Thesis in the vertical studio Kusý/Paňák+Bakyta at FAD STU in Bratislava.
Nomination for the Professor Jozef Lacko Award 2021 - PRO CULTURA award for inspirational cultural intervention in the historical environment.

Introduction
The theme of transforming the New Market into a Kunsthalle stems from the urban planning concept from the winter semester, which focused on the urban planning solution for the area around Trnavské mýto. During this pre-thesis work, we tried to outline our perspective on the current topic “Istropolis.” We observed a persistent trend - to demolish the old and build something newer, “more beautiful” in its place as a way to escape responsibility for our heritage. Therefore, our proposal consisted of creating a new cultural center. We planned to reconstruct the House of Culture - Istropolis and revitalize its surroundings. The New Market, which has been neglected and deteriorating for years, was envisioned as a Kunsthalle, aimed at strengthening the idea of a new cultural center in Bratislava. The main concept of this study was to introduce a third player into this area. This vertical dominant structure was placed between the two strong figures of Istropolis and the New Market, giving the impression of a referee. This object consists of multiple functions stacked on top of each other, which together create a vertical city. We aimed to bring direct contact with nature to this part of the area through a park, which is a continuation of the market line. We are adding new life to the area and an image of the city as we would like Bratislava to be in the future.

Wider Relationships
The addressed site lies at an important transport hub in Bratislava, in the New Town district. It is surrounded by the main arteries of urban and personal transport: Šancová, Križná, and Legionárska streets.
The marketplace has a long tradition in this area. Since 1783, Trnavské mýto has become a marketplace, and by the end of the 19th century, it developed into a central marketplace. In the late 1960s, the junction of the central market had to be resolved. The task was to help pedestrians avoid the busy junction and reach the station. Thus, a proposal for an underpass was introduced, designed by Igor Raymarenko. The original design included hydraulic lifts for people with disabilities and strollers, commercial facilities, a restaurant, and a five-story administrative building. In 1975, due to planned construction, the central market was moved to Miletičova street.
The city market in Bratislava sprang up near the former central marketplace. Architect Ivan Matúšik designed the market structure as a container in the spirit of machine aesthetics. The concept was based on the idea of “Covered Streets.” The architect, in collaboration with a structural engineer, designed a progressive massive reinforced concrete skeleton, which housed two blocks of sales and service areas on the ground floor and upper floors. The basement contained a large grocery store, while the main nave was intended for individual stalls (Ivan Matúšík / Life with Architecture. Monograph. Ed. Ivan Matúšík, Marian Zervan. MONADA, s.r.o. 2003. p. 58).
The new market opened in 1981, but by the late 1980s, it ceased to be competitive and has been unprofitable since. In the 1990s, many shops were replaced by stalls and buffets. Currently, many spaces are completely empty (DULLA, Matúš – MORAVČÍKOVÁ, Henrieta: Architecture of Slovakia in the 20th Century. Bratislava, Slovart 2002. 512 p.). The market lacks a location program that would attract new customers. The building is owned by the local government of the New Town district, but no one has taken care of it for a long time.

Urban Planning Intent
In the winter semester, we focused on the theme of “Istropolis” and the design of its immediate surroundings. Our solution was to create a new cultural center, which we believe the capital city is lacking. The concept combined the area of Istropolis, the Filiálka railway station, the Unitas residential complex, and the New Market with its surroundings into one whole. In addition to the main idea of bringing a third player, which would serve as a referee with its vertical dominance between the existing monumental buildings of Istropolis and the New Market, we also sought a solution for the Trnavské mýto junction. We realized that this traffic node significantly divides the area and saw potential in its connection. Consequently, we proposed three variants for the solution of the junction, which were based on deepening individual communication routes to the level of an underpass, bringing pedestrians to ground level. In this way, we could connect the vicinity of Istropolis and the New Market at ground level.
However, the proposal for transforming the New Market into a Kunsthalle was placed in the first variant, which accounted for maintaining road communications at ground level and expanding the underpass, which continues the line of the market. This connects the forecourt of Istropolis with the forecourt of the market at the underpass level. We made this decision because we thought this variant seemed the most feasible and easier to compare with the current state.

Design
The architectural embodiment and structural solution of the New Market predispose it to have outstanding potential to become a cultural building. In transforming the market into a Kunsthalle, three basic themes arose that we had to address. How to spatially and structurally adapt the market for the new function? How to deal with the facade, which no longer meets current health requirements? And how to programmatically fill it?
A Kunsthalle requires spatial variability and flexibility for exhibition works. Therefore, we maximally opened the layout. We removed the original masonry walls on the first underground floor (1PP), on the first (1NP), and the second above-ground floor (2NP). Between the entrance foyer and the exhibition space on the 1NP, we inserted a new block in which we placed dressing rooms, sanitary facilities, and a café. We cut openings into the ceiling structure between 1PP and 1NP to let more light into the previously used 1PP for supply and grocery and vegetable sales. The reinforced concrete skeleton of the market consists of prefabricated elements that partially limit the exhibition space. The floor height is 4.2 m, but the massive prefabricates only allow a clear height of 2.9 m in the lowest part and 3.5 m in the highest. We decided to completely remove the ceiling structure on the 3NP in the eastern block to achieve a greater clear height for the exhibition works.
The original facade of the market consists of rolled steel profiles combined with aluminum-glazed facades. This construction does not comply with today’s thermal insulation requirements. Therefore, we proposed a new double facade, maintaining the tectonics of the original facade to preserve its former character. In the original design of the market by architect Ivan Matúšik, it was planned that the glazed part of the facade would continue beyond the break at the cornice to the roof parapet. Probably due to technological limitations of the time, this was not realized. The design of the new double facade addresses the details and ways in which this plan could be implemented today. In addition to the facade, the thesis also addresses the solutions for skylights located in the central nave of this structure. Despite the intention to illuminate the central space of the market, these skylights only let in a very small amount of daylight, resulting in the need for artificial lighting in the main nave. To bring more daylight into this part of the Kunsthalle, we proposed replacing the old skylights with a new construction that not only meets today’s thermal insulation requirements but also has a larger glazed area. Furthermore, we selected the ceiling structure made of laminated wooden beams around the skylights and replaced it with a new construction featuring roof glazing. This new construction, besides its purpose of bringing more natural light into the central space, also emphasizes the structure of the skylights, which are undoubtedly a characteristic feature of this postmodern architecture by architect Ivan Matúšik.
In functionally filling the Kunsthalle, we did not want to utilize the entire structure solely for the purposes of exhibiting modern art. The idea of the new cultural center was based on the multifunctional use of this space. The new center for contemporary art should, in our opinion, include spaces for creation, education, and workshops intended not only for artists but also for art enthusiasts. The building currently has two entrances, one facing Šancová street and the other toward Križná street. These entrances are accentuated by large reinforced concrete canopies, which are striking architectural features of this building. We proposed the entrance from Šancová street as the main entrance to the Kunsthalle, while the entrance from Križná street was utilized as the entrance to an additional function we named the “ART FACTORY.” The spaces of this additional function occupy half of the floor area of 1PP and are connected to the spaces of the Kunsthalle at that level. However, it is primarily intended to function as a standalone operation. We decided to locate the exhibition spaces in the second half of 1PP, on the first and second above-ground floors. The third above-ground floor is designated for administration and technology.
Although the architectural embodiment and structural solution of the market by architect Ivan Matúšik have great potential to translate into a new gallery of modern art, its constructional modularity does not allow us to create an artificial, isolated space that we call a black box. Therefore, in the proposal, we place a new object in the position of today’s entrance to the underground garage. The object consists of a spiral ramp that gradually widens outward as it rises. The concept is based on the original circular ramp. The envelope of this new object is made up of a massive steel truss structure, and the outer layer of the facade is formed by reddish-brown ceramic tiles, which were used to cover the walls and floors in the New Market. These tiles are a characteristic feature of the market, so we decided to recycle and reuse them for the facade of the black box. The purpose of this new object is to provide unlimited space for experimental exhibitions, an area for events, and other activities that do not necessarily have to be connected to the Kunsthalle. The object itself also indicates a change in the function of the New Market.
In the vicinity of the Kunsthalle, we removed the original parking spaces and replaced them with a new park in the southern part of the lot, a promenade that starts from the former horse railway building and ends at the underpass at Trnavské mýto. An art plaza, situated between the Kunsthalle and the Railway Hospital, serves for outdoor exhibits and is elevated to the first above-ground level of the Kunsthalle.

Conclusion
In my thesis, I attempted to fulfill the potential of the New Market to become a cultural object. The main idea of this work was to adapt the structure for a new function and to seek an approach or architectural expression that would respect and honor the unique character and quality of this postmodern architecture from the second half of the 20th century by Ivan Matúšik. With this work, I would also like to emphasize that it is important to preserve and cherish our heritage. It is more valuable to maintain and protect our history than to demolish it and replace it with our naive vision of the future.