Greater prestige for architects is what the new president of the Chamber wants

Petr Lešek: "I want to better utilize the energy of the chamber's members."

Prague - The promotion of architecture as an important component of human and societal life and greater transparency towards the chamber's members are the main tasks set by the new chairman of the Czech Chamber of Architects (ČKA), Petr Lešek. "I want to better utilize the energy of the chamber's members, communicate more with them, and attract all generations of architects to collaborate," Lešek said in an interview with ČTK.
    "Our world is divided into relationships and the environment in which they take place. Most of the public and politicians are only interested in relationships and find the environment insignificant. However, the environment significantly influences relationships and changes more slowly than relationships do. What is built doesn't just get demolished. Therefore, it is necessary to perceive architecture, that is, the built cultural environment, and engage with it," stated the forty-year-old architect.
    Lešek was elected chairman of the ČKA in mid-February, replacing Josef Panna, whose management board was dismissed due to disagreements with its leadership. Lešek studied architecture at the Czech Technical University (ČVUT) and then joined Václav Králíček's studio. In 2002, he founded the office Projektil Architects with colleagues Roman Brychta, Adam Halíř, and Ondřej Hofmeister. Their most well-known projects include the Sluňákov Center for Ecological Activities, the Study and Scientific Library in Hradec Králové, and the National Technical Library in Prague.
    As chairman of the ČKA, Lešek wants to change the perception of architecture and the profession of architect, which is not generally well recognized in the Czech Republic. "The main problem is the lack of understanding of the architect's work purpose. In Western Europe, an architect is seen as someone who creates environments, who can reconcile all interests and technical requirements, and gives meaning to the outcome," he said.
    However, he admits that the fault may also lie with architects themselves, who have long neglected public education regarding interest in the environment. "Fortunately, that is changing now, and the ČKA will support it. It’s not just about architects; it’s about the world in which we all live our lives."
    Lešek is addressing the issue of architectural competitions, which, according to the ČKA, are held too few in light of the volume of construction work. "For public buildings, it’s convenience and fear of responsibility. Clients prefer to choose designers solely based on price; they don’t want to take on more work, and they don’t care that the result is expensive, operationally and user-demanding buildings that do not enrich the environment at all. In private investments, it's again ignorance and unwillingness to try something new. There is little interest in innovations; they prefer to keep doing the same thing over and over," he described the practice that the ČKA is highlighting.
    In this context, experts welcomed the announcement of the competition for the renewal of Štvanice. However, the broadly attended competition ended awkwardly. Although the city knew the winner last May, it hesitated to announce it, citing that one participant had appealed to the Office for the Protection of Competition. Results were announced in November, but it's unclear whether the island will be modified according to the winning proposal.
    The ČKA is the third professional association alongside the Foundation for the Development of Architecture and Construction and the Community of Architects. The latter organization faces criticism, especially from young architects. According to them, the community fails to fulfill its mission, and the prestige of the activities it oversees is declining, especially the organization of the Grand Prix Architects competition and exhibition. Lešek has also signed the call for reforming the community.
    The Grand Prix, which is supposed to be a showcase of the best current architecture in the Czech Republic with the possibility of showing it to the widest possible audience, is, according to critics, becoming more of a local event with minimal impact on the general public. "It is clear to us that architecture is harder to present than design or film; you cannot take it and bring it, but it is all the more essential that it is presented to the public," believes Lešek. According to him, a quality exhibition would also refute the clichéd notion: every architect has an opinion. "Architecture is good or bad, and the vast majority of architects and architecture critics who are qualified to assess it agree on its quality," he concludes.