The co-founders of the reSITE conference are in a dispute over its form

photo: reSITE

Prague - The co-founders of the Prague conference reSITE, which has been focusing on the public space of cities for six years with the attention of international experts, are disputing its form. Regina Loukotová, the rector of the architectural school ARCHIP, who was instrumental in the conference's inception, is concerned about its alleged politicization. She is asking Martin Barry, the chairman of reSITE, to no longer use the brand and to establish his own commercial company for organizing the conference. Barry refuses and states that he will continue to use the name, as he holds the international trademark.

The reSITE conference attracts hundreds of people each year. This June, it drew a thousand interested in opinions on how to improve cities to be more welcoming for both residents and visitors. For Prague, it serves as an inspiration for enhancing urbanism and transportation, with most city representatives participating. However, architect Loukotová was troubled that this year, former Finance Minister and leader of the ANO movement, Andrej Babiš, was given a platform at the conference.

"The current reSITE association, which I believe should primarily be non-profit and apolitical in nature, should not provide a platform for politicians for their own political presentations, even if they seem professional," Loukotová stated in an open letter to Barry. She is also bothered that Barry presents himself as the sole founder of the event while ignoring her and Milota Sidorová, who are said to have also been instrumental in the idea's inception.

Barry stated in response to a query from ČTK that from the beginning he has been listed as the main organizer and ARCHIP as the organizing partner, and that Loukotová and Sidorová were co-founders of the reSITE association, as mentioned on its website.

Regarding Babiš's appearance, he noted that reSITE has always invited politicians as speakers and participants. This year, for instance, Paris’ deputy mayor Jean-Louis Missika was a participant. He mentions Babiš as the leader of the party, "which governs Prague and other Czech municipalities" - with which the conference inherently seeks to collaborate. "This year's reSITE was no different in this regard from previous ones," he stated.

He considers the expansion of the organization from its volunteer beginnings to its current form a success. "Fundraising is very challenging in local conditions, and once the public sector turns its back on us (this year the Ministry of Culture), we look for sources at the last minute in private waters," he stated, noting that he does not want to compromise the quality of the event just to keep costs down.

"I came up with the name and invested 10,000 volunteer hours and nearly two million crowns of my own funds to build it. Regina Loukotová has not been involved in the creation of content or the direction of the organization for several years, nor does she contribute to its development, and the name reSITE does not belong to her," he concluded. He believes that ARCHIP's motivation to claim credit for the success of reSITE in recent years is of a marketing nature. He thinks the school is trying to attract paying students to its program.