New Book: Blahomír Borovička: Vzpomínky hlavního architekta Prahy
KOUKALOVÁ, Martina, ROUBAL, Petr (ed.): Blahomír Borovička: Vzpomínky hlavního architekta Prahy [Blahomír Borovička: Memoirs of Chief Prague Architect]. Prague: Institute of Contemporary History, CAS, 2023.
In his memoirs, the architect Blahomír Borovička recalls two decades (1971-1988) of presiding over a state-socialist planning bureau that executed the most radical transformation of the city of Prague in its history. Edited by historians Martina Koukalová (The Prague Institute of Planning and Development) and Petr Roubal (Institute of Contemporary History of the Czech Academy of Sciences), the memoires offers in depth look into the intricate decision-making processes under state socialism in which party politics intersected with the interest of local officials and urban planning experts. Borovička provides invaluable insight into the planning of the mammoth and often highly controversial projects of socialist capital such as Prague underground, large housing estates, redevelopment of Belle Epoque quarters, or a motorway through the city center.