History, Urbanism, and the Albertov Campus












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            The founding of the New Town of Prague by Charles IV in mid-14th century started with the 
            of town walls leading from the old Vyšehrad Castle to Poříčí. This dates the beginning of 
            history of the Albertov Valley. At this point, however, it was not just a construction of 

            medieval town that was being undertaken but rather a new urbanistic phenomenon which defie
            development of urban centres. In addition to the construction of the town wall, the crucia
            development of the New Town falls to the two decades of 1347–1367, during which almost the

            construction plan of Charles IV was carried out. In 1351, after the completion of many of 
            houses, the area of New Town was divided in parishes and a construction of new monasteries

            the parish system was finalised.
            In early 20th century, the construction of Albertov as a university quarter according to a
            1904 became one of the most radical changes to the New Town in its post-medieval form. At 

            buildings were constructed in the so far little developed area between Apolinářská and Hor
            design was inspired by the purpose-built and relatively self-contained research and educat
            some West European and American universities.

            After the creation of Czechoslovakia in 1918, it was necessary to re-think the urbanistic 
            in connection with the reorganisation and completion of the General Hospital and in relati
            and German Faculty of Medicine and their buildings. Nonetheless, the only developments whi

            the interwar period were an enlargement of the building of the Institute of Hygiene, which
            western wing, and a new construction of Purkynje Institute for the Czech Medical Faculty.
            The first truly urbanistic development of an academic campus came after the WWII. A remark

            this undertaking is that it was most likely planned during the Nazi occupation in 1943–194
            universities were closed. The author of this design viewed his proposal as being just prel
            of a possible future academic centre which should respond to particular rules of urban tra

            the spirit of constructivist principles, thus taking no heed of existing, historically val

            An important milestone in the further development of the campus came in 1999, when an amen

            development was elaborated and presented for public discussion. In this plan, the areas of
            individual users are not allotted directly but generally, meaning that in the new plan, th
            of academic campus is treated as an area of public facilities. Within the structure of the

            city, this amendment thus to some degree simplifies and limits changes to the plan of urba
            the other hand, it also carries certain risks regarding building permissions for construct
            related to the Albertov Campus.



            In the spring of 2006, preparations started for the completion of Albertov. The project re

            provisory name ‘Albertov Campus’. First of all, preliminary spatial possibilities for the 
            new buildings were identified in the location of the existing canteen and an undeveloped l
            Hlavova and Horská streets. [ URL "KAEN-10.html "]

            The main artery of the compound is the Albertov Street, which passes approximately through
            the area defined by the rock formations and hills. University buildings, constructed mainl
            century, are mostly robust, freestanding structures with internal courtyards, approximatel

            high. The new buildings of the Globcentrum and Biocentrum should follow the orthogonal str
            complement the historical site with structures of similar height, linked to the existing s
            by the compact mass of building facades.