Competition: Construction of the urban district center Prague-Nebušice

The competition aims to find new use and form for the dilapidated former farm of the Strahov Premonstratensians, located in the center of Nebušice.

This area is urbanistically extraordinarily valuable, situated in the center of the village opposite the church. The farm reflects the historical development of Nebušice, and it includes several very valuable buildings. In the second half of the 17th century, it was gradually restored. The exceptionally valuable baroque granary has been preserved in its southwestern part, along with the core of the original farm building. Particularly the granary has retained not only its original mass and layout but also a number of rare authentic elements (gables, partially windows, doors, communication systems, etc.), making it one of the best-preserved baroque granaries in all of Prague. A characteristic feature was its rectangular overall floor plan, with development concentrated around the perimeter to protect the central courtyard. The courtyard was built at that time with significant financial costs; its buildings were made of brick, vaulted where appropriate, and their external appearance reflected the fashionable stylistic trends of the time. By the 18th century at the latest, a new main building of the courtyard was constructed on the eastern side, oriented with its shorter facade to the north, located where the current main building stands. Its northern facade was adjacent to the road from Prague, which continued to pass through the courtyard, and the offices of the courtyard were situated at the front, with the caretaker's apartment above, as was customary. This part was underground, and a portion of vaulted cellars has also survived. During socialism, the farm served as workshops for an agricultural cooperative and is now used as a parking lot for heavy construction machinery, a car service, a blacksmith’s shop, and space for other small craft workshops. The farm appears dilapidated; however, the masonry is structurally sound, though the roof structures are quite damaged.

Nebušice as a municipality has several specific characteristics

1. There are sociologically completely different layers of residents living here. In addition to the original "small homeowners and farmers from several agricultural estates," owners of new parcels began to settle here starting in the 1970s, and at the beginning of the 1990s, an international school was built here. A significant number of foreigners (both short-term for several years and permanently) have moved to Nebušice, currently making up almost a third of the village's residents. (In Nebušice, there are 2023 citizens of the Czech Republic and 768 foreigners). However, foreigners live a separate life and essentially only meet with the residents of Nebušice during shopping at the local Albert. The average age of Nebušice residents is just under 40 years, and there are approximately 500 children under 14 living here, with most residents holding a university or secondary education.
2. This composition of the population does not fully meet the current form of public space, lacking services and leisure activities.
3. The proximity of the airport - especially the planned second runway - threatens the further development of the village, but it will maintain a very advantageous transport position in the future.
4. It is located next to the natural park Divoká Šárka.

The announced competition is regular; it has been declared by the Prague-Nebušice municipal district and has support across the political spectrum in the local council (which is not usually the case here). And although large projects have been realized and are underway in Nebušice over the last 20 years, as indicated above, this is the first architectural competition held here.

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Subject of the competition
Preparation of a conceptual urban-architectural design for the area of the "former Premonstratensian farm in Nebušice" - south of the Church of St. Cyril and Methodius. The purpose of the competition is to find and allocate new functions to the existing area in the context of the village and to obtain an urban study of a new (administrative, commercial and social) center of Nebušice.

Jury
Regular members of the jury

• Ing. Zdeněk Čermák
• Doc. Ing. Akad. arch. Jiří Mojžíš
• Libor Přerost
• Ing. arch. Jan Aulík
• Ing. arch. Michal Kohout
• Akad. arch. Pavel Kolíbal
• Ing. arch. Jan Sedlák

Substitutes of the jury

• Ing. Petr Mužík
• Ing. Hana Lichnovská
• Ing. arch. Markéta Cajthamlová
• MgA Ing. arch. Michal Fišer

Prizes and rewards

• 1st prize: 180,000 CZK
• 2nd prize: 100,000 CZK
• 3rd prize: 70,000 CZK
• Total rewards 100,000 CZK

Dates

• Date of announcement of the competition: October 15, 2009
• Deadline for collection of competition materials: from October 15, 2009 to December 4, 2009
• Deadline for submitting questions: by October 30, 2009
• Deadline for answering questions: November 4, 2009
• Date of submission of competition proposals: from December 1 to December 4, 2009
• Date of the jury's evaluation meeting: from December 7 to December 10, 2009

You can find the competition conditions here> (.doc, 110 KB)