Slovak University of Agriculture in Nitra

They were accompanied on the university grounds by doc. Ing. arch. Roberta Štěpánková, PhD. The campus of today's SUA in Nitra is one of the architectural sites protected as monuments in Slovakia. The artistic, structural and urbanistic qualities of the Nitra university campus by architects Vladimír Dedeček and Rudolf Miňovský are described as a jewel of the world post-war modern movement.

Roberta Štěpánková in her presentation in the SUA Assembly hall explained to the architects the history of the creation of the university campus, objects that are cultural monuments or were awarded as architectural objects. Subsequently, the guests viewed selected classrooms that are interestingly designed, e.g. lit from both sides, as well as workplaces where the original architectural elements have been preserved.

Compass studio architect Peter Dostál and studio founder and artistic director Juraj Benetin shared their impressions with us.

As Peter Dostál said, even after Dedeček's gallery was recently renovated and opened – the Slovak National Gallery in Bratislava, he believes that the Slovak public will discover the work of this important architect even more. "I have no doubt that SUA belongs to Vladimír Dedeček's main works. This building is unique in a global context. Architect Dedeček was obviously inspired by his Brazilian colleague Oscar Niemeyer, who is considered one of the greats of 20th century architecture. When we look at his project - the building of the National Congress in Brazil, we find many common denominators with the SUA building, but also with the entire urbanism, the layout of the campus. They are unique solutions that are often unaffordable today. We architects perceive them as touching high-quality and honest materials. And we like that very much. We find a lot of inspiration here.”

Juraj Benetin fully agrees that the SUA building is considered the most important building in Slovak architecture. "There is a wonderful connection of the exterior with the interior, it is a campus, it is not just a solo building. In the architecture of the 60s, in late modernism, which is very prominent in Slovakia, it is difficult to find another work that would communicate as well with its environment as the campus of SUA.“