The program of the event is divided into two blocks, the first part is dedicated to architectural heritage of the socialism era. Among the speakers will be Naďa Goryczková, the general director of the National Heritage Institute, presenting a contribution titled “Protection and Restoration of Late Modernism Architectural Monuments.” “The fact that a building was created under totalitarian conditions certainly does not mean that it is automatically bad. Even in the years 1948-1989, interesting architectural works were created. Certainly also because their authors often did not respect the rules set by the regime,” said Goryczková in an interview for the magazine Construction Forum.

In the second part of the program, the conference will focus on possibilities of reconstruction, conversion, and presentation of specific case studies. Developers are pressing representatives of local government to replace modern buildings from the past regime with shopping centers according to contemporary trends. Both the professional and lay public are often against it. “In 2011, I began to receive letters from experts who started to reach out to me with their dissenting opinions regarding the demolition of Banco (formerly the Uran department store) to make way for a new shopping gallery in Česká Lípa. They demanded that I, as the mayor, prevent this because it is a significant work by a significant architect. The catch was that the city never owned the department store and does not own it. Moreover, it is not located in the city's heritage zone and unfortunately is not a heritage-protected object. So from the perspective of applicable laws, the local government cannot prevent the owner’s intention. I believe that a similar problem with objects belonging to the category of modern architecture, which experts say deserve protection, is not only related to Česká Lípa but to other cities and municipalities as well,” describes the issue that Hana Moudrá, the mayor of Česká Lípa will discuss in her contribution at the conference.

An icon of Czech socialist architecture, specifically from the so-called sorela period, is the Prague International Hotel, which after 1989 received new names: first Holiday Inn, later Crown Plaza. The first reconstruction of this building, which was created with the direct assistance of the infamous Minister of Defense Čepička in the 1950s, was carried out by the Prague studio MS architekti. “The approach to buildings of this type certainly cannot be unequivocal. At first glance, the International is just a slavish copy of Stalinist skyscraper monsters, which we know not only from Moscow, but also from Warsaw. During the reconstruction, which obviously presupposes a detailed architectural-historical survey, we found out that the building is literally packed with top-notch craftsmanship. It might be worth paying attention to and protecting these details,” says architect Michal Šourek, director of MS architekti.

The often controversially perceived Quadrio project, which is to adjoin the former Máj department store in Prague, will be discussed by Vincent Marani from Cigler Marani Architects, who is behind the design of this building. Regarding the construction from the era of socialism, Marani states: “Architecture is timeless, it has historical overlaps, and the stylistic contexts are broader, usually having an international, today we would say global character.”

In a panel discussion, attendees will also be able to express their opinions on the future of the Lesná housing estate in Brno from the 1960s, which is an internationally recognized example of a successful unique residential complex. Among other “socialist realism” objects presented at the conference are the Máj department store in Prague and the very building of the former Federal Assembly, whose public and non-public spaces will be accessible to conference participants as part of a guided tour.

The Crossroads of Architecture conference is intended for representatives of local government, state administration, architects, designers, urban planners, as well as heritage protectors and contemporary developers. It is part of the professional accompanying program of the September construction fair FOR ARCH, which this year will be in the spirit of reconstructions and revitalizations.

The general partner of the event is BETON BROŽ. “We are suppliers of comprehensive urban solutions for outdoor access spaces through our unique concrete elements. Similarly, the Crossroads of Architecture conference comprehensively addresses pressing issues of architecture and urbanism. Together, we participate in shaping the environment around us,” says Libor Brož, director and owner of BETON BROŽ, about the partnership.

You can find the program and lecture annotations here: www.krizovatkyarchitektury.cz