Open Letter to the Rector of CTU regarding the Development of the Area in Prague

Dear Sir,
Prof. Ing. Václav Havlíček, CSc., Rector
Czech Technical University in Prague
Zikova 1905/4
166 36 Prague 6
Czech Republic

In Prague, April 21, 2010

Subject: Open Letter to the Rector of the Czech Technical University Regarding the Development of the CTU Campus in Prague

Dear Rector,
We have been informed through professional media about CTU in Prague's intention to commission the preparation of a proposal for the construction of the Institute of Cybernetics and Informatics at CTU in the area along Jugoslávských partyzánů Street, between Šolínová and Velflíková Streets, without a public architectural competition.
This concerns a large construction volume in a significant location of the historic city, for an investment that is funded by public financial sources.
For this reason, we urge you to advocate for the announcement of an open architectural competition for this building. Furthermore, we request that all future public contracts for the projects concerning the development of the Czech Technical University campus be awarded in a transparent manner, i.e., through public architectural competitions.
The Czech Technical University is among other things a bearer of construction culture, educating new generations of civil engineers, architects, and urban planners, and it is therefore its natural mission to address the construction of its campus exemplarily. Ensuring transparency in the awarding of contracts is certainly also in the interest of the Czech Technical University. The results of public architectural competitions for the new buildings of the National Technical Library and the Faculty of Architecture confirm the correctness of choosing this method for awarding projects.

For your information:
Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports
Mayor of Prague
Prague 6 Municipality
Czech Chamber of Architects
Hospodářské noviny, Lidové noviny, Mladá fronta Dnes, Archiweb, Earch, Era, Architekt