Masák considers the new architecture in Liberec to be superficial

Liberec - According to Miroslav Masák, who received the Honor from the Czech Chamber of Architects for the year 2006 in Liberec on Friday, the architecture of new, especially commercial buildings constructed in recent years under Ještěd is somewhat superficial. Among the most famous works of the Czech architect, theorist, and educator are the Máj department store in Prague, and he collaborated with Karel Hubáček on the Liberec department store, which is at risk of disappearing from the city's map within a year to make way for new development.
    "Liberec had the best reputation before November because, thanks to the then-mayor Moulis, the best examples of Czech architecture emerged here in the 1960s, which could stand comparison with the world or Europe," Masák told ČTK. However, he believes that such a high standard could not be maintained after the November revolution; according to him, the quality of architecture has declined, especially in commercial buildings, and he is not particularly satisfied with the architecture of new family housing either.
    Masák was a co-founder of the SIAL Atelier (Stavoprojekt Liberec) in the 1960s, which, under the leadership of architect Karel Hubáček, represented one of the few distinct and individual currents of Czech architecture at that time. Masák created several buildings in Liberec that are key points in the history of Czech architecture - notably the Ještěd shopping center in Liberec, now Tesco (with Karel Hubáček, 1977), and the Máj department store in Prague (with John Eisler and Martin Rajniš, 1975) or the reconstruction of the Trade Fair Palace in Prague (SIAL, 1978 to 1994).
    The architect, who will celebrate his seventy-fifth birthday in May, is, according to the jury, among the few living Czech architects who have managed to uphold high moral and professional values even during long periods of political oppression. Despite the diversity of approaches, his works are united by the originality of the architectural concept and strict adherence to execution precision.
    As Masák noted today, he does not consider himself much of an architect: "I actually hardly built anything, and what I built, they want to demolish," he remarked with a smile. He was referring, among other things, to the fact that barely a fifth of his projects were actually realized, and the distinctive department store in the center of Liberec has already begun to be demolished by workers.
    The Czech Chamber of Architects has been awarding the Honor since 2000; it was not awarded in 2004, and last year it was awarded to Karel Hubáček. This year, 18 living as well as deceased personalities were nominated. Eva Jiřičná, Ivo Loos, and Viktor Rudiš made it to the shortlist. So far, a total of eleven personalities have received the six-kilogram granite block.