Liberec will not have a chief architect but a five-member council

Liberec - The hundred-thousand-strong city of Liberec will not have a city architect, as sought by the ousted mayor Jan Korytář (Change for Liberec), but a five-member council of architects. The model of an advisory group of experts is more efficient than having one designated city architect, as it eliminates personal ties and thus potential favoritism. The perspective of the council gives a greater chance that the tasks and any disputed matters will be assessed as well as possible, said Jiří Rutkovský (Union for Sports and Health), the deputy mayor of Liberec for urban planning, to ČTK.
    The city has already announced a selection procedure for members of the council of architects. "We require candidates to have a university degree in architecture or urban planning with at least five years of experience in the field," said city hall spokesman Pavel Chmelík. Candidates should have good communication skills, be consistent and impartial in assessing projects and proposals, and should also be familiar with applicable regulations. The application must include a portfolio of work. Interested parties can submit their applications to the city hall by the end of January.
    The city of Liberec has a new department of the chief architect as of January 1, which has taken over the tasks of the former department of strategy and territorial conception. It is responsible not only for urban planning but also newly includes a department of urbanism and architecture. The council of architects should act as an advisory body to the department. "The city's interest is to create a truly knowledgeable partner in matters of spatial development, project assessment, and similar issues," said the head of the department, Petr Kolomazník. According to him, the council will perform the functions of a city architect together with the department.
    According to Chmelík, the council of architects will also be an advisory body to the city leadership. Its opinion should carry significant professional weight, especially in zoning proceedings, when decisions about buildings are made. "It should have such a strong position that the building authority considers its opinion in the proceedings," added Kolomazník. For their work on the council, architects will receive 1,000 crowns monthly, similar to the members of commissions and committees. However, this must first be approved by the city council.