An exhibition of studio projects by students from the Department of Garden and Landscape Architecture of the Faculty of Agrobiology, Food and Natural Resources at the Czech University of Life Sciences Prague is currently on display in the MCEV II building. This diverse showcase of student work is open to the public until 16 June.
As every year, the exhibition presents projects focused on landscape architecture, landscape structures, terrain modifications, water features, park designs, recreational areas and cultural landscapes. The exhibition also includes works from art courses, displayed in room D636. All the imaginative designs created by the department’s students are well worth seeing. Authorised landscape architect Matouš Jebavý heads the department. At the opening ceremony on 2 June, he particularly highlighted the high quality of the master’s projects. “Their designs already represent distinctive perspectives on specific areas. Models, posters and books accompany them. Among the other studios, I would also mention the one I led, in which we worked with the Prague 4 municipal district on improvements to the Vltava riverbank from the harbour in Podolí all the way to the boundary of this district.”
Most of the exhibited student works remain on paper; they are studies, and their implementation would be financially demanding. Even so, some municipal districts draw inspiration from them, and in Prague 4, for example, several less costly elements have already been used.
The Department of Garden and Landscape Architecture has undergone significant development in recent years, as its head, Matouš Jebavý, emphasises. “Last year, we received ten-year accreditation for the bachelor’s and master’s programmes in landscape architecture from the National Accreditation Bureau of the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports. At the end of the year, we also received five-year accreditation from the International Federation of Landscape Architects, IFLA. After completing the master’s degree programme, our graduates are awarded the title Ing. arch. We would now like to stabilise our teaching staff and the study programme to meet all our commitments. I am pleased that a large number of students are applying to study with us. We currently have 205 applications for the bachelor’s programme, while we can admit only 32 students, so the demand is enormous.”
Most students of the department find employment in the field they studied whether in landscape architecture studios, at the National Heritage Institute, in environmental departments of municipal authorities, or in similar institutions.
Associate Professor Jebavý also has plans for the CZU campus. After Professor Mareček, he took over the role of “guarantor” of the landscape design concept and continues to develop it consistently. “We have managed to keep the campus in good condition so that it functions as a unified whole. We will now discuss further nature-based solutions on the campus with the university management. I do not want to anticipate the outcome, as much will depend on funding. The first sign of this approach is the flowering meadow near the campus entrance, where daisies and sages are now in full bloom.”
