Ostrava University has proposals for the future form of the campus

Ostrava - The University of Ostrava has already prepared studies addressing the possible future form of its university campus. The university is striving to build it in the Karolina area, which is currently contested by developers in a competition. This was stated today by the university's rector, Vladimír Baar.
The study, which was prepared for the university free of charge by a private company, considers two variants. The first is a high-rise building with a central conference center. "This variant with a completely glazed facade is financially demanding; however, the undeniable advantage of this variant is a significantly smaller built-up area," said Baar. He added that the glazed facade could also be used as a huge projection surface. The second variant is the so-called colorful campus - a complex of smaller colorful buildings.
The construction of the entire campus is estimated to cost around five billion crowns. The university has also negotiated with developers who, according to Baar, claim they are willing to integrate the planned university campus into Karolina and release space for it. The company ECE Projektmanagement Prague, which is entering the competition together with Passerinvest Group, has previously signed an agreement with the university in this regard. The campus is estimated to occupy about one-third of the Karolina area.
It is to include a cafeteria, which does not plan to offer a traditional dining hall but rather smaller bistros with a variety of national cuisines. Residences, a university library, as well as a sports pavilion and an aquacenter, which should serve as a modern replica of the only preserved historical building, the so-called Double Hall, should not be missing. Accommodation for academic staff and a conference center are also planned.
"We fundamentally do not want to build the campus as a closed academic facility but rather as a place seamlessly integrated into the new architecture of Karolina, open to the public and ready to invigorate the existing center of Ostrava with its perpetually youthful inhabitants," added Baar.
The financially demanding project is intended to be financed mainly from European Union funds allocated for the period from 2007 to 2013. However, the preparations could also be demanding. The costs for project documentation alone could be in the tens of millions of crowns. By March next year, the university aims to submit its project to the Ministry of Education so that, according to Baar, the government can then decide whether the project will be included among those competing for EU funding.