Zdeněk Zavřel belongs to the now somewhat forgotten generation of architects, which was severely marked by senseless fluctuations in the cultural and political development of post-war Czechoslovakia.
The possibilities of using their abilities and talents were very limited. With few exceptions, they were not allowed to participate in the visible architectural milestones of their time.
He closed after graduating from architecture and got his first foreign internships at the now legendary Liberec Kindergarten SIAL.
During the depressive years of normalization, he went to the Netherlands, where he experienced the adventures of an unknown emigrant and later managed to excel in the environment of an advanced architectural superpower.
After the Velvet Revolution, he helped with changes in the Czech architectural environment on a democratic basis. In the last stage of his professional life, he used the experience gained and participated in the teaching of young architects at his alma mater, the Prague Faculty of Architecture of the Czech Technical University, even as its long-term dean.
Zavrel's memories create a unique chronicle of an interesting professional life in a broader European context.