Summary of approved PhD theses

Method of an analytic presentation of heritage and its potential in architectural creative process
Ing. arch. Katarína Palgutová, PhD.

The method of analytical presentation (MAP) has become recently the object of a great discussion. Nowadays, its use is questionable, since one prefers the unity of a face heritage and one maximizes the effort to keeping an object’s substance. The MAP has a long tradition in our territory, where it is supported by the quality and methodologically completed realization. Any scholar has not de-voted their work to the MAP globally neither from the methodological point of view nor the creative point of view. The goal of this thesis is to point out the fact that the high quality restoration together with presenting old developmental periods has a high documentary value. Naturally, it is necessary to take into account the fact that it is implemented on selected and stylistically heterogeneous objects while it is not used programmatically and area-wide. The showpiece’s documentary value is a significant factor during the searching own roots, building the national identity in the current globalized world. Another of the goals was to create a methodological system, which should be helpful, for a mutual communication between an architect and a methodical worker. Needless to say that the creation of a rendering of an analytical probe could be the object of a creative process and it does not have to be its limit. The developed system has been applied to the proposed renewal of St. Margaret of Antioch’s Church in Kopčany.

Implementation of rules for the ecological design of products into the process of industrial designer´s creation
Ing. Zuzana Tončíková, ArtD.

The main idea of the ArtD. thesis is to convey for designers in appropriate form a comprehensive package of information regarding to design process in the context of environmental impact of product design concepts. This work focuses on eco-design from the perspective of a designer – in terms of acceptance, understanding and appreciation of new indications of quality in design. Environmental dimension of the creative process in the design presented in this work can be summarized as follows: It is a project focused on research in the field of arts with an emphasis on openness and freedom of design. It focuses on the early stages of the design concept, which aims to visually understandable form of case studies, lead designer on ethical maturity in terms of responsible and especially conscious approach to new product development. Presents the strategic role of designer in the process of introducing eco-innovations. The work does not aim to present eco-design tools as orthodox rules, without which there can’t be a design and designing. The aim is to show the contrary strength of this approach in providing of diverse options of holistic approach to creating designer focusing on far less preferred area of eco-design. If a designer does not design only “artworks” – “free art”, must be aware of the strengths and weaknesses of the design also in terms of the impact on the environment. The methodology presented here has the potential to efficiently, quickly and easily detect weaknesses of product and upgrade existing concept in the early design phase, thus contributing to the improvement of the quality of its future. Philosophical plane presents research findings that, as is often misunderstanding concept theory of design (its description, definition, theory and practice) and in our latitudes need to change also the incorrect understanding of eco-design (its description, definition, theory and practice). Dissertation is divided into three parts. The first part is to clarify the background research, define the problem and research objectives, methodology and expected scientific and artistic results. Core structure of the dissertation is divided into three integrated sections A, B and C, which present methodical approach by establishing rules for developing of product eco-design in the process of studio work. The last part of the thesis aims to evaluate the effectiveness of the proposed eco-design tool and scientific and artistic contribution of the work.

  • PhD thesis approved in the study programme Design at the Faculty of Architecture STU in Bratislava

Monumental values of Lutheran cemeteries in Slovakia in the 19th century
Mgr. Peter Buday, PhD.

Sepulchral culture has an exceptional place in a history of human society: thoughts on the last moments of life and events after the death transformed into the rituals and objects which visualise the memory of defunct are key features of civilization. Present time brings a revival of interest in this long-neglected subject. World wars and the rapid development of medical science have contributed to a diametric change of view on death and dying: the reality regarded with respect became to the periphery relegated phenomenon. In retrospect view, the 19th century presents the era of the last flowering the closely defined and very specific phenomenon of sepulchral art. At the beginning of this period — determining for presented dissertation thesis — arise an image of the modern cemetery, which extending essential changes responding to the dynamics of the “long century.” We monitored these steps through mapping the history and monumental values of six Lutheran cemeteries in Slovak towns. The selection of localities takes into account the historical and urban context, degree of conservation and monument-protection and also the actual state of the research. Based on the confrontation of field sightings and archival research, we tried to revise and clarify the previously known facts about Lutheran graveyards in Banská Bystrica, Bratislava, Komárno, Košice, Levoča and Trnava. New findings on the history of these memorial sites confirmed the importance of fundamental research. Research in the field was concentrated on the most significant documents of architectural, artistic, historical and urban values. The focus of our attention rested on objects previously non registered in the Central list of monuments. Detailed documentation of these architectures, tombstones and gravestones processed into the form of registers as a supplement of dissertation will serve as a basis for registration of selected works in the List of monuments. In addition to the overview of the history and values of those places, the contents of this work highlighted the even less researched phenomena of industrialized production of gravestones and its reaction in form of movement for aestheticization of cemeteries and revival of sepulchral art in the context of Historical Hungary. Finally, we focused on the methodology of the Monuments Board of SR for the documentation of cemeteries since 1999, with the aim of making recommendations for its updating based on knowledge acquired through own studies.

Námestie slobody (the Freedom Square) in Bratislava
Ing. arch. Marián Potočár, PhD.

This work is concerned about the problematics of the architecture created in the context of totalitarian regimes of the 20th century. It is focused in more detail on the topic of representative urban ensembles, which are being explored through the object of the Námestie slobody (the Freedom Square) in Bratislava. The work is divided into four chapters. Chapter One illuminates the field, goals, terminology and hypotheses of our research. It explains the reasons behind the choice of the main case-study object, and brings about the overview of the published bibliography in the field as well. Chapter Two contains two additional case-studies of objects, development of which is compared to that of Námestie slobody. These objects are the Sheshi Skënderbej (the Skanderbeg Square) in Tirana and the Trg republike (The Square of the republic) in Ljubljana, which were constructed in similar manner as the central political squares in the context of authoritarian regimes. Chapter Three is a case-study focused on the main object of our study. The development of the Square is followed on various levels: specific programs of construction, the relations of style, form and ideology and against the background of changes of the architectural profession itself. Chapter Four is a concise summary of the developments of Námestie slobody after 1989, its public reception and potentials of functioning as a distinctive cultural heritage. The concrete methods of the heritage protection are the topic of further possible research.

Valorisation of city-forming structures
Ing. arch. Lucia Štefancová, PhD.

The theme valorisation of city-forming structures is an extensive and general problematic issue which deals with the “city improvement”. The dissertation thesis is further narrowed to the phenomenon of “Urbanity” and “Urban Character” which can be often encountered in the literature specialised in urban design. However, this term is not accurately specified or objectified. The “Urban Character” has much in common with the genius loci, ambience and the feelings in the human unconsciousness. These feelings are caused by the environment and spaces that surround us. A closer examination of the causality of this problem is necessary in order to discover new findings from which the cities could benefit and “manipulate” people in a positive way. This may help the cities increase their credit. The thesis in its theoretical section defines the term “Urban Character”, discusses the difference between “Urbanity” and “Urban Character” and describes where and by which elements the Urban Character is created. The research further documents and highlights the factors of Urban Character that affect the ambience and secondarily the feelings of visitors to a certain area/space in the city. In the experimental part of this work, there is a proposed evaluation of the individual factors according to their impact on the quantity and the movement of visitors in the environment affected by them. Adding a value to each urban factor on the particular example of Bratislava’s axis, the theoretical hypotheses are verified. The results of this research are describing the factors of Urban Character and the theoretical evaluation method of urban structure that defines the potentials, limitations and problematic locations of the structure.

Buildings associated with vegetation in the structure of the city
Ing. arch. Zuzana Krivošová, PhD.

The reason of this works is dissatisfaction with the current state of vegetation in our cities, ambiguity on the issue of involvement of vegetation on building construction in the planning and strategic documents. The aim of this thesis is to clarify the issue, examine the benefits and risks and recommend the application of vegetation on constructions into the planning of the city. In the first chapter we characterize the structures associated with vegetation, in what context we examine them and explain basic terms we use. In the next chapter we explain the main objective of the work – recommendations for the application of vegetation on building construction in the planning documents of Bratislava, the secondary objectives and which steps we have to do to achieve them. The following chapters is about current state of knowledge of buildings associated with vegetation, from the perspective of the city and the environment. We summarize the history and evolution of architecture associated with vegetation in the world and in our country, we explain what are the benefits of these structures, under what conditions are best applied and what are its effects on the quality of the environment in the city. In the chapter “The situation in Slovakia” we analyse the documents followed by the Slovak Republic and the way in which the vegetation on constructions occurs- either directly or indirectly. Next chapter is dedicated to questions, where is the vegetation on the construction of buildings mentioned in legislative documents, in what context and if so, what was the reason for setting regulation. We mention studies that with topic – vegetation on construction of the building, which were previously made in Slovakia. In the next chapter we will introduce strategies of foreign cities, process, reasons, objectives and tools they use to involve vegetation on constructions in the development of the city. In the chapter ” The vegetation on the construction of buildings in the structure of the city Bratislava ” we deal with main research. It is divided into two parts: “Mapping of green roofs and walls in Bratislava ” and ” Surveys about green roofs and walls in Bratislava”. The last part of the thesis is devoted to recommendations for a strategy of vegetation on the construction of buildings in Bratislava, conclusions and discussion on the topic.

  • PhD thesis approved in the study programme Urban Design at the Faculty of Architecture STU in Bratislava

Comparison of current social housing typologies from Slovakia and Spain
Ing. arch. Mercedes Ortego González, PhD.

Our main subject of study is apartments, apartment-blocks and living environment in social housing sphere. The aim of the study is to analyse the current situation in nowadays social housing design in Spain and Slovakia from a typological point of view, focusing the study on the already mentioned fields: apartments, apartment-blocks and living environment. For this propose we will analyse a certain amount of chosen realizations with the help of an objective method of comparison that we will also define. The paper hopes to provide not only a realistic view of the architectural differences and similarities in terms of typology and disposition of space between Spanish and Slovak proposals on this topic: social housing, but also, open a discussion that is necessary for the development and improvement of such housing. The results should provide a detailed overview model of interior solutions derived from ergonomic and aesthetic principles that may serve as an aid to offer new insights into social housing design and increase the awareness that it is a topic of interest to all of us. As an appendix, we provide a historical review of the evolution in social housing types and define the nowadays most common terms in this field.

Humanization of the housing sector in social services for people in material need
Ing. arch. Michal Czafík, PhD.

The thesis is dealing with recent issue of society — housing of people in material need. Housing is a substantial part of everyday life of every person. It represents meeting the basic human needs without which it is impossible to live fully and fulfil oneself. Currently preferred individualization of a lifestyle results in decomposition of social relationships within the society. In context of economic problems of isolated individuals, the poverty is increasing and people are not able to ensure the living by themselves anymore. The role of a state is to guarantee a shelter for everyone through hierarchized system of social housing in context of international housing law. Influenced by the time period and social-economic changes, the status of term social housing had changed, and its latent meaning began to differentiate. In case of target group, people living without shelter inhabiting shelters, the right for appropriate and adequate housing is being suppressed. Dissertation reflects problems of housing for secretly homeless people, in context of housing sections of shelters and suggests bearing principles of humanization in regards with residential environment inside. Adaptable person, satisfying his needs and the environment, have to act in accordance on behalf of social integration. Creation of inclusive environment is an instrument of bringing humans back to society. Results of this research define minimal spatial distances and surface parameters defined for residential environment in shelters, in context of spatial proxemics, stemming from Agenda 21 requirements and other international documents. Humanization process of housing sections is based on transformation of target group requirements into proposal process, where the basic principles of its creation are determined.

Keywords: PhD study, urban design, dissertation thesis, architecture, design