January 18, 2025
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Summary of approved PhD theses

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Specifics of sustainable designing in heritage-protected structures
Ing. arch. Karolína Sásiková, PhD.

The specifics of sustainable design in heritage-protected structures is a topic whose solutions are of great importance for the future of our cultural heritage. The subject of the dissertation thesis is to investigate the ecological principles of architectural design during new interventions in the construction with high cultural-historical potential. From the quantitative point of view, these would be extensions, superstructures, embedded objects into existing listed buildings, or whole new buildings in the protected area. From the qualitative point of view, the work focuses on the appropriate interconnection of the examined material, shape and technological aspects of design in the creation of heritage protected structures. The synthesis of both aspects clarifies the idea of ​​integrating parts of the cultural sphere (framed by the landmarks of the heritage fund) into the overall philosophy of sustainability.

Design post-production strategies
Mgr. art. Jana Michálková, ArtD.

This dissertation focuses on the impact of design post-production strategy on the product design process. The research specifically examined photographic and packaging design as key aspects of post-production strategies, studying their influence on product presentation. The issue of design post-production is relevant not only in Slovakia but also in an international context. Throughout the research, we observed how well-conceived and high-quality design, coupled with an effective post-production strategy, contribute to the overall perceived value of a product. The aim of this work is to provide a deeper insight into the application of post-production strategy in product design and demonstrate how these approaches can positively influence the design process and the final outcome of the presented product. The practical part of the research deals with a series of original works of photographic and packaging design. Through these two disciplines, different approaches to strategies were examined for various types of products. Each of these approaches was developed with equal care and attention to preserve the quality and integrity of the products under study. The results and new findings gained from this study have the potential to offer practical guidance for design and marketing sectors, as well as for brand building and development, by guiding them on how well-conceived and implemented post-production strategies can enhance product value and contribute to better presentation. Overall, this work aims to emphasise the importance and impact of post-production strategy in product design through systematic exploration of post-production strategies. Through this exploration and its application in product design, new opportunities may arise to optimise design processes and achieve a competitive advantage through improved product presentation and identification in the market.

Perception of virtual space
Jozef Eduard Masarik, ArtD., MA

This dissertation deals with the relation between virtual embodiment and virtual space. Through critical re-enactments of neuroscience experiments transferring the perceived embodiment into virtual bodies, it studies deviations of virtual space from the way it is coded. The only variable in the individual experiments is the virtual body. Therefore, it becomes the only explanation for modifications in the perception of virtual space. Such reflection is in agreement with aesthetic theories assigning a central role in space perception to the body. In this way, the thinking becomes part of a tradition dating back to August Schmarsow or Henri Bergson. The research transfers the study of the original neuroscience experiments to the field of aesthetics and asks questions concerning the experienced virtual embodiment as a tool for informing virtual space. In this regard it differs from the neuroscience approach aiming at understanding the relation between the individual self and embodiment. This artistic research uses identical procedures but asks questions that are within the field of interest not only of aesthetics but also of design practice. Thus, it comes with novel interpretations which do not contradict the scientific knowledge and are complementary to the areas that lie outside the disciplinary boundaries of neuroscience. In this way the potential of artistic research in the processes of knowledge production is being manifested.

Karol Chudomelka and innovations in monument care in the second half of the 20th century
Ing. arch. Martina Jelínková, PhD.

Karol Chudomelka was one of the most prominent personalities of the second half of the 20th century, who was involved in the field of monument care in Slovakia. This architect, researcher and theoretician coming from the Czech countries was known for his use of modern constructions and materials. His modernist design was manifested in monuments in the form of symbol reconstructions or new forms as a means of evoking defunct historical structures or to ensure a new function of the object. He devoted himself to his profession as a heritage architect for almost half a century, thanks to which we can find traces of his design in a number of Slovak monuments. However, his extensive work has not been compiled until today. Therefore, the goal of our research was to document and characterise the work and personality of Karol Chudomelka. In the presented work, we have identified biographical attributes that speak not only about the character of Karol Chudomelka, but above all those that shaped his personality as an architect. We also followed his connection with the Czech countries, which was manifested by incorporating Chudomelka’s specialised studio for the reconstruction of monuments into the Czech State Institute for the Reconstruction of Monumental Sites and Buildings (Státní ústav pro rekonstrukci památkových měst a objektů). We identified three key projects in his work, through which we described his way of working and thinking, focusing on the choice of the methodology of monument restoration and the use of materials. For an objective perception of the results of his design activity, it was important for us to consider both the context of the given times, but also the overall procedure of restoration, which was determined by the situation and guided by the experts from the monument care institute. In other words, we followed the detailed history of monument restorations of selected key projects. Because Karol Chudomelka was professionally active throughout the period of the authoritarian socialist regime in Czechoslovakia, the mapping of his work is a valuable contribution to the historiography of the youngest chapter of monument care in Slovakia. Our research drew attention to the values of modernist monument restorations from the 1950s and 1960s and at the same time pointed to the acute need for professional reflection of this period of monument care.