The Liberec Region will announce an architectural competition for a healthcare school

Liberec – The Liberec Region will announce an architectural-urban planning competition for the construction of a new medical school in Liberec. This was decided by the regional council at an extraordinary meeting. The two-round open competition aims to provide a design and conceptual solution for the development of the school complex on Jablonecká Street near the Broumovská housing estate, where the medical school is expected to move from inadequate facilities on Kostelní Street. The construction cost of the new school is estimated by the designers at 760 million crowns. CTK was informed about this by the region's spokesman Filip Trdla.

The current Secondary Medical School in Liberec operates in a historical building of a former church school in the city center with inadequate capacity and in about five other buildings, most of which are rented, stated Governor Martin Půta (Mayors for the Liberec Region). "Given the large investments in regional healthcare, we will also need educated and motivated mid-level healthcare personnel, which is why we need a new building with a larger capacity within walking distance from the Liberec Regional Hospital,” he added. Additionally, there is no space for development in the current building.

According to the Deputy Governor Zbyněk Miklík (Pirates), the competition will be two-round. "In the first round, proposals will be evaluated anonymously, and a maximum of six proposals will advance to the second round. The total amount for rewards and compensation for the competition participants is 4.2 million crowns. The prize for first place in the first phase of the competition is set at one million, then it gradually decreases," Miklík said. The construction of the school will only be the first phase of the project, and the plan also includes the construction of a dormitory and an outdoor sports facility.

Currently, according to the governor, up to 400 students study at the secondary and higher professional medical school in Liberec, and the capacity in the new complex could increase by up to half. The region plans to construct a modern energy self-sufficient complex in passive standard. In previous years, the region, according to Půta, also explored other options for relocating the school from inadequate facilities rented from the city. They considered utilizing the building of the former Skloexport or one of the vacated buildings of the regional hospital, where a new pavilion is being built. "From the perspective of converting it into a school, it is not ideal,” he added.

According to Půta, medical fields are a priority for the region, so the construction of a new school in Liberec is not the only project. In Turnov, in the Semily area, work is underway on a new vocational education center focused on healthcare and social services. The reconstruction and expansion of the secondary medical school in Turnov will cost the region more than 50 million crowns. The secondary school building will receive an additional floor with five classrooms for vocational training, which are currently lacking in Turnov. The construction of the new school in Liberec is expected to begin, according to preliminary plans, in 2026.