The technical library received an award from the Club For Old Prague

Prague - Today, the Club for Old Prague awarded the prize for the best new building in a historical environment to the National Technical Library. The library, designed by the Projektil studio, has risen at Fleming Square in Dejvice and will open in September.
    Although the building was not constructed directly in the historical center of the city, the organizers found it challenging to deal with the surroundings, even though they are composed of 20th-century architecture. According to the club, the authors of the library managed this well.
    Among the nominated buildings this year was also the Karlov Hotel in Benešov by authors Ladislav Lábus, Jiří Poláček, and Václav Škarda, a complex of houses on Pražská Street in Kolín (Jiří Košťál, Jiří Slaba, Jana Chmelová, Jaroslav Procházka), a family house in Nýřany (Kryštof Šulc, Jan Klempíř), and the Zlaté jablko shopping center in Zlín (Svatopluk Sládeček and co-authors Ivan Bergmann and Pavel Mudřík).
    The Club for Old Prague appreciates new buildings that, according to its members, do not disrupt the historical environment, stand out with valuable architecture, and can cultivate their broader surroundings. Although the association, with its long-standing history, primarily advocates for the defense of historical buildings and urban environments, its members assert that contemporary architecture certainly belongs in historical contexts.
    However, new interventions should not signify a deliberate denial of a place and its character. New constructions can enhance or reshape the existing environment. The Club for Old Prague believes that there are places whose transformation would, from today’s perspective, be a loss. The competition aims to contribute to the dialogue between heritage conservationists and modern architects.
    The National Technical Library was created at Fleming Square almost quietly amidst heated debates about the new National Library building. An original feature of the externally unremarkable building includes so-called tension columns that hold the ceiling slab above part of the ground floor from above and transfer its weight one floor higher using cables hidden within these columns. This allows the ground floor to remain visibly open and accessible. The building cost 2.25 billion crowns.
    With more than 1.5 million volumes, the NTK is to be the largest source of technical literature in the fields of applied natural and social sciences in the Czech Republic. It promises users a comfortable service experience, with, for example, half a million publications in open access, over 1300 study places, and nearly 600 relaxation spaces. The entire facility will have WiFi coverage, 250 public computers, a night study room, options for self-service borrowing and returning books, as well as a café.