Vektor Chudoby - výstava v Domě pánů z Kunštátu

For three semesters, students from several studios at the Faculty of Architecture of the Brno University of Technology have been engaged in topics related to various aspects of poverty, inclusion, and ways in which this increasingly relevant social issue could be articulated in the field of architecture. Is it even admissible for architects to view the very complex topic of poverty through their profession? 

The exhibition „Vector of Poverty“ focuses on highlighting the social dimension of architecture, its connection with economic and political realities that affect the relationship to architecture, as well as the relationship of architecture to problems it should help to solve.  

The exhibition addresses the ratio between architecture and poverty, a topic that concerns not only physical space but also social, economic, and political aspects of society. 

Poverty manifests itself in architecture in various ways. It can be a lack of quality housing, limited access to public spaces and services, segregation, and social exclusion. Architecture can exacerbate poverty but can also alleviate it. It can be a tool for social control and segregation but also a means to create an inclusive and just environment. 

The exhibition „Vector of Poverty“ explores how architecture influences the lives of people living in poverty and how it can contribute to solving social problems. It presents projects and concepts that aim to create affordable and dignified housing, revitalize neglected areas, and support social inclusion. 

Part of this is an artistic entry by Karin Písaříkova, which touches on our daily lives and the constantly repeating activities related to hygiene and food. The first artistic object is an interactive portal with cleaning brushes, whose activation refers to the physical act of cleansing. At the same time, it symbolizes the cleansing of prejudices, stereotypes, and social barriers. The second object, named the Table of Abundance, with mechanically powered plates, illustrates the constant cycle of human life and its needs from which we cannot escape. It also points to economic uncertainty that accompanies our actions.

One example is the intention of the studio Michal Palašák to create urban housing on the site of a former industrial area that would provide for the needs of various types of households. The main task is not primarily architecture and the creation of a space that could be shared by people with different needs, different incomes, and different interests. 

Affordable and quality housing is the foundation for the healthy development of society. Rising real estate prices and a lack of social housing make access to housing difficult for low-income groups. Architecture can respond to this crisis and offer innovative approaches to solving this problem. The studio Marek Štěpán and Jiří Tauber decided to seek a model of affordable housing through a radical reduction in its weight. A „light“ house should limit transportation weight and consume as little material as possible, thereby increasing its financial accessibility.  

Shared forms or community construction can also contribute to increasing housing availability. The design of such a model of house construction, in which its future inhabitants participate together in planning, financing, and building, was explored by the studio Kristina Richter Adamson and Radek Suchánek against the backdrop of a small town. In addition to reducing the costs of acquiring an apartment, one of the main motives for such an association is to create an environment for community living and social closeness. 

How to revitalize neglected and segregated areas while preserving their identity and social structure was the task of the studio Gabriela Pena, Servie Boetzkes, and Radek Brunecký. Their intention was based on the assumption that supporting the diversity of ownership relations would contribute to ensuring housing for various social groups in the given locality, including the most vulnerable ones. 

Another aspect that the exhibition focuses on is segregation and social exclusion. Poverty often concentrates in certain areas and neighborhoods, leading to isolation and marginalization of their inhabitants. The exhibition asks how architecture can contribute to revitalizing these areas and reintegrating them into the urban organism. An important factor here is the support of community life and social inclusion. Architecture can create environments that connect people from different social strata and promote mutual respect and solidarity. 

With this setting, the studio Barbora Ponešová and Marie Joja began collaboration with the association Vesna, which focuses on socially disadvantaged groups, especially single mothers and Ukrainian families. Their Vesna lab explored the infrastructure of accessible social and health assistance in Brno to open a debate on the current form of poverty, places of assistance, and the role of design in alleviating these problems. Part of the tasks was to propose minimal forms of housing suitable for people in need or for those who find themselves on the brink of so-called invisible poverty.

The most visible form of poverty is homelessness, which represents a complex social problem with devastating effects on individuals and society. People become homeless due to a combination of many factors, such as unemployment, addiction, unavailability of housing, or weak social ties. Addressing this issue requires a very complex approach, and architecture is not the primary tool. Nevertheless, the studio Vojtěch Jemelka chose to address homelessness, confronting the image of the city of Olomouc, which is depicted as a historical architectural gem. In his project Chudina Olomouc, however, he rather speaks of a lifeless kitsch, whose backdrop obscures the daily reality of many people who find themselves in a state of material, relational, and psychological distress. The students experienced firsthand the humiliation of begging, mapped the places where homeless people concentrate, and captured collages of their dwellings. 

Poverty ceases to be primarily a problem of the so-called Global South, but with increasing intensity, this topic is also addressed in discussions concerning the Global North. One of the reasons is climate change, which brings unexpected threats. Drought, floods, pollution, and land degradation have negative impacts on health, productivity, and living conditions of people, which can lead to deepening poverty. Poor people also have limited resources and opportunities to cope with these problems. The studio Jan Mlčka posed the same question as the German economist Siegen Helge Peukert: how radical do we need to be for humanity to continue living on Earth? Peukert compiled several radical theses, the fulfillment of which should avert the thermophysical threats to humanity. The students of Jan Mlčka sought answers as to what their application entails for architecture. 

Global military conflicts, such as the civil war in Syria and the brutal invasion of Ukraine by Russia, have triggered a huge humanitarian crisis, the consequences of which have been felt in an unprecedented degree by Europe as well. The studio Oleksie Bykov focused on the situation of devastated Ukraine after the cessation of hostilities and sought strategies that should assist in the country's reconstruction – cities, infrastructure, but also the architectural heritage that is a physical source of cultural identity of the nation. 

The expansion of the spectrum of threats and the resulting uncertainties bring with them the radicalization of political attitudes and pave the way for populist leaders. Part of the weakening of the democratic system may also be the strengthening of the influence of corporate entities that may seek to increase their power at the expense of the state and its institutions. What such a loss of the ability to promote the public interest through a functioning state and its forced replacement by a corporate utopia could cause is depicted by the studio Jaroslav Sedlák. 

The basic consideration of the studio Szymon Rozwalka is the statement that as it is difficult, we can only aspire to eliminate poverty. We should regard poverty not as a mistake or a temporary abnormality, but as an integral part of our world. Poverty has many faces, and it is our duty, as well as that of architecture, not to lose sensitivity towards it.  

Contemplating the role of architecture in solving complex social problems is an integral part of this process, and the exhibition „Vector of Poverty“ aims to be part of it. 

The exhibition „Vector of Poverty“ shares a common theme with the exhibition „Poverty“, which takes place at the Gallery of Fine Arts in Havlíčkův Brod and the Horácká Gallery in Nové Město na Moravě and was created under the curatorial supervision of Barbora Ilič, Michal Konečný, and Stanislav Biler. Both exhibitions share a common theme of poverty, but they examine it from different perspectives and in different contexts.  „Vector of Poverty“ focuses on the relationship between architecture and poverty, emphasizing how architecture influences the lives of people living in poverty and how it can contribute to solving this issue. The exhibition „Poverty“ examines poverty in a broader social and historical context, emphasizing the reflection of this topic in art from the Baroque to the present. Both exhibitions refer to each other as they collectively create a complex picture of the issue of poverty, encompassing both its physical manifestations in architecture and urbanism as well as its cultural and social aspects.

Organizers: Faculty of Architecture VUT Brno in cooperation with the House of Art of the City of Brno
Location: House of Lords from Kunštát, Dominikánská 348, Brno
Date: March 19 – May 25, 2025
Vernissage: March 18, 2025
Curator: Rostislav Koryčánek
Architectural framework of the exhibition: Eva Truncová
Graphic design: Alina Matějová
Participating studio leaders: Servie Boetzkes and Gabriel Pena, Oleksii Bykov, Marie Joja and Barbora Ponešová, Vojtěch Jemelka, Jan Mlčka, Michal Palašák, Karin Písaříkova, Szymon Rozwalka, Jaroslav Sedlák, Kristina Richter Adamson and Radek Suchánek, Marek Štěpán