ARCHITECT@WORK for the second time in Prague. A format that already has its audience

ARCHITECT@WORK took place for the second time on June 17 and 18, 2026, in Hall 1 of PVA EXPO PRAHA in Letňany. Following last year's premiere, which introduced this concept to the Czech professional audience for the first time, this year it returned to the exhibition space with significantly greater interest from both companies and visitors. More than seventy exhibitors presented current innovative novelties designed for architectural and interior practices.

Innovations vetted by an expert jury

The principle of the event remained true to its original concept. Only products that are first assessed by an expert jury composed of architects and interior designers are included in the trade fair program. They primarily evaluate whether it is a genuinely innovative novelty, its relevance to the Czech market, and whether professionals can realistically work with it in their practice.

“In the first year, we felt a certain skepticism because people didn't yet know what to expect. This year, on the other hand, they came with clear interest and were looking forward to what they would discover here. The potential for which we designed this format is beginning to be realized,” says Magda Horčicová, the organizer of the Prague edition of ARCHITECT@WORK. The increase in interest was reflected directly in visitor numbers, with this year's edition welcoming 36% more individuals, totaling 1,312.

The same logic was supported by the uniform architecture of the exhibition stands. All companies were given comparable space for presentation, which allowed the quality of the products themselves to come to the forefront. Consequently, the exhibition area remained clear, and visitors easily found individual product areas – from surfaces, lighting, and other interior furnishings to facade and construction systems, as well as technologies and digital services.

“Our goal is for architects and interior designers to find representatives from all important product areas here. Therefore, we monitor the balance in individual categories. We do not want to offer fifty brands of lighting and only one company with facade systems. To maximize the visit's value, the selection must be diverse yet clear,” adds Magda Horčicová.

This year's ARCHITECT@WORK Prague also received accreditation from the Czech Chamber of Architects within the framework of the Lifelong Learning program. In addition to showcasing product novelties, the fair also offered the ARCHITECT@WORK Academy lecture program, curated by the online architecture magazine EARCH.cz, and a material exhibition Future Materials Lab. All lectures can also be viewed retroactively on the A@WX web interface.

ARCHITECT@WORK Academy on the theme of transformation

The lectures focused on the theme of transformation from various perspectives – from the transformation of post-war cities and industrial heritage to the reconstruction of buildings from the recent past, and finally to landscape development in smaller municipalities.

Igor Kovačević from CCEA MOBA presented the SuperMost project, which focuses on the transformation of 1970s architecture in Most. Jiří Zábran and Josef Houška spoke about the conversion of the Pitter paper mill in Plzeň. Landscape architect Magdalena Smetanová presented a set of recommendations that helps small towns and municipalities cultivate and develop the landscape in their surroundings.

Jan Zikmund from the Research Center for Industrial Heritage at the Faculty of Architecture of Czech Technical University discussed the possibilities for further use of historical industrial architecture. Markéta Veličková and Petr Velička from M&P architekti then demonstrated how architectural competitions can help improve public spaces. Štefan Šulek from SOA architects approached the reconstruction of the Křižíkovy pavilions from the 1990s at Výstaviště Praha.

The lecture program received accreditation from the Czech Chamber of Architects within the framework of the lifelong learning program. It was curated by the online architecture magazine EARCH.cz. All lectures can also be viewed retroactively on the A@WX web interface.

Exhibitions: materials of the future, inspirations from around the world, and performative demolition

The theme of responsible resource use was developed through the Future Materials Lab exhibition and lecture by architect Iva Bastlová. She presented materials from natural, recycled, and upcycled sources and opened the question of what sustainability in construction and design genuinely means today.

The exhibition program was further enhanced by the installation of Italian artist Raffaele Salvoldi, who works with Kapla wooden blocks. A large sculpture of an imaginative palace was created directly in the exhibition space, which the author demolished in a performative gesture at the end of the fair.

The ARCHITECT@WORK Prague also included the Project Wall exhibition prepared in collaboration with the World-Architects platform. It showcased forty realizations from around the world, focusing on lightweight structures and principles of simplicity in construction.

The second edition confirmed that ARCHITECT@WORK has found its place in Prague and that interest in this format continues to grow. Over two days in Letňany, architects, interior designers, and other professionals from the field gathered to familiarize themselves with novelties, talk directly with their manufacturers, and share experiences from their own practices. Thus, the fair was not just a showcase of products but also an opportunity for conversations and meetings that can continue beyond the exhibition hall.

We can already look forward to the third edition of ARCHITECT@WORK Prague, which will take place on June 16 and 17, 2027, again at PVA EXPO PRAHA in Letňany.