University Reopens the Oldest University Club in Slovakia
Bratislava, 19 April 2022: Today marks the reopening of UniK, a culture and entertainment centre at the Mlyny campus of Comenius University Bratislava in Mlynská dolina. The premises used to house the legendary student club Unic (later renamed Unique) and have now undergone a complete renovation. The modernized space will open to visitors after a hiatus of more than two years.
The original student club closed when the rental contract of the previous operator expired. The university then polled its students and found out that 39% of them wanted the club to survive while 35% were in favour of having a community space. The university decided to combine the two functions in a new concept.
A transparent selection procedure was announced in July 2020 to find a new tenant. The competition was won by Janud, the company which also operates the popular KC Dunaj centre in downtown Bratislava. The renovated space in Mlynská dolina sports a fresh, post-industrial design, combining modern concrete elements with oak and exposed structural beams of reinforced concrete. New windows connect the bar with an atrium and will allow access to a future outdoor seating area.
"The new multifunctional cultural and entertainment centre intends to link sub-culture with pop-culture, and entertainment with education. Our goal is for the club to provide a pleasant backdrop throughout the whole day, from your morning coffee to your evening beer," Ivan Pätoprstý from Janud explains the club's concept. UniK Mlyny will offer refreshments, but also host culture, art, entertainment, education, live music, movie nights, travel lectures and stand-up comedy. One of the first events, scheduled for the end of April, is the popular Comenius University TedX.
The Rector of Comenius University Marek Števček is one of those who are happy to see an entertainment and culture centre return to Mlynská dolina. "The pandemic dealt a hard blow to the largest Slovak university campus. Now I can gradually start focussing on my promise to improve the quality of services in Mlynská dolina. The campus should be more than just a dormitory, it should be a place where the student community can thrive and where young people will be happy to stay over the weekends. I am very pleased that we found a partner who can meet the student's expectations regarding both entertainment and community activities, and that in a transparent competition and in cooperation with student representatives we chose a reputable company with prior experience both in gastronomy and in culture,” he adds.
In the initial phase, UniK Mlyny will open the bar and a ‘day section’. Later, it plans to open a ballroom. Find more information on facebook.com/unikmlyny and instagram.com/unik_mlyny/.