ArchiMyšl 2014 - World Architecture Day in Litomyšl

Litomyšl will Celebrate World Architecture Day Again

Since 1996, the first October Monday has been dedicated to World Architecture Day. A few years ago, some cities in the Czech Republic started to commemorate this day, thanks to the civic association Kruh. This year, Litomyšl joins the celebration of World Architecture Day for the third time. For lovers of modern architecture and design, another edition of the event marathon called ArchiMyšl 2014 is prepared. We believe that this year, the city of Litomyšl has managed to prepare an interesting program for you in collaboration with many other organizations.
   
Friday Kickoff
We will start the program on Friday, October 3, at 5 PM with the opening of the exhibition "Josef Pleskot - Journey (II)" in front of the U Rytířů house. Then, as part of one opening, we will move to the Regional Museum in Litomyšl, where another part of the exhibition is located. The exhibition will present the work of the prominent Czech architect Josef Pleskot. "The core of the exhibition consists of photographs and three-dimensional models of dozens of his realizations," introduces the director of the Regional Museum in Litomyšl, René Klimeš, and specifies: “Some of the most well-known include the headquarters of ČSOB in Prague, the nature trail in Jelení příkop, and the passage through the rampart of the Powder Bridge at Prague Castle, the Sonberk winery building, and the reconstruction of industrial sites in Ostrava - Lower Vitkovice.” Let's remember that many of his projects have been realized in Litomyšl, most recently the reconstruction of the museum, the castle brewery, and the forecastle.
In the evening, we will screen the new documentary film Plan by director Benjamin Tuček, which will premiere only at the end of September. It is an interesting documentary describing new projects in Prague from the perspective of urban planning. It seeks to answer these questions: Whose city is it? What is the value of public space? Is developer a dirty word? Representatives, whom do you represent? Notable figures in the film include Adam Gebrian, Pavel Bém, Roman Koucký, and Richard Biegl.

Saturday Program - Something for Everyone
You can join a guided tour of the exhibition with a walk around the city of Litomyšl with architect Josef Pleskot. We start at 10 AM at the U Rytířů house. In the Saturday afternoon, a popular ride to modern architecture buildings in Litomyšl is again planned (departure at 1 PM). The participants will be greeted by emeritus mayor Miroslav Brýdl, and then with professional commentary from Antonín Dokoupil they will visit the courtyard of the pedagogical school, walk along the Loučná River, peek into the city sports hall, visit the apartment building complex in the U Nemocnice area, the New Church, the city pool, the ice rink, the Černá hora sports complex, and the pedagogical school's dormitory. Those of you who have been on the ride before can attend a lecture by Anna Šubrtová at the museum from 2 PM on the topic of Litomyšl Architecture in the First Half of the 20th Century or the Transformation into a Modern City.
For capacity reasons, it is better to register in advance for the Saturday ride at the information center. The price of the ticket is 80 CZK per person, which includes a snack and a drink.

Beer with Architects or Litomyšl's Second Renaissance
A meeting with architects will precede the opening of the competition proposals for the construction of a new Senior Home in Litomyšl in the newly renovated premises of the castle stable.
On Saturday at 6 PM, we invite you to have a beer with the architects - this time in the riding hall. The main topic of the discussion, which will be moderated by journalist Petr Volf, will be the revitalization of the castle hill, the competition for designs for the Senior Home, or the Litomyšl Challenge. If all goes well, we will also present a new book by Petr Volf titled Litomyšl Renaissance City of Modern Architecture, which maps the development of architecture from 1990 to 2014.
From 8 PM, we will continue in the riding hall with a cozy Amber Evening in the style of chanson - singing and music will be accompanied by Petra Boštíková, refreshments provided.

Sunday in the Spirit of the 15th Anniversary of the Castle Complex's Registration on the UNESCO List
This year marks the fifteenth anniversary of the moment when the castle complex in Litomyšl was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List. This step confirmed the extraordinary cultural significance of the monument, which transcends national borders. Its value is precious for both present and future generations, and for that reason, it requires constant protection. We will kick off the afternoon block at 1 PM with a guided tour focusing on the history of the brewery and other economic buildings. Eliška Racková from NPÚ Pardubice will guide. From 2 PM, we will have a lecture by Bohdan Šeda, who will acquaint listeners with the remarkable architectural development of the castle hill in Litomyšl, from its beginnings during the monastery period through the bishopric, the castle, the Renaissance castle, to Baroque and Neoclassical modifications. The lecture will present numerous previously unknown facts that emerged from recently completed extensive archaeological research at the castle hill. Following that will be the Path Around the Castle - UNESCO Monuments with Pavel Wais, during which you will learn many details about the sgraffito decoration of this Renaissance gem.
At 5 PM, we have prepared a discussion "Castle Complex Litomyšl 15 Years on the UNESCO List," during which we will welcome Olbram Zoubek, emeritus mayor Miroslav Brýdl, mayor of Kutná Hora Ivo Šance, Michal Beneš from the Ministry of Culture of the Czech Republic, who participated in the inscription of all 12 Czech and Moravian monuments on the UNESCO List and other interesting guests. This event will be moderated by Pavlína Kvapilová.
We believe that this time the event will find its audience and be interesting not only for the people of Litomyšl but also for young architects, architecture and design students, and other art enthusiasts from across the country.

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