NPÚ and the Chamber of Architects have signed a memorandum to enhance cooperation in the preparation and conduct of architectural competitions

The National Heritage Institute, as the expert organization for heritage care in the Czech Republic, and the Czech Chamber of Architects, as the professional organization uniting authorized architects, today signed a Memorandum of Cooperation in the preparation and conduct of architectural competitions. The purpose is to prevent negative decisions when assessing the results of architectural competitions during the administrative proceedings of the executive bodies of state heritage care and also to allow the NHU to participate more actively in the creation of new architectural and urban values.

The memorandum, signed today by the General Director of the National Heritage Institute Naďa Goryczková and the Chairperson of the Czech Chamber of Architects Jan Kasl, serves as a methodological guide for closer cooperation between the organizers of architectural competitions with the CCA and NHU from the early stages of competition preparation.

"It is our endeavor that the organizers of architectural competitions request the heritage care requirements during the preparation process, which will subsequently be part of the competition conditions. We also welcome that in the case of projects with heritage interests, the CCA will recommend the participation of representatives from the NHU, primarily as expert advisors to the jury, possibly as members," stated the General Director of the National Heritage Institute Naďa Goryczková.

"We initiated negotiations with the General Director of the NHU based on several disputes regarding architectural competitions after their announcement by the expert offices of the NHU and came to a solution that should prevent such procedures. Participants in the competitions must receive clear instructions as part of the competition conditions to avoid wasting creative energy and changes to successful proposals in the subsequent project process," added the Chairperson of the Czech Chamber of Architects Jan Kasl.

The memorandum also focuses on training in the preparation and conduct of architectural competitions and training for jury members.