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SOFFA: JOY FROM THE HEART OF EUROPE Discover the best and the most beautiful from the Czech Republic and Central Europe: exquisite design, inspirational stories, unknown interiors and hidden gems well worth your visit.
© SOFFA, s.r.o. 2017 | All rights reserved www.soffamag.com | info@soffamag.com Cover photo: Josef Kubíček
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Editorial | Nicely Czech Travel | Munich in The Summer Interior | Long Story Short Design piknik | Design Summer in Počátky
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Editorial
NICELY CZECH! n
Returning overland from my annual vacation to the Danish island of Bornholm – about which you will read in the August print issue – culture shock awaited at the first petrol station on the Czech side of the border. For those not familiar with this experience, I will share some of the details – filthy toilets, crude sales assistants with five competing shades of hair dye, screaming signage and other cringeworthy cultural blunders. I must admit I felt more anxious and helpless than I have felt for a long time. But there’s nothing like a good challenge of cultural edification to get the SOFFA team excited about working on our online issue. And in the process I have realised that things are not quite as bad as they may seem. All you need do is admire the beautiful interior of a new hostel in the centre of Olomouc, or read our interview with the spirited team behind Designpiknik. I hope your summer is full of wonderful encounters that are nice and Czech! Adéla Kudrnová | editor in chief
THE FIRST CZECH SLOW LIVING MAGAZINE SOFFA, the magazine that inspires readers the world over, is now published in two language versions: English and Czech.
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ON THE ROAD: EXHIBITION OF THE WORK OF BOB DYLAN The exhibition subtitled ‘The unknown side of the famous musician‘ is on view in the Cross Hall of Prague’s Old Town Hall until 31 August 2017. Showcasing the renowned singer songwriter and recent Nobel laureate as a talented visual artist, the exhibition features over 50 of Dylan’s prints as well as 20 LP covers and photographs by Alan Pajer. Offer valid if payment received between 19. 6. 2017 and 1. 8. 2017 and while supplies last. Once payment is credited, you will receive the first available SOFFA issue and a ticket to the exhibition ‘Bob Dylan: On the Road’ as a gift. The Terms of Sale for annual subscriptions and information about SOFFA’s Privacy Policy can be found at shop.soffamag.com; the Terms and Conditions of Sale [Obchodní podmínky předplatného] of the subscription service provider can be found at send.cz.
Travel
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MUNICH IN THE SUMMER PLANNING YOUR SUMMER HOLIDAYS? BE SURE TO ADD BAVARIA’S CAPITAL TO YOUR LIST. THE SEEMINGLY QUIET METROPOLIS WILL SURPRISE NOT ONLY WITH ITS RICH HISTORY, BUT ALSO ITS BUZZING ART AND ENTERTAINMENT SCENES. text and photo: Patrik Florián
ALTHOUGH MUNICH IS CONSIDERED THE QUIETER AND MORE SOPHISTICATED SIBLING TO BOHEMIAN BERLIN, IT KNOWS HOW TO PLEASE – AND NOT ONLY WITH BIKE RIDES, BEER AND WHITE SAUSAGE, OR SOFT PRETZELS DISGUISED AS BREAKFAST. THE GREEN CITY WITH PERFECTED INFRASTRUCTURE IS A TRANSPORT, ECONOMIC AND TECHNOLOGICAL HUB, AND IN ADDITION TO IMPRESSIVE TRADITIONAL BUILDINGS, IT BOASTS SEVERAL GEMS OF MODERN ARCHITECTURE.
Nearly 1.5 million people call Germany’s third largest city their home. For years Munich has been luring ambitious and enterprising brains from all across the world, and they say that business blooms there as well as nature. Since the year 1506, when Munich became the centre of its region, the city has been one of the richest, most dynamic and most advanced of European cities. It is therefore not surprising that Munich is regularly listed as one of the most liveable cities in the world. Munich is a city of the future that knows how to honour its past. Beer, pretzels, lederhosen, maypoles, Christmas markets and yodelling are all taken as seriously as German business principles and entrepreneurship opportunities. At the dawn of the new millennium Munich realised that it was lacking in modern art and subculture, and today a week would not suffice for a thorough excursion into the local culture scene. Historical sites that sustained great damage during the Second World War have been fully reconstructed, and their grandeur will take your breath away. You will also marvel at modern architectural gems such as the Academy of Fine Arts [Akademie der Bildenden Kunste], the Allianz Arena, the BMW headquarters and the 1972 Olympic Park. For a breath of fresh air head to the English Garden, the lungs of the city that are larger than New York’s Central Park, and for a summer swim take a short trip out of the city to Lake Starnberg or Lake Ammer [Ammersee]. With the many options on offer in and near Munich, you will never be at a loss for what to do. And thanks to its strategic location, Munich is also a great base from which to explore other wonders of Germany. For more information go to www.muenchen.de ■
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THIS PAGE AND RIGHT: The two onion domes of the Church of Our Lady (Frauenkirche) are among Munich‘s most famous symbols. The cathedral has a rich history, but the most interesting of its features is the footprint in the floor near the entrance, believed to have been left by the Devil himself. Munich’s modern art gallery, the Pinakothek der Moderne, was designed by the German architect Stephan Braunfels and completed in 2002. It boasts one of the largest collections of modern art in the world.
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THIS SPREAD: The museum quarter known as Kunstareal includes three ‘Pinakotheken’ galleries – the Old, New and Modern – the Glyptothek featuring Greek and Roman sculptures, the State Collection of Greek and Roman Antiquities, the Lenbachhaus art museum, and the Brandhorst Museum, which spotlights a private collection of modern art.
LEFT AND THIS PAGE: The Olympic Village built in 1972 has a dark history, but today its colourful houses and street art exude a charming, quaint atmosphere. One part of the village is now a conventional neighbourhood while another serves as student accommodation. A flower field next to a road, where you can pick your own bouquet and pay at the exit by throwing your money into a barrel.
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THIS SPREAD: The Olympic Park was built for the 1972 summer Olympic Games and to this day it serves as Munich’s centre for sport and entertainment. The master plan for the sports and recreation area was developed by Günther Behnisch and partners. The landscape layout was designed by the landscape architect Günther Grzimek and the eye-catching tensile structure that covers much of the park is credited to the architect and engineer Frei Otto and to Günther Behnisch.
Interior
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LONG STORY SHORT A BRAND NEW HOSTEL WITH AN INTRIGUING NAME HAS OPENED ITS DOORS IN THE HISTORICAL CENTRE OF OLOMOUC, OFFERING STYLISH ACCOMMODATION IN CONGENIAL SURROUNDINGS THAT BEAUTIFULLY MARRY HISTORY WITH MODERN COMFORTS. text: Adam Štěch | photo: hostel archive / Josef Kubíček
THE HOSTEL’S NAME – LONG STORY SHORT – REFERS NOT ONLY TO THE RICH HISTORY OF THE PLACE, BUT ALSO TO THE BUILDING’S LONG SHAPE AND THE SHORT-TERM ACCOMMODATION IT NOW PROVIDES. YOU WILL FIND IT IN A BRICK BUILDING KNOWN AS PODKOVA [HORSESHOE] DATING BACK TO THE SEVENTEENTH CENTURY, LOCATED A FEW MINUTES’ WALK FROM THE OLOMOUC TOWN SQUARE AND ITS MANY HISTORICAL SITES.
Long Story Short is the brainchild of the young, audacious entrepreneur Eva Dlabalová, who sought inspiration for several years on her travels and stays abroad. In collaboration with the interior designer Denisa Strmisková and with the building owner, Eva Dlabalová transformed an entire floor of the expansive historical Podkova into a welcoming, cosmopolitan accommodation for nomads of all kinds as well as discerning clients from Czechia and abroad. The spatial design artist Denisa Strmisková (www.denisastrmiskova.com) worked on the hostel design for two years with the aim to highlight the building’s historical genius loci and to enrich it with well-considered contemporary design. Everything was custom-designed – from the fittings to the furnishings and the overall artistic vision. Local manufacturers including Master & Master and RAV Slezák were engaged in furnishing the rooms with beds, mirrors, lighting, shelving and bathroom fittings. The designer paired the new pieces with twentieth century modernist design, selected with the help of Miroslav Bednář from Prague’s Retro objects, and added elegant modern touches with Berker Bakelite light switches and light fixtures from the Spanish company Marset. Interior lighting was also supplied by Bulb and Ewerel. Book your next stay in Olomouc at www.longstoryshort.cz ■
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THIS SPREAD: In addition to a comfortable bed, the hostel offers a breakfast service and light refreshments in a small bistro, which serves up excellent soups, sandwiches and desserts.
THIS PAGE AND RIGHT: The hostel provides accommodation in several private as well as common rooms, with a total capacity of 56 beds. The vaulted corridor that leads guests from the reception area to their rooms changes shape with every angle, and surprises at every turn. Its organic forms are enhanced with subtle yet highly sophisticated lighting, which was inspired by Denisa Strmiskovå’s experience in set design.
LEFT: The minimalist signage, part of the hostel’s overall visual style, is the work of the Czech graphic designer Jan Košátko.
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THIS SPREAD: The reception area, which also functions as a meeting space and a cafĂŠ, is the beating heart of the Long Story Short hostel, whose U-shaped floor plan wraps around a central courtyard. The stark white plaster walls stand out against black design elements and the carefully chosen pastels of the upholstery on the chairs and sofas, which are clustered into several intimate zones.
Design piknik
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DESIGN SUMMER IN POČÁTKY WHERE WILL YOU BE ON THE SECOND WEEKEND OF AUGUST? WE ARE HEADING TO THE SECOND ANNUAL DESIGN PIKNIK. IF YOU ARE ON THE FENCE ABOUT GOING, READ OUR INTERVIEW WITH THE FESTIVAL FOUNDERS. text: Helena Novotná | photo: Adéla Havelková and Design piknik archive
IN OUR MAY ONLINE ISSUE WE TOLD YOU ABOUT THE ANNUAL FESTIVAL KNOWN AS KŘEHKÝ MIKULOV [DELICATE MIKULOV], WHICH PRESENTS THE BEST OF CZECH DESIGN IN THE BEAUTIFUL SURROUNDS OF THE MIKULOV CASTLE. HERE WE ARE HAPPY TO INTRODUCE ANOTHER GREAT FESTIVAL THAT HAS SUCCEEDED IN PULLING CZECH DESIGN OUT OF THE CAPITAL CITY – DESIGN PIKNIK, TAKING PLACE THIS YEAR ON 12 AUGUST IN THE TOWN OF POČÁTKY [BEGINNINGS]. FOR THIS STORY WE SPOKE WITH THE FESTIVAL FOUNDERS AND ORGANISERS: JAN VOHARČÍK, VENDULA ŠIMÁČKOVÁ, MAGDALÉNA RYCHTOVÁ AND MICHAL KEŠNER, AND YES, THEY ALL COME FROM POČÁTKY.
The name Design Piknik suggests a curious combination of design and food, and there are concerts throughout the day. Where did the idea originate to bring design, food and music together in one event? Jan: It began in 2015, when we were looking for a new initiative for Počátky. It’s not that nothing happens in Počátky, our hometown, but the place was lacking a really interesting event. All four of us are inspired by design, music and food. We liked the idea of a small picnic, maybe in an orchard, something quite refined. And then it somehow turned into a project we now know as Design Piknik. In the first year the organising team included Magdaléna, Michal and me. Vendula was a visitor at the first picnic, she liked what she saw, and she got involved.
food and music – something the name ‘Design Piknik’ captures to the ‘t’. Jan: Some people came in the morning with a straw hat in one hand and a picnic basket in the other. We filled their baskets with everything Design Piknik offered: wine, cider, good food. This way they could spend the whole day in great comfort. But it was a real scorcher of a day – maybe the hottest of the year! Where in Počátky will the event take place this year? Jan: We wanted to bring life into an old, unused space, and so the idea came to hold the picnic in the old bus station complex. I think this alone will be interesting for many people. Did this unusual location complicate things? Jan: It took about six months of hard work and negotiations, but it all worked out in the end.
What was the first festival like? Magdaléna: The event truly reflected the concept of a picnic. We had wooden pallets scattered throughout the site to create inviting picnic platforms. People could spend a very pleasant day with
What will visitors enjoy at this year’s Design Piknik? Michal: It depends on what time people arrive, but I would definitely arrive early and start with a first round ►
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THIS PAGE: The founders and organisers of Design Piknik – Jan Voharčík, Vendula Šimáčková, Magdaléna Rychtová and Michal Kešner – all come from Počátky. RIGHT: Design Piknik promises excellent food, beautiful design and lots of music and fun. The organisers have planned for a covered option in case of bad weather.
visit to all the designers to see who is exhibiting this year. Then it’s an ideal time to have a picnic breakfast or brunch to the sound of live music. I would then go back to the designers for a longer chat. The atmosphere is really very organic. We know that several designers who met here last year have since collaborated on other projects. In this way the event is interesting not only for visitors, but also for exhibitors. And it’s definitely worth staying the whole day for the music and the food. There will be lots of it!
Počátky, will be exhibiting at the event. We are thrilled to have made contact with Brokis to showcase the glassmaking tradition of Vysočina. We are also excited about seeing Mooyyy jewellery, which collaborates with the designer Lucie Koldová. But I think I speak for everyone when I say we are mostly looking forward to the festival’s atmosphere. The first year of the festival was really wonderful, with no problems except for a short-lived power outage. But we are better prepared this year! Jan: I think that every part of Design Piknik – music, food and design – will offer only the best. We are working hard to bring interesting people, design and ideas to Počátky, and hope that everyone will find something that will inspire and entertain.
Who will be this year’s crowd-puller? Vendula: As far as the music is concerned, it’s definitely Aneta Langerová. I think that her music style is the right match for our event. As far as the designers are concerned, that’s hard to say – they are all excellent. Magdaléna: But we can share some of the highlights. The premium lighting brand Brokis, which has its glassworks located less than ten kilometres from
For more information about the festival, visit the Design Piknik Facebook page at www.facebook.com/designpiknik. ■
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WIN YOUR ENTRY TO DESIGN PIKNIK! Win a ticket to this year’s Design Piknik. Write to info@soffamag.com (subject: Designpiknik) and tell us what you are most looking forward to at this year’s festival. Full contest rules at www.soffamag.com
www.facebook.com/designpiknik/
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BOB DYLAN: ON THE ROAD The exhibition subtitled The unknown side of the famous musician is on view in the Cross Hall of Prague’s Old Town Hall until 31 August 2017. Showcasing the renowned singer songwriter and recent Nobel laureate as a talented visual artist, the exhibition features over 50 of Dylan’s prints as well as 20 LP covers and photographs by Alan Pajer.
GOAP GALLERY STAROMĚSTSKÉ NÁMĚSTÍ 15 PRAHA 1 INFO@GOAP.CZ
EDITORIAL STAFF
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Adéla Kudrnová I editor in chief adela@soffamag.com Lenka Hlaváčová I art director & designer lenka@soffamag.com Yasmin Keshmiri Hejduk I creative editor yasmin@soffamag.com Lina Németh I photographer lina@soffamag.com Adéla Havelková I photographer & graphic designer adela.h@soffamag.com Helena Novotná I editor & distribution helena@soffamag.com Patrik Florián I editor & fashion stylist patrik@soffamag.com Aleksandra Sidorina I production manager & make-up artist aleksa@soffamag.com Max Smrčka I production manager max@soffamag.com Terézia Bělčáková I sales manager terezia@soffamag.com Naďa Fidrmucová I sales manager nada@soffamag.com Petr Novák I sales mananger petr@soffamag.com
Ingrid Martonova I English translation Peter Stannard I English revision & proofreading
CONTRIBUTORS Adam Štěch I text Josef Kubíček I photography
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