Pustevny is one of the most visited tourist destinations in the Beskydy Mountains. Its attractiveness is mainly due to a group of buildings built in the traditional “folk secession” style, designed by architect Dušan Jurkovič and built completely from wood in the late 19^th century. Today, inappropriate use and insufficient infrastructure are serious issues here. Last August, the new exit station of the cableway was opened, replacing the original and unsuitable facility, offering an open restaurant with panoramic views. The contemporary building of stone, wood and glass had to meet the client’s demands as well as those of heritage conservation and nature protection agencies. It’s considered the first step in the transformation of the whole area, which will include a new design of public spaces according to a single manual, among other things.

Na slavnostním galavečeru, který se konal 3. října v bratislavské Staré tržnici, byli vyhlášeni laureáti XVII. ročníku architektonické soutěže CE∙ZA∙AR 2018, pořádané Slovenskou komorou architektů. Galavečer byl příležitostí upozornit na kvalitní domácí architektonickou tvorbu. O skutečnosti, že je architektura celospolečenským tématem, svědčí i to, že záštitu převzal prezident Slovenské republiky Andrej Kiska, který přítomným v přímém přenosu popřál „… veľa skutočne osvietených investorov, či už súkromných alebo verejných, a aby sa zvyšovala aj úroveň kritiky architektúry, diskusia a záujem o kvalitnú architektúru a tým aj váha vás, architektov.”

Artwork can increase the aesthetic quality and utility of a public space. The intervention should support the public character of the urban environment both in a spatial sense and in the sense of subjectively perceived qualities. In modernism, art gained an autonomous status. But complete autonomy and artistic freedom might be harmful for the urban environment. When realizing art in public space, political representation, the authors’ personal sensitivity, and the cooperation with the architect, who should oversee the quality of the adaptation, all play an important role.

ERA21 regularly organizes guided walks related to one selected theme of ERA21 of the past year. This year we will focus on the Art of Public Space (see ERA21 #03/2018) and we prepared one walk in Brno and two events in České Budějovice.

On Tuesday, September 4th, we visited the multifunctional building of the Drn in Prague at Národní třída. The excursion was also attended by author of the building Stanislav Fiala, historian and curator Katerina Beckova and architect Yvette Vašourková, who will review the building in the forthcoming issue of ERA21, dedicated to the 100th anniversary of Czechoslovak architecture.