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Interview with the professor acad. architect Eva Jiřičná, on 21.11.2008 in Prague
1. What are the origins of the university in Zlín?
The industrialist in the field of shoe production Tomas Bat'a paid much more attention than his fellow citizens to the development and education of his employees and therefore we can say that it was him who laid the foundations of the today's university of the modern type. It was obvious after the revolution in 1989, that the shoe production will not be the priority for the town anymore as it used to be in the past and it was necessary to find a new alternative for the town‘s development. The transformation of the town Zlín into the university town has become the alternative and the number of students has grown from the initial 2000 to 15 000 students. The faculties of design and motion picture reached an international reputation; the research and development in the area of polymers can also proudly present its international contribution.
2. What gave birth to the project University centre?
The primary impulse for the idea of the project was lack of space for the university library which is inseparable part of the university and the student life. It was necessary to make a plan of a library which contains the latest information and librarian technologies with the number of 500 PC. The second requirement was to create a space for the management of the university - a modern rectorate. It was therefore possible to merge these two requirements through its activities and thus to create a symbioses between the life of administration and the education of the students in one building.
3. How was the project developing?
I can say that with lots of difficulties. The questions and analysis of the given task had been crystallizing throughout the whole year. Mainly, it was about how it will all function and how it will develop in the future. We were also bound by incorporating the building into the original exactly defined concept of the town. We managed this and later on, the project was developing on a regular basis in relation to all the relevant permissions for initiation the construction. The construction of the building itself lasted 18 months and it was finished in the spring of this year (2008).
4. What are the technical aspects and details that are characteristic for the project?
The main aspect is the central space of the atrium of the building, where mainly the social life of the university takes place and it should be lighted in its whole length by natural light through the windows which are oriented in this part of the building to the south. Second, not less important aspect is the fire separation of the library from the other parts of the building.
5. Why did you choose a glass block for your project?
The glass block seems to be a brilliant material to fulfil the above mentioned aspects. It lightens up in very pleasant way the space along the whole length of the building, it provides sound isolation and above all, the chosen type ensures half-an -hour fire resistance.
6. Why did you choose this particular glass block with this shape, colour, pattern?
I have chosen this type of glass block because I could use all its features/characteristics which the glass block offers and guarantees on the basis of exact requirements.
7. Can you describe technical details of this product?
It is a standard glass block from the catalogue with fire resistant qualities, clear colour and marked as 1919/10 30F (SHS).
8. Can you tell us something about the construction methods of the parts of the building where the glass blocks were used?
The initial idea was to compound the whole wall of the atrium from glass-concrete panels because this method provides maximal exactness and guarantee of compliance with the given technological process. The general supplier of the building together with the investor agreed to another process and the wall was built in the classical way, manually. Here I have certain reservations because I had an idea of more fine connecting material and this is according to my taste rather rough.
9. Could you please explain to us the conditions of the agreement that you had with the company Seves in order to obtain the final product which fulfils your needs?
I did not have any concrete, factual agreement with Seves but I can evaluate in very positive terms the professional cooperation that I had with the representative of your company from the birth of the project until the end. The schedule of the construction was the matter of the general supplier of the building who did not face any problems at all with supplies of your products during the construction process. The products were supplied on time, according to the agreed terms.
10. Are you satisfied with the final product when comparing it with your initial expectation?
My absolutely first idea was to use the glass block having the same size that was used by the architect Renzo Piano in Tokyo. Next, I was considering the glass block of the size 40x40, then 30x30 and at the end I used the above mentioned one which fully meets my idea. Finally, I unevenly divided the whole large surface of these glass blocks by colourful glass panels and this way, I achieved architectonically interesting and aesthetic effect. At the end, I am very satisfied.
11. Will you use the glass block specifically created for this project also for other projects or do you consider it as unique application created for this specific project?
As you already know I used standard glass blocks for this project which was also mainly due to the economic reasons. But if I could afford to have produced a glass block according to my requirements/design, I would not prevent my other colleagues -architects -to use the glass block designed by me also for their projects.
12. Could you give us your personal opinion, opinion of the architect, irrespective of the project about which we have just talked. To what kind of projects will the use of the glass blocks be the most appropriate?
In my opinion, the current glass block deserves much more applications than it has nowadays. I see it mainly in so called ignorance/backwardness of the clients in our country towards this product. In their prejudices created by the use of glass block in the past, in the places/spaces where the glass blocks were used, in their former bad quality, insufficient variety and design diversity. And also in not fully appreciating the genial characteristics which this product has.
At this moment, we have complete detailed project documentation for another big project -congress centre in Zlín. The construction will start next year. 75% of the circumference of this building will consist of glass-concrete panels with the use of glass block 30x30x10 etched on one side. Further, our studio prepares the project documentation of general reconstruction of hotel Avion and a residential complex. Both projects are realised in Brno and also contain considerable number of the glass blocks of different types
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