The day of Swiss and Czech architecture focused on sustainability and cooperative housing as the future of Czech cities

The first edition of the conference titled Day of Swiss and Czech Architecture featured lectures from renowned architects from prominent Swiss architectural firms on current urbanism topics in both the Czech Republic and Switzerland. In addition to pressing industry questions, it also focused on examples of specific realizations. The conference was organized by the brand Laufen, a leading Swiss manufacturer of designer bathrooms, and the Swiss-Czech Chamber of Commerce.

“We approached the first edition broadly. The title Panorama of Swiss Architecture indicates that we wanted to present the key systems of architecture that work in Switzerland. We particularly focused on environmental sustainability, ecological materials, as well as the issues of densification and the housing of locals in large cities,” explains Luis Sergio Castro, the general director of Laufen CZ, which represents Laufen in the Czech market.

Swiss Model: Sustainability and Ecological Materials

The central theme running through the lectures of all participating architects was sustainability and an appeal to ecology. Matěj Draslar, a Swiss architect of Czech descent from the top architectural firm agps Architecture, outlined various possibilities for using more ecological materials right at the beginning. He brings Swiss thinking into his projects, focusing on sustainability, harmony with history and the surrounding buildings, and, last but not least, an emphasis on working with natural materials. One example of how to use them in architecture is his design for a passenger terminal at the port of Helsinki, which resonated throughout the professional audience. In addition to his innovative approach to construction, he also addressed the Florenc21 project at the end of his lecture, an architectural competition that his studio is participating in. Its goal is to find a suitable design for the revitalization of the area between Masaryk Station and Florenc.

The idea of sustainability was also supported by Lidor Gilad from Itten+Brechbühl, a pioneer in the ecological approach to architecture. As a partner in the firm and head of the design department, Lidor Gilad focuses on the implementation of public buildings, such as hospitals, healthcare facilities, museums or galleries, university campuses, or research buildings. His fully wooden constructions, which fully meet the trend of so-called “green architecture,” served as inspiration for Czech architects and urban planners, even though – jokingly speaking – they do not have a single green-colored element. The realization of the university hospital in Lausanne was also applicable for the Czechs, which considers both the needs of patients and the quality of the environment for healthcare professionals, who are often overlooked in the Czech context.

Cooperative Housing as a Necessity

Miroslav Šik expressed critical views on the current Czech approach to architecture and urbanism. He has long been open about the fact that one of the reasons he never returned to the Czech homeland was precisely the Czech attitude towards architecture. He emphasized the importance of integrating space and political-bureaucratic processes, but also focused on cooperative housing. In his opinion, this has recently been considered almost a taboo term in the Czech Republic, even though it has a tradition of more than a century in the country. According to the architect, cooperative housing is no longer a revolution, but a necessity. Šik sees it as one way to make housing accessible in cities for the middle class, which does not have to live only on the peripheries but can truly utilize the city. He supplemented his lecture with rich experiences from Switzerland, where cooperative housing is very popular. The country has the highest number of housing cooperatives per capita, and a large number of people have easier access to quality housing thanks to this system.

Connecting Traditions and Modernity

The last architect to share his long-standing experiences in the architectural industry was Nicolas Vaucher from the studio Burckhardt+Partner. He is renowned mainly for defending and promoting architecture that improves urban and social environments. He presented specific aspects of the Swiss approach to architecture to the Czech professional audience and showcased concrete examples and inspiring realizations. His observations on the combination of traditions and modernity particularly gained great attention.

Questions about the Day of Swiss and Czech Architecture were answered by Luis Sergio Castro, the general director of Laufen CZ:

What led you to decide to organize a professionally-oriented conference on Czech and Swiss architecture?

We have been considering organizing an event for quite some time that would connect leading Czech and Swiss designers and architects. As a Swiss brand focusing on premium bathroom design, we closely collaborate with the best designers in the world. We are very well acquainted with the professional environment not only in Switzerland but also across Europe, and due to our presence in the Czech Republic, we regularly meet with Czech experts. We saw this as a perfect opportunity to hold a conference where renowned experts would present their visions and long-standing experiences. At the same time, we wanted to initiate personal meetings among leading architects and foster broader discussions on the most current approaches and topics in design and architecture. I am pleased that we were not only able to realize the event, but it also brought a number of impulses that the Czech professional community appreciated.

Why did you choose the field of architecture?

At first glance, it may seem that architecture and interior design are two distinct fields, but in reality, they are very closely related. Both emphasize the connection between perfect design and practicality, which is crucial for regular daily use. The final product must offer people the highest possible comfort, and that in the long term. In addition to striving for perfect visual execution, we also emphasize quality materials in bathroom design, respect tradition, and draw on long-standing experiences, while we also possess great enthusiasm for innovative approaches and more sustainable production. From experience, I can say that professionals in the architectural field approach the designs and realizations of their projects similarly. Not only does this kind of thinking unite us, but we also inspire each other.