The heritage specialists on the website highlight the problems of architecture in Prague

Source
Roman Jireš
Publisher
ČTK
14.12.2010 17:10
Czech Republic

Prague



Prague - Even after twenty years of complicated development, the historical core of the capital city does not have binding regulations that would, among other things, set the height and volumes of new buildings. There is also a lack of an institution of a chief architect that could establish and guarantee the urban vision for Prague for the next decade. In connection with the launch of a web project titled Contemporary Architecture and the Historical City, project guarantor and architectural historian Richard Biegel informed journalists today.

In four sections New in the Old, Irreversible Losses, Behind the Curtain, and The Living City, interested parties can familiarize themselves on the website of the National Heritage Institute with the often problematic relationships between old and modern architecture in Prague, where the pressure to utilize lucrative buildings has often led to their de facto demolition.
The project is planned until the end of March next year and should present architecture not only in Prague but also in Liberec, Ostrava, and Brno. "The goal of the project is not just criticism from the National Heritage Institute, but an offer for discussion for heritage conservationists, architects, and developers," said NPÚ director Naďa Goryczková. She added that the project Contemporary Architecture and the Historical City particularly showcases good examples of coexistence between old and new architecture.
According to Goryczková, heritage care is not against modern construction, and the problem is not the relationship between old and new but rather the quality. "We want to permit only things that do not parasitize on old buildings; we want to discuss more and pay attention to public competitions," she noted. She also emphasized that NPÚ does not have the power to prohibit anything; it only prepares expert opinions for the magistrate. In some cases in the past, the magistrate did not follow its recommendations.
Prague, whose historical center has been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1992, in some cases, according to project guarantor Biegel, "dances on the edge." "The skyscrapers in Pankrác were problematic, where UNESCO set height regulations that Prague subsequently violated by issuing construction permits. Additionally, there are plans to build blocks next to Wenceslas Square, which have also drawn attention from UNESCO representatives, and it seems that such cases will increase," Biegel told ČTK.
The project Contemporary Architecture and the Historical City is currently focusing on more than forty cases of positive or negative intertwining of new and old architecture. In the section New in the Old, readers will find, for example, the tunnel under the ramparts of the Powder Bridge, the Langhans building, or the Dancing House.
The section Irreversible Losses includes buildings like Myslbek, Charles Square Center, or Prague City Center on the site of the demolished Špaček House, which according to heritage conservationists is "a heavy negative impact on its surroundings."
The category Behind the Curtain points to the de facto demolition, which is the hiding of a commercial new building behind a stripped-down facade of a historic building. Here, negative examples include the Darex shopping center on Wenceslas Square or Palladium at Republic Square.
The final section The Living City maps examples where contemporary creation led to a quality transformation of public spaces, parks, or other historical environments.
The English translation is powered by AI tool. Switch to Czech to view the original text source.
0 comments
add comment

Related articles