UNESCO is seriously concerned about the proposed high-rise buildings in Prague

Prague - The World Heritage Committee of UNESCO has expressed serious concern regarding the proposed high-rise projects in Prague's Pankrác area. It demands that the Czech Republic reconsider the impact of the projects on the exceptional global values of the monument that is the historic center of Prague, listed as a UNESCO site since 1992. By February 1, 2008, it requires a report from the Czech state on how it is caring for this monument and a description of the procedures related to the planned high-rise buildings.
    Today, a participant of the committee's meeting in New Zealand and the chairman of the Czech National Committee of ICOMOS (International Council on Monuments and Sites) Josef Štulc conveyed the committee's position to journalists. Representatives from the Ministry of Culture and the Prague City Hall were also present at the meeting, who have been aware of the committee's decision since July 2.
    UNESCO's "serious concern" is the first step taken by the committee; it is followed by a listing on the list of World Heritage in Danger. Štulc believes this will not happen to Prague. "The statements from the city hall that everything is fine and we are not facing any sanctions shock me in this context," he stated.
    Michal Beneš, an employee of the UNESCO department at the Ministry of Culture, says that the World Heritage Committee is relatively patient and tries to ensure that measures are taken to prevent the loss of values for which the monument was inscribed. However, if it concludes that this danger is acute, it does not hesitate to impose sanctions.
    The high-rise buildings that are planned to be added to the existing three in Pankrác have been a subject of discussion for several years. Heritage protectors fear changes to the skyline, and many civic associations are opposed. The relevant authorities have not yet issued permits for their construction; according to Štulc, such a decision would set a precedent. "If the first skyscrapers are approved, it will not be a problem to approve others," he said, referring to the planned high-rise buildings in Holešovice.
    The city hall approved the Pankrác buildings in 2005, but the Ministry of Culture canceled its decision twice. In late May, the MK's administrative proceedings were interrupted, waiting for a discussion by the UNESCO committee. According to Štulc, it was renewed at the end of July.
    Another group, J&T, plans to build high-rise buildings up to 150 meters high near the Libeň Bridge according to the design of architect Vít Másl. Alongside Štulc, the Club for Old Prague expresses great dissatisfaction with their height. "Prague stands at a fundamental crossroads. While the skyscrapers in Pankrác would disrupt the city's skyline, in Holešovice, high-rise buildings are already breaking the city as such," said club managing director Richard Biegel today.
    He disagrees with the argument that if the city does not grow upwards, it will die. Every city has its qualities and its scale. Skyscrapers did not arise because they were better than other buildings, but due to a lack of space or high land prices, he reminded.
    The Club for Old Prague today urged the city hall to create and subsequently adhere to its own strategy concerning high-rise buildings and to develop a regulation concept for Holešovice. The approved regulatory plan does not even exist for Prague - 15 years after its inscription on UNESCO.
    Unlike the UNESCO committee, the head of Prague's heritage protectors, Jan Knežínek, is not concerned. "The department of the main architect is preparing a study on how high buildings can be constructed in individual city parts. It will incorporate opinions from the UNESCO committee's discussions," he said today to ČTK. The study is expected to be completed by autumn so that it can also be presented to the UNESCO committee in February. Personally, he considers the project in today's proposed form to be nonsense.
    After the National Heritage Institute, the club wants it to establish construction conditions in this area, which is a protective zone of the Prague Heritage Reserve. According to heritage protectors, the protective zone acts as a buffer area designed to visually prevent contact between high-rise buildings and the heritage zone itself.