Publications
Let’s Inject Some Randomness into the City: Reflecting on Eliza Soroga’s Site-Specific Performances in London and Prague
Site-specific performances can redefine public spaces by introducing unpredictability and spontaneity, fostering authentic encounters with passers-by. This study examines three such performances—Breakfast on London Bridge (2014), Women in Agony (2015), and IN QR WE TRUST (2023)—to explore how randomness challenges routine urban experiences and creates a new public sphere. The research questions whether site-sensitive approaches can reveal the poetics of places while incorporating lived experiences, ultimately offering a model for reinventing public spaces through artistic intervention. The findings suggest that injecting randomness into performance art disrupts urban alienation and consumerism, revealing spontaneous reactions that enrich collective experience.
Spatial Planning Systems in Historical Capital Cities in Europe
Contemporary spatial planning systems in historic European capital cities, including Prague, Edinburgh, and Vienna—all UNESCO World Heritage Sites—serve as models for sustainable urban development. This study highlights how these cities leverage heritage status, urban typology, and citizen participation to create holistic, future-oriented planning frameworks. By employing the 'arena' metaphor, it argues that their approaches can guide other cities in balancing preservation with progress. The research compares spatial planning instruments across the three capitals, offering insights into effective governance for historic urban centers.
New Buildings in the Historic Centre of Prague 1990-2020
Between 1990 and 2020, the Historic Centre of Prague underwent significant transformation post-communist regime change, marked by new buildings that filled long-standing gaps, creating a distinct architectural layer. While some developments, like the Four Seasons or Quadrio, sparked controversy due to their size and commercial nature, others, such as the Langhans House or Hotel Metropol, were celebrated for their sensitive integration with historic surroundings. The study analyzes these projects in context, revealing a shift from pluralistic approaches in the 1990s—characterized by public debates and architectural diversity—to a later period dominated by administrative and commercial interests, exacerbated by weakened heritage institutions and relaxed urban regulations. This analysis highlights the dual impact of new constructions on Prague's architecture: both as potential enrichment and as threats to its historic integrity.
„Zlata Praha”? Praskie „city” przebudowane w XIX i XX wieku
Prague's historic center, as seen today, is largely a product of extensive urban reconstruction during the Belle Époque (late 19th century), interwar period, and post-World War II era. A comprehensive study by Richard Biegel, an art historian from Charles University, reveals that this transformation involved massive demolition, straightening of streets, creation of new traffic routes, and construction of large buildings and department stores—mirroring similar urban changes in Vienna and Paris. The study, 'Město v bourů: Urbanismus a architektura historického centra Prahy 1830–1970,' meticulously documents the disappearance of Prague's earlier picturesque architecture, offering a detailed exploration that advances comparative research on Central European urban development.
Geotourism Aspects of Building Stone Use (Romanesque Style and the Onset of Gothic) in UNESCO Heritage Sites of the Historic Centre of Prague for Construction and Architectural Purposes
Prague's Historic Centre stands out for its architectural evolution reflecting Romanesque and Gothic styles. A key insight from this study is the significant role of building stones in shaping the city's iconic landmarks, such as St. Vitus Cathedral and Charles Bridge, which are major tourist attractions. Despite their importance, the sources and types of these stones remain largely overlooked in tourism narratives. This research bridges that gap by linking architectural development with detailed descriptions of the stones used during the Romanesque and Gothic periods, including their source areas. By doing so, it not only advances architectural research but also proposes new forms of geotourism that integrate geological and historical perspectives, enriching visitor experiences.
The role of shading on biometeorological conditions in the historic centre of Prague, Czech Republic.
Researchers found that the historic centre of Prague, particularly the Náplavka area along the Vltava river, experiences significant heat stress during summer due to a lack of greenery and shading. While morning conditions were comfortable, afternoon thermal comfort indices such as Physiologically Equivalent Temperature (PET) and Universal Thermal Climate Index (UTCI) showed high heat stress levels, exacerbated by limited shade. The study used meteorological measurements from eight sites between Charles Square and Náplavka, collected over 14 days in 2019 and 2022, alongside fisheye photographs to quantify shading effects. Findings suggest relocating day-long events to shaded areas like Charles Square or providing adequate sun protection could mitigate heat stress in this UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Romanesque Prague Monuments – Dimension Stone and Its Cutting
Prague's Romanesque monuments, predominantly built with the local stone 'opoka,' exhibit unique stone-cutting techniques that distinguish them from European counterparts. A systematic study reveals that Prague stonemasons favored rock face cutting, gradually shaping blocks from corners to center without decorative patterns, unlike Western Europe's use of innovative tooth tools. This research, employing 3D modeling and mechanoscopy, reconstructs the tools used by analyzing surface traces and hit dynamics, uncovering the evolution of stonework from simple block modeling in the 9th century to sophisticated cutting by the 12th century. The study also highlights the influence of European craftsmen on Prague's stone-cutting traditions.
What do we visually focus on in a World Heritage Site? A case study in the Historic Centre of Prague
Newly constructed high-rise buildings with large heights and strong contrasting colors pose significant visual threats to the integrity of UNESCO World Heritage Sites, such as the Historic Centre of Prague. This study used eye-tracking technology to generate visual heatmaps, revealing that people's attention is primarily drawn to complex artistic elements like facades, domes, mural paintings, and sculptures, while greenery, roofs, and floors attract minimal focus. The research also identified that buffer zones around main attractions help maintain unobstructed views, but pedestrian flow and transportation planning can introduce visual concerns. These findings provide actionable insights for the design, conservation, and management of World Heritage Sites to prevent artificial constructions from endangering their Outstanding Universal Values.
Heritage value assessment method – Application to historic steel bridgein prague
A new method for assessing heritage value, applied to a historic steel bridge in Prague's UNESCO-listed center, demonstrates that segmentation of heritage attributes by specialists can guide optimal survey strategies. This approach balances the need for detailed reliability assessment with minimal invasive testing, preventing potential loss of heritage value due to suboptimal interventions. The study highlights the importance of multidisciplinary collaboration and provides a framework now integrated into Czech standards, offering a practical tool for preserving structural integrity while maintaining cultural significance.
A typology of ‘war’ over the public space in the contemporary city. Examples from Prague
Urban spaces face persistent 'wars' over their use, shaped by conflicting interests between modernization advocates and heritage preservationists, as well as between tourists and long-term residents. This study identifies a typology of these conflicts in Prague's Historic Centre, rooted in the 19th century but peaking in the 20th century with the rise of tenement buildings, automobiles, and post-1989 tourism growth. The research examines how urban development, traffic demands, and commercialization have displaced residents while prioritizing economic and tourist interests, often at the expense of historical integrity and community needs. By analyzing key examples from Prague's history, the study highlights the enduring tension between rapid modernization and the preservation of public space, offering insights into global urban challenges.
Impact of IPPC Scenarios on indoor environment quality of historic buildings
Climate change is expected to increase cooling demand in historic buildings, posing significant challenges for maintaining indoor environment quality. A study analyzing the multi-purpose building in Prague's historic center found that global warming scenarios from the IPCC's Fourth Assessment Report lead to higher overheating risks and increased energy efficiency demands. Using the BSim simulation tool, researchers evaluated permitted refurbishment methods under strict heritage protection guidelines, proposing structural and technical modifications to mitigate solar heat gains while adhering to legal constraints.
The city of one hundred souvenir shops: authenticity of souvenirs in Prague
A significant portion of souvenirs sold in Prague's historic center, particularly along the highly trafficked 'Royal Way,' are found to be 'falsely authentic' or 'geographically displaced.' This study reveals that while some locally specific souvenirs exist, the prevalence of banal, globalized products diminishes the overall quality and cultural significance of Prague's souvenir market. The research attributes this trend to the interplay between communist-era heritage and post-1990s transformation processes in tourism. To uncover these insights, the authors conducted a comprehensive analysis of shops and their offerings along the 'Royal Way,' supplemented by structured interviews with sellers and questionnaires targeting tourists. This approach provides a nuanced understanding of how historical and socio-economic factors shape the authenticity of souvenirs in this UNESCO World Heritage Site.
90 years of systematic archaeological research of Prague historic centre and the 50th anniversary of the foundation of the specialised department for Prague archaeological heritage management in the context of the state and potential of research of Prague beginnings
Systematic archaeological research in Prague's historic center, spanning nearly a century, reveals significant insights into the city's earliest history. This study, marking 50 years since the establishment of a specialized department for managing Prague's archaeological heritage, highlights the evolution and intensification of research efforts, particularly during periods of urban development. The findings underscore the potential for deeper understanding of Prague's origins through continued archaeological exploration, with special attention to the role of the National Heritage Institute's (NPÚ) department in advancing this field. The study also reflects on the challenges and opportunities in preserving and studying a site of European significance.
Measuring tourist activities in cities using geotagged photography
Tourist activity patterns in historic European cities exhibit both similarities and differences, shaped by urban morphology and local engagement. A study analyzing geotagged photographs from Flickr.com revealed strong correlations between tourist presence and overnight stays across 16 cities, with deeper comparisons of Vienna, Prague, and Budapest highlighting how physical constraints and local-tourist dynamics influence spatial behavior. This method merges the precision of GPS tracking with the scale of crowdsourced data, offering a novel approach to quantify urban tourism with high spatial resolution.
Prague—Setting the Scene for the 4th EuCheMS Chemistry Congress
Prague, a UNESCO World Heritage Site renowned for its diverse architectural heritage spanning Roman to Cubist styles, served as the backdrop for the 4th EuCheMS Chemistry Congress held from August 26-30, 2012. The city's rich cultural and scientific legacy, home to luminaries like Franz Kafka, Antonín Dvořák, Johannes Kepler, and Albert Einstein, underscores its significance in both arts and sciences. This special issue of Chemistry – A European Journal highlights Prague’s unique blend of historical layers, from Gothic and Baroque to Art Nouveau, along the Vltava River, offering a context for the congress's scientific discussions.
The Public Health Dimensions of the Global Ecological Integrity Group (GEIG) Conference, Prague, Czech Republic, July 9-16, 2011
A significant milestone was reached at the 19th annual conference of the Global Ecological Integrity Group (GEIG) held in Prague, Czech Republic, from July 11-16, 2011. The event, co-organized by Prof. Vladimir Bencko and other prominent academics, brought together 55 delegates from 15 countries to discuss the theme 'Human Rights and Duties: Supporting Biological Integrity for Public Health.' This theme had been a focal point of GEIG's work since its inception but was a main focus only once before in 1998. The conference's discussions, building on the influential 1999 WHO Discussion Document co-authored by GEIG members, are expected to be published as part of a 20th anniversary collection, marking a profound contribution to public health advocacy and ecological integrity.
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