The architect of the city of Karlovy Vary will be Petr Kropp

Karlovy Vary - The director of the emerging Karlovy Vary City Architect's Office will be Petr Kropp, a Czech architect living in the Netherlands. He was chosen by a committee of experts and city representatives, informed the city's mayor Petr Kulhánek (KOA) today.

"The jury selected architect Petr Kropp, who has been working in the Netherlands for a long time as an architect in a renowned architecture studio. He has roots in the Czech Republic, was born in Sokolov and studied in Karlovy Vary, then went abroad and would like to return here. He emerged from two candidates as distinctly better," said Kulhánek. According to him, Kropp impressed the jury with his professional perspective on the issue, experience with large projects, and his personal perception of the city's development and its appearance.

Kropp is expected to take up the position on March 1, 2018, according to the city council's decision. The relatively long delay between the selection of the head of the architect's office and his assuming the position is due to the fact that Kropp needs to be released from his current commitments.

According to the city's intention, the office should focus on architecture, urban planning, public space, and communication with the public. For example, it should deal with the future of the wider city center from the former Mattoni bottling plant to the meander of the Ohře River.

The city architect's office is expected to be located in a building on Jan Palach waterfront in the future. However, the building will be reconstructed next year, so the office will find a temporary place in another building of the city hall.