Reflection of Architecture 2025 - Lecture Series at STU BA

The project maps the architectural scenes of selected countries and has so far reflected the contemporary architectural scene of Slovakia, the Czech Republic, Austria, Slovenia, Germany, Norway, Hungary, Poland, and Ukraine. This year, as part of the lecture series, the contemporary British architectural scene will be presented. The selection of speakers includes personalities representing the most important tendencies in contemporary British architecture. The lectures will be held in English (in the Auditorium of the Faculty of Architecture at STU) every day at 6:00 PM - the public is warmly welcomed. The presentations will include moderated discussions with the audience.
The performances are recorded, archived, and accessible even after the event ends.
As part of the project, materials are created that document the contemporary architectural discussion and serve as publicly available sources of information. The format of Architecture Reflections also includes a series of monographs capturing the lectures and critical audience responses. Architecture Reflections will take place in Room 117 of the Faculty of Architecture and Design in Bratislava, which is open to architects, students, and the general public interested in architecture.
The cycle, which was created in collaboration with the British Embassy, will open on October 6, 2025, with an introductory lecture by David West.
All lectures will be streamed and archived on Facebook and YouTube channels of Reflections.

Information on individual speakers:
*Lectures will be held in English

06/10 David West
Studio Egret West
David West is a founding partner of the Studio Egret West studio. He operates at the intersection of urban visions, architecture, and contextual interventions, particularly in large and complex regeneration projects. His studio focuses on quality building density, ecological thinking in landscapes, mixed urban communities, and the “second life” of locations. Studio Egret West is also preparing the significant ESET Campus project in Bratislava, and West co-authored the publication Rationally Growing City about polycentric Bratislava. Their work also includes the adaptation of the iconic brutalist Trellick Tower in London.
 
20/10 John Allan
Avanti Architects
John Allan is the director of Avanti Architects and is primarily known for his work in the preservation and restoration of modern movement architecture. Avanti specializes in the reconstruction and modernization of listed modernist buildings, as well as integrating new builds into historic or otherwise sensitive environments. Allan is also the author of publications on Lubetkin, the modern movement, and the preservation of modernist buildings.
 
03/11 Adam Caruso
Caruso St. John Architects
Caruso St John are recognized for their sensitive adaptation of existing buildings and for approaches that respect historical context and materials. They won the prestigious RIBA Stirling Prize in 2016 for Newport Street Gallery – converting several industrial Victorian buildings, linking new and old, and high-quality detailing. Their work also includes internationally known projects such as the reconstruction and extension of Tate Britain or Newport Street Gallery in London. Recently, they have been focusing on sustainable architecture through the adaptation of existing structures, as demonstrated by their award-winning project Royale Belge in Brussels – converting a brutalist administrative building for new use.
 
24/11 Owen Hatherley
Writer and editor
Owen Hatherley is a writer, critic, and historian who focuses on 20th-century architecture and urbanism. He particularly examines modernism, post-war planning, socialist and communist environments, and how built environments reflect social and political histories. He is the author of several books, including Militant Modernism, Landscapes of Communism, and A Guide to the New Ruins of Great Britain. He regularly publishes in architectural magazines, newspapers, and cultural magazines.
 
01/12 Cristina Monteiro
DK-CM Studio
Cristina Monteiro is a co-founder of the London studio DK-CM, which combines architecture, research, and strategy with an emphasis on social and environmental impact. Her work repeatedly addresses the theme of adaptive reuse of existing buildings, the diagnosis of the building stock, and designs that emphasize resilience, low carbon footprint, and long-term sustainability. The studio works on cultural projects as well as public assignments.
 
08/12 Clementine Blakemore
Clementine Blakemore Architects
Clementine Blakemore is a young generation architect from London, renowned for her emphasis on craftsmanship, material work, and the social dimension of architecture. Her studio focuses on smaller yet significant projects (often realized through participation or partially self-built), which combine sustainability, natural materials, and community engagement. Examples include a music pavilion for St John’s School or the Wraxall Yard project in Dorset.