<translation>Statement of ČKA: The Chamber to the architects and architects to the Chamber</translation>

In connection with several responses to the course of the architectural competition for Štvanice in the media, in which architect Ivan Kroupa accuses the Czech Chamber of Architects of complacency and inactivity, the Chamber urges architects to cooperate.

Statement of the ČKA Regarding Ivan Kroupa's Letter Architects to Architects Concerning the Competition for the Revitalization of the Štvanice Island

One of Ivan Kroupa's main criticisms in his letter Architects to Architects, which was published on www.archiweb.cz, is directed at the actions and decisions of the jury. However, the composition of the jury is within the competence of the client, not the ČKA. In this regard, Ivan Kroupa's words that the Chamber is not sufficiently fulfilling its role and should be dissolved seem disproportionate.

We note that throughout the architectural competition for Štvanice, the Chamber was in constant communication with the Magistrate of the Capital City of Prague. It repeatedly urged the removal of specific deficiencies and corrections regarding the devaluation of panels with competition proposals. The ČKA also rejects the claim that it downplayed the situation and acted complacently. The unfortunate course of the competition was not caused by the Chamber's passivity, but rather by a confluence of several events, including the several-month investigation by the Office for the Protection of Competition (ÚOHS) or the media-highlighted discovery of competition panels in waste prior to the announcement of the competition results. Thanks to the direct and maximally open communication between the Chamber and the Magistrate, the results of the competition were announced and properly concluded.

Meanwhile, there are voices among architects saying that the Chamber does nothing for them. However, the activity should be two-way. It is therefore necessary to also ask, what are architects doing for the Chamber? An active membership base is an essential support for it. Representatives of the ČKA therefore appreciate architect Ivan Kroupa's unwavering interest in the events surrounding the Štvanice competition. Not only to him but to all architects who wish to change anything, they remind that another General Assembly of the ČKA will be held in April next year, where any suggestions regarding competitions or the mission and strategy of the Chamber will be more than welcome. Indeed, everyone will have the chance to express their opinion here and publicly defend it in discussion, ideally also to apply it within their candidacy for the bodies of the ČKA.

Last but not least, the Chamber regularly organizes discussion meetings of the OTTA (Open Think Tank of Architects). In October of this year, a discussion was even held directly on the topic of architectural competitions, and another similar event is being prepared for April 2014, when we will summarize all competitions from the previous year. Petr Lešek, 1st Vice-Chairman of the ČKA and Chairman of the Working Group for Competitions adds: “I am glad that Ivan Kroupa has such enthusiasm regarding architectural competitions and I would be happy to welcome him among the members of the Working Group for Competitions. I would also like him not to keep his knowledge about irregularities in competitions to himself, but to strive for rectification by pointing them out. At the same time, I would like to remind all fellow architects that no one is fond of being a functionary, and it is more about the feeling that this must be endured for a common cause. I remind you that all architects have the opportunity to contact individual working groups of the ČKA at any time, including the working group for competitions, and provide them with valuable proposals and suggestions for solving specific issues.”

— overview of all ČKA activities regarding the Štvanice competition HERE