On the building of the National Technical Library, the joints have widened, and repairs are planned

Prague - The National Technical Library (NTK) building in Prague's Dejvice has developed unsightly cracks due to the settling of concrete panels. The library is preparing for repairs. NTK spokesman Martin Krška stated this in response to a question from ČTK. According to the spokesman, the building's structure, opened in 2009, is not compromised. The library previously sued the general contractor of the building, Sekyra Group, over defects in the glass façade. The dispute was resolved by agreement.

"The NTK building is not structurally compromised or endangered. Due to the technological process during construction, only a gradual settling of some concrete panels on the perimeter of the building has occurred, which has visually manifested as unsightly cracks," Krška explained.

He added that the library has completed the tender for the company that will carry out the repairs and is now awaiting the end of the appeal period. "The reconstruction is expected to begin in May and should be completed in August to minimize the impact on library operations," he stated.

The NTK building, which was opened to the public in 2009, is covered externally with 4,500 glass panels. The building, designed by the studio Projektil Architekti, has received several architectural awards. In the past, NTK filed a lawsuit against Sekyra Group because glass panels fell from the façade in 2017 and subsequently in 2019. Both parties eventually reached an out-of-court agreement to renovate the façade, and the library withdrew the lawsuit.

The National Technical Library is the largest and oldest library of technical literature in the Czech Republic. Its history dates back to 1718, and it currently has a capacity of over 1.5 million volumes.