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KLEMENTINUM
Pocket summary for discussion about the National Library
Motto:
No one says that Klementinum alone is enough. It simply isn’t enough. However, the national library came up with a study that the large spaces of Klementinum will be rented out. That I do not want. There is too much commercialization in Prague. I believe it is right to maintain university life in the city center. Let’s look at Klementinum from a different perspective, because in the coming years, perhaps even ten, the National Library may not exist. I want to make the most of the potential of the historical Klementinum. That is the correct interpretation.
I will not voluntarily leave the National Library until the first excavator arrives at the construction site of the new building; that is my mission.
As Archiweb previously informed (The School of Architecture at Prague's AVU focused on Klementinum), in response to the danger of the commercialization of Klementinum and the discussion about its potential, in the winter semester of 2008, the director of the School of Architecture at the Academy of Art in Prague, Professor Emil Přikryl, announced as a course project for first and second-year students the topic "Klementinum as a Library for the Needs of Charles University". The results of eight evaluations demonstrate that the spaces of Klementinum are sufficient for the needs of the National Library’s book collections (circulating).
The conclusions of the evaluations quickly entered the "media spotlight" - particularly in light of the subsequent decision of the Ministry of Culture to halt preparations for the "blob" and simultaneously about the necessity for the reconstruction of Klementinum for the needs of the National Library. In this context, let's also recall the January open letter from "academics" in which they requested the government executive to verify the capacity of Klementinum (including opposition) and subsequently announce an architectural competition for its reconstruction...
As is known, the process of designing the revitalization of Klementinum has paradoxically already started at the National Library, and as it is also known, the assignment for this revitalization is conditioned on the construction of a new library in Letná (because how else can one explain the cancellation of key study rooms). These days, a winner of the "selection process for the designer" has already been chosen. By the way, the National Library refuses to disclose their name because "the contract has not yet been signed..." (Nothing could better characterize the level of legal awareness of the current director Ježek, a candidate for senator...) A quite logical question arises whether the "revitalization" under the supervision of the current director should be halted immediately so that the reconstruction process of Klementinum can begin as soon as possible for the benefit of the National Library.
Either way, the debate about the library in Klementinum returns to the very beginning, as academics wrote about it in January. In particular, there should be a verification of the investment intention to build a new library in Letná. And an opposition should be created regarding this intention. Furthermore, the threats of commercialization of the National Cultural Monument should be examined, whose dangers the available materials regarding the so-called revitalization certainly do not refute. On the contrary.
Archiweb brings visual and text results of the evaluations at the School of Architecture and simultaneously summarizes the key contexts of the entire saga.
No one says that Klementinum alone is enough. It simply isn’t enough. However, the national library came up with a study that the large spaces of Klementinum will be rented out. That I do not want. There is too much commercialization in Prague. I believe it is right to maintain university life in the city center. Let’s look at Klementinum from a different perspective, because in the coming years, perhaps even ten, the National Library may not exist. I want to make the most of the potential of the historical Klementinum. That is the correct interpretation.
Czech Minister of Culture Václav Jehlička, idnes.cz, August 1, 2008
I will not voluntarily leave the National Library until the first excavator arrives at the construction site of the new building; that is my mission.
Director of the National Library Vlastimil Ježek, Lidové noviny, August 2, 2008
As Archiweb previously informed (The School of Architecture at Prague's AVU focused on Klementinum), in response to the danger of the commercialization of Klementinum and the discussion about its potential, in the winter semester of 2008, the director of the School of Architecture at the Academy of Art in Prague, Professor Emil Přikryl, announced as a course project for first and second-year students the topic "Klementinum as a Library for the Needs of Charles University". The results of eight evaluations demonstrate that the spaces of Klementinum are sufficient for the needs of the National Library’s book collections (circulating).
The conclusions of the evaluations quickly entered the "media spotlight" - particularly in light of the subsequent decision of the Ministry of Culture to halt preparations for the "blob" and simultaneously about the necessity for the reconstruction of Klementinum for the needs of the National Library. In this context, let's also recall the January open letter from "academics" in which they requested the government executive to verify the capacity of Klementinum (including opposition) and subsequently announce an architectural competition for its reconstruction...
As is known, the process of designing the revitalization of Klementinum has paradoxically already started at the National Library, and as it is also known, the assignment for this revitalization is conditioned on the construction of a new library in Letná (because how else can one explain the cancellation of key study rooms). These days, a winner of the "selection process for the designer" has already been chosen. By the way, the National Library refuses to disclose their name because "the contract has not yet been signed..." (Nothing could better characterize the level of legal awareness of the current director Ježek, a candidate for senator...) A quite logical question arises whether the "revitalization" under the supervision of the current director should be halted immediately so that the reconstruction process of Klementinum can begin as soon as possible for the benefit of the National Library.
Either way, the debate about the library in Klementinum returns to the very beginning, as academics wrote about it in January. In particular, there should be a verification of the investment intention to build a new library in Letná. And an opposition should be created regarding this intention. Furthermore, the threats of commercialization of the National Cultural Monument should be examined, whose dangers the available materials regarding the so-called revitalization certainly do not refute. On the contrary.
Archiweb brings visual and text results of the evaluations at the School of Architecture and simultaneously summarizes the key contexts of the entire saga.
The English translation is powered by AI tool. Switch to Czech to view the original text source.
44 comments
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Author
Date
Kateřině Lopatové
Pavel Nasadil
26.08.08 01:41
Malý komentář
Michal Patrný
28.08.08 07:52
otazky pruchodnosti byvaji relativni
Jan Sommer (hlas z hnojiste)
28.08.08 08:09
nemožné
Vích
28.08.08 03:57
jako stredovekar jsem vzdy mel
28.08.08 04:25
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