NAKI III programme of applied research and development of the Ministry of Culture of the Czech Republic (DH23P03OVV004).
Stavoprojekt was established in 1948 to centralize architects, building engineers, and other specialists in a (joint) state design organization, affiliated with the Czechoslovak Building Works (Československé stavební závody). In many ways, Stavoprojekt represented the fulfilment of dreams of the radical left-wing avantgarde. Furthermore, its constitution was a clear response to the social and economic transformation (the nationalization of production and agriculture required the centralization of associated processes and planning) and to the need to rehabilitate the war-stricken economy and environment. Stavoprojekt’s activities concentrated on infrastructure, industry, housing, conservation, public buildings, but also on typification and urban planning. Even though Stavoprojekt and the successor institutions were reorganised several times before 1989, the impact of centralization on Czech architecture was far-reaching. It led to a transformation of the local landscape, settlements, expert communities, theory, production, as well as of the design and construction practice.
Nevertheless, Stavoprojekt in its formative years (1948–1953) has been barely explored by the experts. In terms of history of architecture, the reflection has relied mostly on (ideologically distorted) historical literature and memories of the witnesses. The archival collection of the Stavoprojekt headquarters was not catalogued and has remained unprocessed until recently. This project aims to conduct a thorough investigation and interpretation of this material, which will shed new light on the roots, the evolution, and the operation of this institution, on the design and procurement processes in the early post-war years, on the search for possibilities and limits of centralization and interdisciplinary cooperation, authorship, and the scope of activities Stavoprojekt dealt with. This research project strives to close one of the largest knowledge gaps in the history of Czech modern architecture.
As a result of the project, an internet database of buildings, architects and events will be created (2026), an exhibition focused on the work of Stavoprojekt, accompanied by a critical catalog (2025), a book based on the evidence of the archives of Stavoprojekt (2026), a book about the establishment, evolution and operation of Stavoprojekt (2027) and others additional publication outputs.
