Palác U Stýblů, Ladíme Prahu!
Supported by: Ministry of Culture of the Czech Republic, City of Prague, State Fund for Culture of the Czech Republic, IN Situ, Culture Program EU, Institut Francais, INTPA, SOS Decoration, Italian Cultural Institute, AZ Translations, Toi Toi, OP Tiger, UPP, ProMoPro, Aero, Kino Světozor, Bio Oko
Main media partners: Czech Television, Radio 1, lidovky.cz
Media partners: Vltava – Czech Radio, Radio Wave, ArtMap.cz, earch.cz, Prague.TV, expats.cz
In collaboration with: Jednotka/Unit, Divadlo Archa, Nová scéna, Alt@rt, WD Lux, Altysound
Partner organizations: GHMP, Elpida o.p.s., Zažít město jinak, Research and Development Institute of AVU, Kruh o.s.