The Czech Chamber of Architects opposes the expansion of the Libeň Bridge

Prague - The preservation of the Libeň Bridge in Prague in its current form is supported by the Czech Chamber of Architects. This is in support of Prague 7, which opposes the proposed expansion of the bridge. "We perceive this plan as a serious threat to an important traffic monument and, from a transportation perspective in the area, as a strategically very poor step," the chamber stated on its website. The bridge, which has connected Holešovice and Libeň since 1928, is based on a design by the famous architect Pavel Janák.
    "The Libeň Bridge is a proud representative of the Cubist style in details such as staircases, lighting poles, or abutments, which is a purely Czech specificity that has no equivalent in the world and has brought appropriate acclaim to the Czech Republic abroad," the chamber reminds.
    The city has been planning the bridge's renovation for many years. Last year, it announced a competition for the contractor. According to representatives of Prague, the bridge is in a state of emergency, and its operation is limited. The Prague Technical Administration of Communications (TSK), which is responsible for the reconstruction, will sign a contract with the winner of the competition in October or November. The work is expected to last about two years.
    Some experts have been concerned about the construction for years as its proposed adjustments have been prepared and published. In 2004, the National Heritage Institute submitted a proposal for the bridge to be declared a cultural monument, but this did not happen by decision of the Ministry of Culture. Many Prague road bridges, from Karlův to the Legií Bridge, Hlávkův, Čechův, Mánesův, and the bridge over the Rokytka stream, are heritage protected.
    The Prague 7 municipal office disagrees with the expansion of the bridge by five meters to 26 meters. It claims this is unnecessarily expensive and will prolong the reconstruction period during which the bridge will be out of service. Prague 8 defends the expansion of the bridge.
    The Czech Chamber of Architects states that the bridge's expansion will redirect traffic to the overloaded areas of Holešovice and Libeň. "A sensitive reconstruction instead of the planned expansion, which would result in the demolition of the entire bridge, would achieve savings of approximately 130 million crowns. The current state of the bridge certainly does not require its demolition," the architects state.
    The ČKA also criticizes the TSK's statement that no other option for the bridge's repair is possible because it would require a change to all permits from the zoning decision. "We perceive TSK's effort to impose the original project at all costs, despite the opinions of the majority of councilors in Prague 7, its residents, and the professional public, as completely counterproductive," the chamber writes. It calls for respect for the value of the Libeň Bridge.
    Pavel Janák is a prominent figure in Czech architecture, who set the tone for the contemporary city in his time. In Prague, he built, for example, the Adria Palace (1925), Škodův Palace (1926), the Juliš Hotel (1933), and Hlávkův Bridge (1912). His crematorium in Pardubice (1923) is also well-known.