The Liberec University will convert the former dormitories into laboratories

Liberec - The Technical University of Liberec plans to convert the former dormitories on Třebízského street into laboratories. For the project, which costs around 70 million crowns, it has received about half from the Operational Programme Research and Development for Education. The work is expected to start in the coming weeks, said Rector Miroslav Brzezina to ČTK today. He also stated that the conversion of the former workshops near the rectorate into a library should begin this year as well. The university has received a grant for this project too. Both constructions are to be completed next year.

The building of the former dormitories on Třebízského street was built between 1953 and 1955 in the style of socialist realism according to a design by Eduard Adamíra and Augustin Šimůnek from Liberec’s Stavoprojekt. A construction mosaic decorates the entrance, of which the fate is still undecided. It is one of the two outdoor mosaics in Liberec. The second one adorns the entrance to the art nouveau Hotel Praha in the city center. According to Brzezina, the project does not anticipate that this mosaic will remain above the entrance to the building on Třebízského street.

The renovation of the dormitories is far from being the only construction project of the university. In recent years, the school has invested almost 1.5 billion crowns into the modernization and development of the campus, a significant part of which was obtained from European funds. The largest project was the construction of the Institute for Nanomaterials, Advanced Technologies, and Innovations costing nearly 800 million crowns. The new building G, which includes a hall and teaching spaces, was then completed for 400 million crowns, closing off the student square. The school has also invested tens of millions of crowns into the modernization of older buildings.

In the coming years, the school also plans to modernize, especially in the area of the university dormitories in Harcov. The dormitories themselves underwent an expensive modernization in connection with the ski championship in 2009, but the gyms there also need renovation. "We wanted to start the reconstruction of the facade of those gyms this year, but next year there will be a youth summer olympiad in Liberec, and the region will need them, so we postponed the work, which will take place after the games," said the rector. According to him, not only is the reconstruction of the facade planned, but also the complete renewal of both gyms.