Colloquium Modernism Revisited is a two-day professional event for both domestic and international participants – professionals in culture and architecture as well as independent scholars and researchers – in line with the conceptual framework of the project Modernism Revisited. It is prepared and organized in cooperation with the partner Docomomo Slovakia, with a focus on reflection and the contested histories of 20th-century architecture.
The colloquium will explore and critically reflect on architecture, urbanism, and landscape strategies of the interwar and postwar periods that significantly shaped the development of Trenčín and its region. During the two-day program, a selected group of experts in architecture, urbanism, and landscape architecture will convene to form the advisory board for the upcoming international conference Modernism Revisited 2026, developed in close collaboration with ETOM NEB Lab – an official project within the New European Bauhaus initiative. The main aim will be to define the thematic direction and program structure of the conference, while also opening a discussion on how modernist architecture and urbanism can remain vibrant and relevant in today’s global and regional contexts – from the climate crisis and economic instability to migration dynamics.
The colloquium will address topics of recreation, housing, renewal, and adaptation within the broader frameworks of architecture, urbanism, and landscape. Special attention will be given to the Trenčín region – its natural landscape, industrial history, and the spa town of Trenčianske Teplice. Discussions will also focus on the ongoing efforts to restore the Machnáč spa house (1932) to its original avant-garde form, alongside the presentation of local architectural discourse.
The colloquium will provide a space for sharing expertise, strategies, and inspirations with the aim of seeking new ways to rediscover and reimagine modernism for the needs of the 21st century.
