Joint working methods for the entire project team

 

The members of the team used Internet sources (the Google search engine, the Wikipedia encyclopaedia, etc.) to a great extent. Since each member of the team selected the topic that he or she was most familiar with, they made great use of their own books, exhibition catalogues, photographs and other archive materials. The use of questionnaires relating to the standard of housing also made a great contribution. These questionnaires were evaluated electronically and the results published. The regular meetings attended by the members of the team were also extremely useful. During these sessions they proofread each other’s texts and provided each other with considerable help in the form of new ideas. The minor problems we encountered related primarily to the language barrier (the translation of Czech materials, etc.). We give a summary of the work of the members of our project team below for your information.

 

 

Stanislav Jansa

BRUSSELS 1958

The predominating idea shaping my work on the Brussels 1958 World Fair held under the charming title of “The Brussels Dream” was my own professional orientation towards design and technology and their relationship towards improving living conditions. This exhibition was, what’s more, something of an oasis for the soul that was significantly influenced by the course of the Second World War, when it suddenly proved possible for people to live alongside one another irrespective of political orientation or the barriers accompanying the contemporary world.

There was also the pride of the “little Czech man” that the country in which I live was able to draw attention to itself by showing what it was capable of creating, and inspiring the world about everything that could be given to the human race with the use of modern technology, science and the ideas of man. The idea of Jindřich Santar, one of the organisers of the exhibition One Day in Czechoslovakia, was inspirational for increasing the self-assurance of every one of us that was born, lived and worked in this country.

 

 

Jana Filisteinová

The sources for my presentation “Sorela in Real Life”

Sorela in Real Life inspired me in my own life, particularly because I spent my youth in the city of Havířov. I was fascinated not just by Sorela’s interesting architecture, but also by its functionality, fully corresponding to the standard of living of that time. Housing in this interesting environment was, what’s more, accompanied by the necessary transport services, shopping facilities and adequate preschool and school facilities so essential to a large community made up of a relatively young population.

The same was also true of my subsequent move to Brno, where I again had the luck to enjoy workdays and holidays in the kind of atmosphere provided by the functionality of the Sorela.

It can rightly be stated that this historical period of architecture made a significant contribution towards creating appropriate conditions for housing of a relatively high standard, fully corresponding to rental rates and providing an environment both for work and for life outside work.

My experiences and memories are fully reflected in the ideas that make up the content of my articles on this topic, complemented by facts that I have gained through studying the relevant Internet pages.

 

 

Hana Buchbergerová

Functionalism

I obtained material for my presentation both from literature by authors writing about Brno (most importantly Milena Flodrová, Aleš Filip and Ladislav Plch) and also from the Bulletins issued by the Moravian Gallery. A large part of the materials I used came, however, from my own collection. I have long been interested in the history of Brno and architecture in Brno, and own many books, including pictorial publications, and various magazines, and I also cut out and paste on sheets of paper photographs and articles about everything about Brno that interests me. I am delighted to have been able to make use of all these materials for my presentation for the U3A.

 

Cubism
I drew on materials primarily from the authors Alena Odehnalová and Rostislav Švácha for my presentation on cubism. I also looked for information on the Internet, where I found a great deal of material on Wikipedia. A visit to the Moravian Museum in Brno in Husova Street, which has exhibits of cubist furniture, pictures and various accessories, was also a great help to me.

 

 

Věra Kašková

WORKING METHODS

Research of books, articles, blogs, exhibition catalogues, archive materials (The Museum of South-East Moravia in Zlín, The Museum of Footwear in Zlín, The František Bartoš Regional Library in Zlín, The Central Library at the University of Tomáš Baťa in Zlín, The Moravian Library in Brno, The Jiří Mahen Library in Brno).

Consultation at the Archive of the City of Zlín.

A search for contact with people living in family houses built during the functionalist period in Zlín and personal meetings with them.

Questionnaires for grammar school pupils and evaluation of them.