Czech architects can be more involved in the construction development of China

Prague - Czech architects could become more involved in the rapid construction development in China. This opportunity will be provided by a Memorandum of Understanding signed today in Prague by the Secretary General of the Association of Chinese Architects Wu Cung-wei and the Chairman of the Czech Chamber of Architects (ČKA) Josef Panna. The memorandum will also enable an annual exchange of 15 to 20 architects.
    "Cooperation is just beginning, but there has already been talk about a visit from Czech architects to China and facilitating contacts between universities," said ČTK spokesperson for ČKA Simona Juračková. The Chinese side would like to leverage Czech experience in cultural heritage protection, among other things.
    The visit of a twenty-two-member Chinese delegation to the Czech Republic is part of their European journey. Prague has become a stopover between Budapest and London. Among the delegates are directors of architectural offices, chief architects, representatives of the academic community, specialized media, and developers. "The reason for today’s meeting is not just the signing of the memorandum, but primarily the effort to establish contacts. We would like to learn from Czech architects about working with limited space and resources, and we are also interested in experiences in the field of cultural heritage protection," noted Wu Cung-wei.
    According to the Secretary General of the Association of Chinese Architects, the Chinese side can offer a long tradition in the field of architecture or share solutions to problems arising from rapid development in recent years. "China represents a huge market in every respect. The rapid development, despite the great successes of Chinese architects in construction, also brings various problems. Particularly, it leads to formalism, where architects pay too much attention to the external appearance of buildings," pointed out Wu Cung-wei.
    In recent years, several successful Czech architects have made a mark in China. A well-known example is Ivan and Jana Bendova, who established a large office, Allied Architects International, in Shanghai. They have over 400 projects to their credit, including entire neighborhoods.

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The Czech Chamber of Architects and the Association of Chinese Architects express their shared desire to establish relationships in the realm of friendly cooperation based on mutual support and mutual benefit in order to enhance understanding between Chinese and Czech architects and to strengthen academic exchange and professional collaboration.

Both parties have reached the following agreement:

1. Both parties agreed to jointly seek to improve mutual exchange and cooperation and to support shared development and prosperity based on the principles of mutual equality and mutual benefits.
2. Both parties should maintain contact with relevant departments to ensure further discussions on mutual cooperation.
3. During mutual cooperation, individual projects will be discussed and signed separately. In principle, each institution could send a delegation of 15-20 architects each year to visit the other country for the exhibition of outstanding works, to develop their skills, and to exchange experiences in the preservation of historical buildings and energy conservation in architecture.
4. During the visit, the local host party should focus on providing necessary support and assistance to the delegation of the other party.
5. This memorandum comes into effect upon signature by both parties. The validity of the document is three years. If neither party terminates the agreement after the expiration of this memorandum, the agreement will be extended.
6. This memorandum is signed on July 1 in Prague, Czech Republic. This memorandum is written in duplicate in three languages: English, Chinese, and Czech, with both originals having equal validity.

Czech Chamber of Architects + Association of Chinese Architects