Position of KZSP on the project for the roofing of the courtyard of the Nostický Palace

The Domestic Council of the Club Za starou Prahu thoroughly familiarized itself with the project of architect Josef Pleskot for the roofing of the second courtyard of the Nostický Palace to create a large central information hall for the Ministry of Culture.
In assessing the proposal, several different and partially contradictory aspects must be taken into account. On one hand, there is the laudable effort of the Minister of Culture to open his office to the public, not just in a symbolic sense, but even in a practical sense. This intention is supported by the selection of an architect whose realization in a historical context provides a relatively high guarantee of a sensitive solution to the problem. On the other hand, there is the architecture of the Nostický Palace, which is one of the most significant and best-preserved Baroque palace structures in Prague. The representative architectural composition of this building is determined not only by its monumental façade but also by a pair of inner courtyards interconnected by arcades that permeate the entire palace and give it an additional, unexpected dimension. Unfortunately, roofing one of the two interconnected courtyards in this context means a significant weakening and obscuring of the entire Baroque composition.
We are convinced that the symbolic "opening" of the Ministry of Culture should not be realized at the expense of the palace's architecture, in which the institution is located. We do not wish to question the architectural qualities of the proposal's creator or the fact that the proposed solution is easily reversible. However, we believe that the well-intentioned effort to open the palace to the public results in a rather unfortunate compromise solution that ultimately will not satisfy anyone.
It is evident that the composition of the palace and its distinctly representative form given by the recent successful restoration is already fundamentally different from the concept of the ministry as an open institution characterized by accommodating functionality and unpretentious modesty. The obvious contradiction between the monumental conception of the Baroque palace and the entirely contradictory task of transforming it into a simply functional whole leads us to the logical conclusion that the current seat of the ministry is not suitable for these purposes, and therefore, it is necessary to find a new and more operationally suitable seat for the institution that would meet all the requirements of a "modern office." The Nostický Palace could then become one of the few publicly accessible Baroque palaces in Prague, where one could also consider exhibiting a substantial part of the unique Nostický Picture Gallery, which is currently in the collections of the National Gallery.

Prague, June 17, 2008

Mgr. Richard Biegel, signature Executive of the Club Za starou Prahu

PhDr. Kateřina Bečková, signature Chairwoman of the Club Za starou Prahu

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