The architects' competition for the new square in Hradec Králové will extend until the end of April

Hradec Králové – The architectural-urbanistic competition for a new square and residential building in the Kukleny district of Hradec Králové has been extended until the end of April. The deadline for submitting proposals from the five finalists has been moved by the city hall from today to April 30. This was justified by the reduction of the planned number of apartments in the residential building from 100 to 90. This follows from the competition brief on the client's profile. The jury is expected to select the winner in early May.

The city hall received 49 proposals in the first round of the competition. From these, the jury anonymously selected five finalists for the second round, in which the architects are to refine their designs. The square on the site of the former Kukleny tannery is set to become the center of the developing district on the western edge of the city.

In addition to the New Kukleny square, architects are to design a block of cooperative housing that the city is preparing. The residential building would be located near Pražská Třída and the new square. According to the city hall, the cooperative apartments should primarily be accessible to young families with children. The city hall believes that cooperative apartments should be up to 30 percent cheaper than those in developer construction.

The Kukleny brownfield area, covering nearly 14 hectares, has exceptional potential for the establishment of a new district center, where nearly 1,900 people could find a home, according to the city hall. The architectural competition pertains to an area of over half a hectare. Over half of this area should be occupied by the residential building, with the remainder designated for the square.

The dilapidated building of the former tannery in Kukleny, dating back to the 19th century, was demolished by the city in 2023. Only the chimney remains as a reminder of the extensive factory complex built from raw brick. In 2014, the city removed the characteristic clock tower from the factory hall, which is now stored in a warehouse at the airport. Architects will be able to incorporate the tower and the brick masonry from the demolished buildings into their designs.