Preparations for the architectural competition to establish a university center of excellence at Albertov are in full swing

In mid-2006, a team from Charles University in Prague began preparing for the construction of centers of excellence in natural and medical sciences in the area of the Albertov mini-campus. Three faculties are involved in the project - the Faculty of Science, the Faculty of Mathematics and Physics, and the 1st Faculty of Medicine. Discussions among their representatives, supported by the rectorate, resulted in the development of a feasibility study in April 2008, which addresses the completion of the university center in Albertov through the construction of two buildings - the Biocenter and the Globcenter, which will house a center for biological, biomedical, and biochemical research, as well as a center for the study of global changes. These joint scientific and educational centers of three prominent faculties will represent a grouping of natural science disciplines with exceptional potential in research and the transfer of knowledge to application and educational areas.
The feasibility study also addresses the affected plots of land, including existing buildings, assessment from the perspective of heritage protection and urban planning, transport solutions, and public networks, and primarily the volumetric designs of both buildings, which were based on the requirements of the faculties for individual workplaces. The final favorable opinion of the Department of Culture, Heritage Care, and Tourism of the Magistrate of the Capital City of Prague was issued regarding the planned construction and the feasibility study of the mini-campus.

The preparation of this investment project is now entering another phase, and the university has requested the Czech Chamber of Architects for cooperation in preparing the announcement of a design competition. The Czech Chamber of Architects very much welcomes the university's effort to utilize this tool, the usefulness and transparency of which the representatives of the chamber have long been trying to convince political leaders, individual MPs, and the management of various institutions that manage public resources.

A year ago, the chairman of the Czech Chamber of Architects, Ing. arch. akad. arch. Jan Vrana, and the vice-chairman, akad. arch. Jan Sapák, approached the Council of Higher Education and the Czech Conference of Rectors, where they presented the tool of architectural competitions to both representations of higher education institutions.
The Council of Higher Education adopted a resolution stating that "it supports the full utilization of public competitions in the design of construction investments at universities with the aim of maximizing the quality of acquired investments in relation to their costs".
Therefore, the chairman of the Czech Chamber of Architects expresses great appreciation for the exemplary approach of the leadership of Charles University and the leadership of the Faculty of Science, which is responsible for this project.
Considering the volume of planned investments and the location of the buildings, it is recommended to hold the design competition as a two-round competition. This type of competition is suitable when the subject is of substantial scope, and it usually involves refining its own definition. The competition deadline for the second round must end no later than six months after the announcement of the results of the first round. Both rounds must be evaluated by the same jury, including the awarding of prizes and rewards. The Czech Chamber of Architects recommends announcing one competition for both buildings with two subjects alongside each other and preparing a construction program for each of the aforementioned buildings separately.