myCode

From an online catalogue to a website
The idea of myCode was born at the end of 2004 and the beginning of 2005 during the boom of Internet in the Czech Republic. It all began with the decision of Radek Krčil, the owner of the company 3D H. Interiér, to set up an on-line design product catalogue for the public. The company 3D H. Interiér sells top design furniture and, at the same time, belongs to one of the leading companies realizing modern interiors. Since 1990s, the company also works closely with the best Czech architects. This means that the idea to make a wide range of world design products available for the public evolved naturally from the company’s daily activities and the collaboration of the company’s team with a number of Czech architects.

PrThe first two years: information source for architects and designers
Building an extensive website gradually evolved into the creation of an independent information source. The first two years reaffirmed the initial idea of the founder. In the period of 2006-2007, myCode made information on hundreds of good quality products and the profiles of famous as well as less known world designers accessible to a wide audience. During this period, the website was improved: expert articles and new interactive options of communicating with the visitors were added to the website. A rapidly increasing visit rate of myCode website was not only a reflection of the growth of Czech Internet, but also of the public interest in quality information from the field of design and architecture.

New partners join in
Our effort to develop this project brought more partners to the table. Apart from brands represented by the founding company 3D H. Interiér, other highly respected Czech and European producers joined in. Among them, the Italian company iGuzzini which belongs to the most significant European producers of gallery lighting; also, the brand Artemide – its interior lamps are icons of the world modern design museums. Not to forget Czech companies that joined the project: traditional brand Moravské sklárny Květná or a relatively small company Modernista that discovered the qualities of Art Deco design and Czech Functionalism.

Supporting talented students
Since 2005, myCode works closely with the Prague Academy of Art, Architecture and Design. As a result of this natural association of the project with the academic sphere, the following publications came out: Design, Presence or Eternity (Anthology of Text on the Theory and History of Design, Praha, 2005). The project further supports the annual awards for talented students of design and architecture. In the period of 2005-2007, myCode supported the President’s Award for the best students of the Academy. In the period of 2005-2006, the website had grown into a platform that brings together a circle of people actively involved in Czech architecture and modern design.

myCode as an information source for architects
The website myCode entered into partnership with the Internet project Archiweb.cz and became its general partner. This project is the biggest Czech information source for architects and students of architecture. Financial resources provided to Archiweb by myCode made it possible to publish hundreds of expert articles and photo documentation of modern as well as contemporary Czech projects. During the collaboration of myCode, the online Archiweb diary was able to broaden its scope of interest into areas where architecture meets modern design.

The first three years of myCode
The summary of the first three years of the existence of myCode exceeded all expectations which the owner had when starting the project. Within three years, myCode has become the most visited modern design website in Czech Republic, whereby many of its visitors – architects and designers – are also based in Slovakia. The visit rate reached several millions of browsed pages. The number of foreign visitors had also been growing thanks to the fact that the website got a full English version, which - since the launch of myCode – has been targeting not only visitors outside the Czech Republic, but also a large group of foreign developers, architects and other experts and specialists who work in the Czech Republic on a long-term basis. The English version of the project is a gate opening for international communication.
myCode has so far received a warm welcome by Czech architects. Its extensive database containing thousands of items becomes a common tool in many architectural and design studios. The students use the database when preparing their school assignments, journalists are in a regular contact with our team requesting collaboration on preparing articles for specialized as well as popular media. The enthusiasm of myCode team and the positive feedback to our activities encourage us to carry on the work and to expand the scope of the myCode project „outside the Internet“.

myCode "outside" the Internet
In the period of 2006-2008, myCode invited to Prague the world's most significant European designers to take part in the autumn design shows. myCode stood behind the lecture of Konstantin Grćic (DE), Jean-Marie Massaud (FR), Arik Levy (FR), Carlos Sausa (PO) or Wiel Arets (NL, together with Laufen company) as the main partner of these events. The "guru of European design" and one of the most valued businessman in the field of modern design, the founder of the Italian firm Magis Mr Eugenio Perraza also came upon the invitation of myCode. At the 2007 Designblok he lectured about his journey when creating a progressive world design brand.
The beginning of 2008 marked the search for new ways and options of developing the project in a meaningful way. Exhibition activities in the field of architecture and design complemented the operation of the Internet site. myCode implemented a number of activities in support of young designers and architects as well as publishing and lecturing activities. With the boom of Internet in the Czech Republic at the beginning of 2008, it became obvious that myCode has to undergo a graphic and functional upgrade. After a year-long efforts, myCode finally underwent a makeover which brought a number of new user-friendly functions.
Akce "mimo Internet" tvoří od začátku roku 2008 více než polovinu všech aktivit myCode. Pokračuje cílená podpora edičních projektů: ať už je to kniha a výstava mladého architektonického studia Projektil (Galerie Jaroslava Fragnera, prosinec 2008), jejímž je myCode generálním partnerem. Projektil patří k nejtalentovanějším českým architektonickým kancelářím, držitele ceny Grand Prix architektů 2007.
By 2008, additional projects took up more than the half of myCode activities. The support of publishing projects continued: myCode became the general partner of the book and exhibition of the young architectural studio Projektil (Jaroslav Frangner Gallery, December 2008). Projektil is one of the most talented Czech architectural studios today; they are the winners of the 2007Grand Prix for architects. In the same year, an independent exhibition project was launched in 3DH showroom in Prague Karlin. This project represents a positive way of combining myCode with a commercial partner. The new showroom with the area of more than 500 sqm provided the space for the profile exhibition of the Danish modernist artist Arne Jacobsen (June 2009). In the period of 2008-2009, a number of presentations and seminars took place there in cooperation with some of the most significant companies. They included the presentation of new design products (introduction of new colour trends for 2010 of the biggest world producers of colours, the company Akzo Nobel), the presentations of modern technologies (company Logitech in cooperation with myCode introduced the concept of Design Home accessories for the first time on the Czech market) or small-scale events for architects and designers.

Culture & company philanthropy
myCode, 3DH and other commercial partners have been collaborating since the start of the project in 2005. This collaboration brought about a number of advantages and opportunities. Through the cooperation with non-profit cultural organizations (for example Jaroslav Fragner Gallery in Prague) and educational institutions (Prague Academy of Arts, Architecture and Design) new architecture and design projects were initiated. The activities of myCode within the last five years show that philanthropy and support of young talents and cultural projects, which myCode had naturally developed, is a unique in Czech context in terms of its focus as well as its broad scope. It's not a classic case of sponsorship, it rather provides support targeting cultural environment. It's a systematic and sometimes laborious work which can result into an information website, exhibition or a lecture that initiates discussions, gives new stimulation and inspires students as well as general public. The philanthropic work can also result in an expert seminar, a book, an internship of a talented student or support of a local cultural event.

Global world & local culture
Within the last five years, myCode had been involved in active and highly profiled work including lectures, exhibitions, support of young talented students, but also book publishing. A number of expert and positively assessed events took place on the premises of the general partner of myCode. The concept of myCode gallery – an independent exhibition project led by myCode team in terms of production management – continues to develop. It's obvious that after the Czech Republic joined the European Union the local cultural environment had stabilized. Today, nobody doubts the fact that the Czech Republic takes an active part in the cultural life in Europe. On one hand, the national or local dimension of art and culture in general becomes eliminated, on the other hand, issues concerning local activities become more and more relevant in European context. myCode proves that it is not important whether a Danish design is shown in Prague or a German designer of Israeli origin comes here to lecture. The quality and content of the message is much more important than the origin of the work. This is an idea that myCode continues to promote in its activities. myCode focuses on supporting local, high-profile brands and personalities in context of the European cultural scene, and it also focuses on „importing“ the best that comes out of the cultural happening around the world. Apart from lectures, publications, exhibitions and meetings, the website from which myCode evolved, shall continue to grow.