October 15, 2026
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Summary of approved PhD theses

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Alois Balán and Jiří Grossmann: The way to modern architecture
Mgr. Ing. arch. Soňa Ščepánová, PhD. 

The dissertation thesis on the Czech architects Alois Balán and Jiří Grossmann composed as a monography completes the picture of the rich and dynamic period of architecture of the 1920s–1930s in Slovakia. Czech architects Alois Balán and Jiří Grossmann settled in Slovakia and successfully established a renowned architectural studio in Bratislava that remained active for almost two decades. They entered the city space with remarkable architectural realisations—for example the exhibition pavilion of The Slovak Art Association or the building of District Social Insurance and Worker’s Company—which defined a new scale and metropolitan character and significantly supported the implementation of new principles of architecture. Their extensive work can be considered as one of the best examples of the specific development of architectural ideas on the way to modern architecture in Slovakia. The thesis also presents urban planning work of Balán and Grossmann with their intensive attention to regulatory questions of Bratislava. By keenly promoting the theme with a series of articles and by presenting their urban planning program for the city they most significantly contributed to the contemporary discourse about the Greater Bratislava and directly helped create its necessary city institutions. At the same time both architects were actively involved in creating and shaping the professional platform of architects in Slovakia. Research into a wide-ranging portfolio of architectural designs is equally intertwined with an interest in these architects’ extensive theoretical work. Due to an intensive publishing activity Balán and Grossmann are considered as two of the most active writing architects creating an important reflection of the contemporary architectural production. The thesis follows the life and creative trajectories of both architects after their departure from Slovakia – Balán in his hometown Valašské Meziříčí in Moravia and Grossmann in Prague. The presented work brings to date the most comprehensive presentation of the life and projects of these renowned authors, with the focus on both countries of their activity—Slovakia and the Czech Republic (Moravia), with a great amount of new information about their architectural, urban as well as theoretical work.

 

Rudolf Frič as an agent of the transfer of innovations in Czechoslovak interwar architecture
Ing. arch. Matúš Kiaček, PhD.

The builder Rudolf Frič belongs to the group of Czech creators whose legacy in Slovakia is often overlooked and unknown due to the constantly fluctuating political and social changes and national pressures. The presented dissertation is the first comprehensive paper elaborating both on the personality and work of Frič. It examines the work starting from his early creations at the Bank of the Czechoslovak Legions, where Frič assumed the role of consolidating the construction industry in Slovakia by co-founding the Bank’s Bratislava branch, industrial enterprises and construction cooperatives, up to the design and construction work of his own office. Research is supplemented by a biography that discovers and describes his personal intentions and the formative influences, including university studies and early practice in the field of water structures, or the social background shaped by his membership in the Czechoslovak Legions. The background establishes a holistic image of his personal life, whereas the section on his work focuses on identifying and evaluating Frič’s innovative contribution to Czechoslovak interwar architecture, including listing his most significant engineering structures, characterising, and critically evaluating his innovative potential. According to the modest mentions of architectural historiography to date, which depicted him almost exclusively as a builder of transport and military engineering structures, this potential was primarily assumed to be of a structural character. The discoveries brought by the dissertation work expand this limited and narrow perspective with new knowledge and demonstrate that Frič’s contribution was more diverse. It consisted in the transfer of social, structural, construction-technological and technical innovations, with an impact on the consolidation of the construction economy and social conditions in Slovakia. The innovations resulted in a progressive architecture. That included residential and civic buildings which presented modern structural-spatial compositions and brought above-the-standard social and technical amenities, such as in the case of the largest fully electrified apartment building in Czechoslovakia. Finally, the innovations resulted in technically and structurally demanding engineering structures, especially bridges, the first hydroelectric power station in Czechoslovakia and a unique Czechoslovak fortification, which is a military engineering masterpiece of European significance. The work identifies the contributions of Frič also within the organisation of construction companies and/or professionals for their better cooperation and professional development, with a direct impact on the creation and dissemination of innovations, which culminated in the initiation of the first Slovak professional journal on architecture and construction – Slovenský staviteľ [The Slovak Builder]. The work, which brings to light new knowledge about the life and work of a long-overlooked Czech architect, is a contribution to the broader scientific discussion and knowledge about the work of Czech architects and builders in Slovakia, as well as their contribution to the development of Czechoslovak architecture in the 20th century.

 

The influence of selected parameters of the spatial structure of Slovak settlements on the occurrence of some psychiatric diagnoses
Ing. arch. Barbora Šimkovičová, PhD.

Mental health has become one of the key challenges of contemporary society, with the urban environment representing a significant determinant in its formation. International research demonstrates that urban structure can act both as a source of psychological strain and as a space of prevention and recovery. Slovakia, however, has been lacking systematic research on these interrelations. This dissertation aimed to analyse the relationships between urban-architectural parameters and the mental health of residents in Slovak settlements. The research builds on a three-stage methodological framework: (i) a theoretical-analytical phase, which identified key built environment parameters through a systematic literature review; (ii) a spatial-analytical phase, which quantified these parameters using geospatial analysis and custom computational procedures; and (iii) an empirical-statistical phase, which used aggregated health data (emergency medical service calls related to acute psychiatric diagnoses) to test the associations. The findings revealed that the most relevant factors are the share and accessibility of green spaces as well as settlement typology. In contrast, building density did not prove statistically significant in the Slovak context, suggesting possible local specificities and limitations of the available data. The analysis also highlighted methodological constraints linked to the quality of health statistics and the absence of detailed population data. The main contribution of this dissertation lies in the first systematic integration of urban parameters with health data in Slovakia. The proposed methodological framework enables standardised comparisons across cities and provides a tool for planning healthier urban environments. The results can inform both urban planning practice and public policy-making, integrating mental health as a key criterion in settlement development.

 

Early Gothic Revival adaptations of the St Martinʼs Cathedral in Bratislava: Archival research as a tool for learning about the history of architecture
Ing. arch. Patrik Baxa, PhD.

Gothic Revival, the most widespread in the architecture and arts of the 19th century, influenced not only the architectural and artistic production of the time, but left its mark on many earlier works of architecture, relating very closely to the issue of so called re-Gothicisation. St Martin’s Cathedral in Bratislava, a former chapter church and, at a certain time, the only parish church in town, also known for having served as the coronation church of Hungarian monarchs and their wives for more than two hundred and fifty years, holds a prominent place among religious buildings of Central European significance clearly influenced by the phenomena in question. The subject of this doctoral thesis are the early Gothic Revival adaptations of this work of architecture, representing a hitherto unjustly overlooked or marginalised stage of its re-Gothicisation; while the major programmatic stylistic restoration of the cathedral (commenced in 1865) has become a rather thoroughly analysed topic, preceding stylistic restoration historicising interventions have not yet been adequately researched from a scientific point of view. The thesis examines adaptations of the tower, the west façade and the musicians’ gallery carried out during the 1840s and early 1850s, as well as their subsequent modifications reflecting evolving perspectives on the Gothic style, Gothic Revival, its early manifestations, the re-Gothicisation phenomenon and issues of monument restoration. The aim of the thesis is to contribute to shed light on the history of the said cathedral, the onset of Gothic Revival within our cultural area, the local development of re-Gothicising interventions applied to medieval works of architecture, and the regional evolution of methodological approaches to the restoration of Gothic ecclesiastical monuments from late Neoclassical period to the present. Since the early Gothic Revival phenomenon transcends national boundaries, the subject has been examined in a broader spatial context, with particular emphasis placed on period personal interconnections. Among the employed methods, archival research holds the most prominent place as one of the standard tools for an interdisciplinary scientific approach to illuminating history. During our research, we utilised a substantial number of hitherto largely unexamined primary sources providing vital information on, inter alia, the history of architecture and art in Bratislava. Although the significance of archival materials is often undervalued, it is especially primary period written and graphic documents that generally represent an irreplaceable source of information, not only on the development of the buildings themselves or design and construction practices of the period, but also on a variety of broader contexts, among which the personal background of individual patrons, architects, engineers, builders, craftsmen, artists, restorers, etc., holds a noteworthy position. However, to encompass relevant and comprehensive information, it is essential to compare and synthesise the results of archival research with data obtained through other research methods – an approach that has also been applied in this paper.

 

Colour in the design of bioplastic products
Mgr. art. Soňa Otiepková, ArtD.

Contemporary progressive approaches to the development of new materials and products increasingly operate within an ecological framework that considers their environmental impact. Findings from several studies examining the influence of colour on product evaluation and consumer behaviour indicate the relevance and potential of this topic, thus opening space for further investigation. This context shaped the focus of the dissertation, which centres on identifying the significance, influence and using colour in the creation of new materials within an ecological framework. Collaboration with the design studio crafting plastics! introduced the topic of bioplastics into the research, with the main objective to expand their potential applications through colour. This objective was pursued through experimental research into surface colouring of bioplastics conducted in cooperation with the Faculty of Chemical and Food Technology of the Slovak University of Technology. The work focuses on the potential of colour varieties for bioplastics in the context of ecologically oriented design and materials research, emphasising how colour can support the ecological value of the material without compromising its biodegradability. The research also included a user preference study, which highlighted the need to combine ecological qualities with contemporary aesthetics and material balance. The theoretical part is complemented by an analysis of colour systems, with specific attention to the Natural Colour System (NCS) as a suitable tool for accurate colour identification on bioplastic substrates. The experimental part focuses on developing an ecological method for surface colouring of bioplastics using UV-curable resin and pigments with a low environmental footprint. The study investigated compatibility with mineral and organic pigments, their covering ability, stability and the homogeneity of colour results. The outcome is a palette of shades meeting ecological criteria, documented in a book of samples containing NCS identification, pigment composition, and real applied coatings. The research confirmed that ecological pigments can create a stable colour layer without negatively affecting the material properties of the bioplastic substrate. The application part tests the functionality of the method on 3D-printed objects made from the Nuatan bioplastic. Simple organic objects served as colour carriers, on which adhesion, covering properties, and the creation of colour gradients were verified. The application validated the functionality of the technology, while also revealing its limitations, particularly the need for controlled UV exposure for larger objects and variability associated with manual application. The method’s potential was further examined in projects by crafting plastics!, where it was adapted for UV-reactive pigments and for large-format applications. The application phase confirmed that the ecological surface-colouring technology for bioplastics is promising within the field of sustainable design and has potential for further development in the production of small objects, interior elements and experimental material artefacts.

 

Adaptability of administrative buildings in Bratislava
Ing. Ján Baška, PhD.

Bratislava’s real estate sector, which encompasses both administrative and residential properties, faces significant challenges. A notable housing shortage characterises the residential sector, while the administrative sector is experiencing a growing surplus of vacant office spaces. In the post-pandemic era, evolving workplace requirements and the global energy crisis have increased demand for high-quality buildings—a standard many older office buildings fail to meet. The initial part of this study provides an overview of the development of administrative buildings in Bratislava since the late 1990s. Historical evidence from other cities and current trends suggest that converting office buildings into residential units is a viable solution. This research analyses the adaptability potential of Bratislava’s administrative buildings for residential transformation. The first part of the thesis presents a brief analysis of the development of administrative buildings in Bratislava towards the end of the last century (1990s). It also examines the current state of the subject in a wider context. This serves as a starting point and motivates the research of the dissertation. The next part of the work focuses on adaptability, defines its concept and clarifies its use in the context of the administrative buildings typology. The main part of the work is focused on analysing the selected buildings, examining aspects and the level of their possible adaptability to another function. The research was conducted in two phases. In the first phase, a sample of twelve office buildings in Bratislava was analysed using the Conversion Meter (CM) method developed by Geraedts and Van der Voordt, which we adapted to local legislation for research purposes. Based on the first three steps of the CM method—preliminary screening through NO-GO criteria, location assessment, and building condition analysis—eight buildings were in the category ‘ideal for transformation’ and four in the category ‘transformable’. Further analysis compared results across the sample of buildings to identify common factors hindering the transformation process. These aspects were examined because of their potential negative impact on the intended transformation. In the second research phase, Research by Design, case studies were developed to analyse possible layouts of floor plans of various sizes regarding the dimensions of the structural systems of the given buildings. Additionally, the necessity of considering the local requirement for ensuring individual access to the exterior from each unit was addressed. Early identification of aspects against the adaptability of existing administrative buildings in Bratislava, presents an opportunity for both private and public sectors to proactively address these barriers, thereby facilitating transformations and supporting the current trend for sustainable urban development.