I look at architecture as a process that unfolds in time.
We can understand time through past-present-future paradigm and link architecture to a certain epoch. We can also look at time as periodic motion - a day turns night, a fall turns winter. Architecture responds to those circularities. We can perceive time as a linear process - as events that happen one after another. Architecture provides a space for these events.
I work with various dimensions - from microarchitecture to urban design - to explore time aspect in different scales. My interest lays in investigating how several timelines could intersect in one space, how room can transform into an entity that evolves through time.
education
2016-2021 Vienna
Vienna University of Technology, Architecture Bachelor (Architecture)
2021-now Vienna
Vienna University of Technology, Architecture Master (Architecture)
07/2016 - 10/2016 Moscow Bernaskoni /internship/ research in team
07/2016 - 10/2016 Moscow ub.design /internship/ participation in planning and model making
2022 Publication in the book “Space Tesselations - Experimenting with Parquet Deformations”, Werner Van Hoeydonck, Birkhäuser
2016 Publication in russian architecture magazine Archivestnik (due to the participation in the project of ub.design)
2014 Graduation from art school
a tale of petrzalka research, urban intervention concept bratislava, 2024
thaya self portrait art project production, exhibition drosendorf, 2022
the forgotten garden intervention concept genoa, 2024
residential, conversion concept vienna, 2021
bee village apiary concept, detailing goričko, 2020
research, urban intervention a tale of petrzalka
petrzalka: one of many
The most significant European mass housing projects arose in the aftermath of World War II, spanning almost four decades. These initiatives were a response to the destruction caused by the war and the subsequent rapid population growth, leading to a severe housing shortage. This era witnessed an unprecedented wave of new settlements and urban expansions, primarily driven by the urgent need for housing.
Simultaneously addressing societal reform and humanistic ideas of the post-war period, these large-scale settlements became not only a solution to housing shortages but also a canvas for experimenting with transformative concepts. While such extensive mass housing developments are no longer initiated, they remain an integral part of European cities, forming a fundamental component of the urban landscape.
Even today, the masses continue to inhabit these settlements, playing an essential role in most European cities. These neighborhoods are often stigmatized and neglected, evolving into areas where the disadvantaged segments of society are marginalized. Yet, they are reservoirs of potential and challenges, contributing to the complex tapestry of European cities.
Red Mass Housing
In mid-20th century socialist Eastern Europe, mass housing projects were integral to urban development, addressing housing shortages for expanding urban populations. These efficient structures, like Plattenbau in East Germany and bloki in Poland, quickly accommodated large numbers of residents. While they met housing demands, criticism arose for their standardized designs and neglect of aesthetics and individualized living spaces. The decline of socialist regimes marked the end of centralized mass housing projects, shifting post-socialist efforts to renovation, privatization, and adapting structures to modern living standards.
KISPEST,
part of the eastern bloc
In the 1970s, amid the iron grip of communist rule, Petrzalka emerged as a testament to the vision of a communist lifestyle. Conceived and constructed by the regime, it embodied the ideals of a society where predictability reigned supreme. This was a world where the rhythm of life was set to the beat of the same job for a lifetime, the formation of families, and occasional indulgences in simple pleasures like a night at the movies. Consumption was modest, shopping restrained, and being a part of the system meant fitting into the uniformity of panel house living.
Rooted in the urban planning principles of the Soviet Union, Petrzalka followed the microrayon model. Microrayon refers to a large, self-contained residential neighborhood designed as a basic unit of Soviet cities. The idea behind microrayons was to create functional, efficient living spaces that combined housing with social infrastructure. Here, the essentials of daily life — schools, kindergartens, grocery stores, and communal services — were all within arm‘s reach. Microrayons were meticulously designed to ensure that children could navigate their early education without ever crossing a road. Schools and kindergartens nestled within courtyards, creating safe havens where education and community intertwined seamlessly.
petrzalka: shift from communism
Fast forward to today, and the landscape of Petrzalka tells a different tale. The echoes of communism have faded into the background, giving way to the vibrant tapestry of democracy. Job changes are frequent, with the once steady career paths now meandering through various industries. The idea of family life, once a cornerstone, now competes with the allure of single living or cohabitation with friends. The schools, once the heartbeats of their microrayons, now face a new challenge. Parents, driven by choice rather than proximity, send their children to schools that align with their preferences. This shift has turned the tranquil courtyards into bustling thoroughfares, clogged with the morning rush of cars. The architects of the 1970s could not have foreseen the surge in vehicle ownership, and the once-green courtyards are now a mosaic of parking zones and neglected green spaces.
Another significant change was the shift in ownership. The privatization wave of the 1990s created a new class of homeowners, placing the responsibility for maintaining the neighborhood on their shoulders, unlike in the past when the government handled it. On a positive note, privatization helped these neighborhoods avoid the fate of many Western prefabricated housing projects, which often transformed into ghettos.
(independence from AustroHungary)
the Berlin Wall, Velvet Revolution in Czechoslovakia (ended the communist rule)
Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia
MOSCOW
petrzalka: compared to bratislava sity centre
Petrzalka is a unique example of panel housing situated so close to the city center, where the old and new worlds face each other, divided by the river. Despite its openness and vastness, Petrzalka has very few public functions. Like in most microrayons, these are limited to just a few grocery stores for basic necessities, making Petržalka more of a ‚sleeping city.‘ In contrast, the city center thrives with numerous shops, cafes, offices, music halls, and galleries, drawing most people there for their free time or work.
Stare Mesto (Bratislava Old City) density: ca. 1,75
Petrzalka density: ca. 0,90
Sienna Piazza del Campo
Rome Piazza San Pietro
petrzalka today: emptiness and fragmentation
petrzalka today: neighbourhood and community
petrzalka: filling in the blank spaces
Based on the analysis of current needs of Petrzalka, a new vision for the neighborhood emerges. The essence of this proposal lies in the concept of a megastructure, that both separate and connect the courtyards, breathing new life into the existing spaces. This megastructure is designed to be versatile, with high ceilings and minimal structural elements, offering a canvas for a myriad of functions - whether it‘s living spaces, offices, exhibitions, or yetto-be-discovered functions.
In response to the existing emptiness and the challenge of parking, each courtyard is given its own unique theme: such as secret garden, sanctuary for depressed artists, markethall, olympic village. Some of those topics are integrated in the continious building, when the others need their own structuresuch as an art gallery or a sports hall.
Alongside these grand gestures, smaller yet impactful changes are proposed in the outdoor area. New types of outdoor spaces such as markethall or individual cells for outdoor work are planned. New pathways weave through the fabric of Petrzalka. This vision for Petrzalka is not just about physical changes; it‘s about fostering a sense of community, innovation, and sustainability. It‘s about creating spaces where people can live, work, play, and connect.
big volumes: ancoring big functions patchwork: creating transparency for public areas
megarstructure: stitching the urban fabric together
OF
megastructure: regular floor plan
szenario: two single mothers raising their kids together + two retired teachers, who founded their own language school
self portrait
art project production of an object in scale 1:1 + exhibition group project drosendorf / vienna, 2022
thaya
The curvature of the river Thaya could be a reason why Drosendorf was founded at that particular place in Lower Austria. The river protects the town, provides water, food and energy for its residents. We have set ourselves the task of devoting our attention to the Thaya by constructing a drawing machine, that reacts to the movement of the water and captures it. Drawings or “self portraits of Thaya” are produces in various spots on the river curve and vary in the production time from one hour to the whole afternoon.
exhibition
https://vimeo.com/735910520
the forgotten garden
intervention group project genoa, 2024
palazzo tursi: historical context
The history of Palazzo Doria Tursi in Genoa began in the 16th century with the creation of Strada Nuova, an early example of urban planning. This street introduced a novel concept of public space—a linear theater where the grand residences of Genoa’s elite showcased their wealth and lifestyle to the public. Palazzo Doria Tursi stands out among these residences, occupying three plots instead of the usual one.
On either side of the palazzo, gardens with loggias overlook the street, integrating green spaces with urban architecture. Originally designed with symmetry, the ground floor of the palazzo now presents a contrast: one garden is well-maintained and open to the public, while the other is overgrown, underused, and closed off. In the densely populated city center, where green spaces are increasingly valuable amidst the challenges of climate change, the neglected garden represents a significant missed opportunity.
The proposed intervention is straightforward yet transformative: to revitalize the neglected garden and convert it into a vibrant public space. Positioned between the historic palazzo and the street, this project aims to reimagine the unused garden, turning it into an inviting and accessible area. A diagonal staircase will connect the garden level with the street level via the existing entrance in the loggia, inviting people to explore and engage with the space.The revitalized garden is envisioned as more than just a green space; it can become a venue for performance, art, and exhibitions.
adapting the structure of silos for residential use concept, detailing group project vienna, 2021 wohnfeld
This project is an utopic fantasy about our life forms. The action takes place in an cellular silo structure. It is a grid with colums and beams, one grid unit is 3,5mx3,5m or 4x4m.
The appartments coexist with each other inside the “playfield” as if they were playing chess, interacting with each other, changing their dimensions, ruining the borders and establishing the new ones.
The border between private and community spaces is adjustable.
The center of the field contains a communal kitchen - a place to interact. From here the living spaces are getting more and more private with each “floodgate”. By opening or closing the “floodgates” the residents are able to decide how much privacy they want at each point of time.
1. original plan
2. breaking the middle part to create two clean “fields” and adding one more row to the left one to align the front
3. arranging the rooms on the fields according to their function
couples loft
singles loft mini-loft
family house
student cells
bee village
bachelor final project: Prof. Andras Palffy apiary concept, detailing individual project goricko, 2020
masterplan
The plot for the apiary is located in the Goričko Landscape Park next to the Grad Castle.
Reference: historic timber construction in Slovenia
The project involves designing living and working spaces for both humans and bees. The masterplan is organised the way they have little interaction to keep a natural habitat for the bees clear from possible distractions. Only one road for the beekeeper is planned in the back of the beehives, which helps him to collect honey and observe bees when needed. The field in the south is meant to be a main working zone for the bees and it is kept roadfree.
The construction of bee shelves is based on the historic slovenian timber constructions.
The project deals with the delicacy of planning on the protected natural land by using as minimum construction as possible with the little connection points to the plot. So, the beehives are placed on the fixed wooden shelves, that need small point foundations. And the units for human activities are also placed on the shelves and elevated from the level of the land.
Wood is a main material. It has its specific characteristics and one of them is honesty. Every joint is visible and each beam has its meaning.
The construction is lightweight and uses as little wood as possible. The goal is to blend it in with the existing landscape. It is adapted for a human scale, yet it is not a part of human infrastructure.
Those units are designed for various functions like honey production, temporary living, showroom and due to its small size can be replaced if the manufacture needs another layout without demolishing and reconstructing the whole structure.
beekeeper’s temporary living unit
beekeeper’s team unit
experiments
breathing structure
2023, individual study
The goal of the experiment is to create a folding pattern, that allows a piece of paper to become more or less dense and change its shape throughout the process. Different figures appear depending on how “closed” the folds are.
