Results of the XXIII. edition of the competition for the best urban project

On March 21, 2018, the results of the twenty-third year of the international student competition for the best urban project were announced at the Faculty of Architecture of the Czech Technical University in Prague. The competition is organized by the Institute of Spatial Planning of the Faculty of Architecture of the Czech Technical University in Prague under the auspices of the Association for Urbanism and Spatial Planning. Partner universities regularly participate in the competition prizes and costs associated with the exhibition of works - the Faculty of Civil Engineering and the Faculty of Architecture of the Czech Technical University in Prague, the Faculty of Architecture of the Brno University of Technology, the Faculty of Architecture of the Slovak Technical University in Bratislava, and the Faculty of Architecture of the Wrocław University of Technology in Wrocław.
This year, a total of 46 works were evaluated - 12 projects came from the Czech Technical University in Prague, of which 7 were from the Faculty of Architecture and 5 from the Faculty of Civil Engineering, 10 proposals from the Faculty of Architecture of the Slovak Technical University in Bratislava, 18 from the Faculty of Architecture of the Brno University of Technology, and 4 from the Wrocław University of Technology. Newly, there was also one submission each from the Czech University of Life Sciences in Prague and the Faculty of Arts and Architecture of the Technical University of Liberec.
On the jury on January 12, 2018, sat Ing. arch. Vanda Ciznerová (US Brno, AUUP ČR), Ing. arch. Petr Housa (CASUA), Václav Matoušek (HB Reavis), Ing. arch. Pavel Šváb CSc. (UAD Studio), Ing. arch. Alžbeta Sopirová, PhD. (FA STU in Bratislava), Doc. Ing. arch. Karel Havliš (FA VUT in Brno), Dr. Inž. Wawrzyniec Zipser (FA TU Wroclaw), Doc. Ing. arch. Jan Mužík, Csc. (FSV ČVUT in Prague), and prof. Ing. arch. Karel Maier, CSc (FA ČVUT in Prague). The chair of the commission was elected Ing. arch. Pavel Šváb, CSc. The meeting was also attended by the secretary of the competition Ing. arch. Vít Řezáč.
In the first round, especially inventions and original approaches to solving urban issues were rewarded, while in the second round the quality in detail and completeness of the work were evaluated. In this year's edition, tasks processed by a team of authors largely succeeded, which excelled over others primarily due to quality analysis and a comprehensive approach to solutions. An unusual double award for the theme of Obchodná street in Bratislava demonstrated that the attributes of the assignment itself can serve as a good basis for the quality of final proposals. Beyond the annually announced awards, the jury this year gave special recognition to a precisely crafted urban plan that appeared among the submitted works for the very first time.
The announcement of the winners took place in the foyer of the Faculty of Architecture of the Czech Technical University and also served as the opening of a traveling exhibition. Several dozen spectators gathered in the atrium "U Jelena," and the entire announcement was hosted by the secretary of the competition Ing. arch. Vít Řezáč. Diplomas were handed out by the chair of the Association for Urbanism and Spatial Planning Doc. Ing. arch. Petr Durdík, the dean of the Faculty of Architecture prof. Ing. arch. Ladislav Lábus, Hon FAIA, and the head of the Institute of Spatial Planning prof. Ing. arch. Karel Maier, CSc. There was discussion about respecting the tradition of the competition, whose prestige and interest grow with the increasing number of represented universities. Original schools of architecture in Prague, Brno, and Bratislava were joined a few years ago by Polish Wrocław, and works from Ostrava and Liberec regularly appear among the participants, with everyone firmly believing that the circle will continue to expand. Professor Karel Maier, who was at the inception of the whole competition, reminded that it broadens the repertoire of possible approaches and forms of solving the problems of today’s cities and regions. He pointed out that thanks to the representation of jury members from practice, student works are also brought "to the market" outside the academic sphere.
The exhibition at the Faculty of Architecture will last until March 29, 2018, and then it will move to other universities and exhibitions. Current information about the competition and exhibitions can be found on the website or on the Facebook page of the competition.


Awarded works:

1st PRIZE - Bratislava Miletičová - Záhradnícka street
Lenka Gallo, Natália Filová
FA STU, Institute of Urbanism and Spatial Planning, Urban Design Studio

Jury evaluation: The topic of the awarded studio work was the design of the space at the intersection of two Bratislava streets, Záhradnícka and Miletičová, where the well-known market "Miletička" is currently located. This specific area, due to its location and significance, has the potential to become an attractive locality in the urban district of Ružinov. The main intention of the solution for the area in question was to design a focal community space with a market and the preserved chimney of the original slaughterhouse, which is underscored by the slogan of the work "We will meet by the chimney, Miletička will not disappear." The current state of individual buildings, street blocks, and their functions, as well as the market status of the focal space do not correspond. The philosophy of the design work lies in the functional integration of space along Záhradnícka and Miletičová streets, the preservation of public green areas, and the supplementation of pedestrian and cycling paths aimed at the main compositional hub of the area – the market square with the chimney. The priority function of the market, with its traditional sale of fruits and vegetables, is preserved in the design, while new functions are added - restaurants and cafes, a dance studio, and a stage for organizing various accompanying cultural events. A contribution of the work is the optimal involvement of natural potential into the overall design, whether in the form of avenues or green belts. The market, with the designed public space, thus becomes the center of social activities of the urban district of Ružinov and an attractive location for residents, visitors, sellers, growers, as well as producers of local products and craftsmen, which has a unique, unrepeatable atmosphere.

The jury awarded the work first prize for its extensive analysis of the area being addressed, thorough understanding of the starting points that influence the overall design of the locality, clear and readable concept, as well as high quality of graphical processing.


2nd PRIZE - Bratislava, Obchodná street: Flexible city
Laura Foltínová, Veronika Mandicová
FA STU, Institute of Urbanism and Spatial Planning, 2_AT1_AU-Studio I

3rd PRIZE - Holešovický meander
Daniel Degtěv, Tereza Dejdarová, Tomáš Fiala, Nikola Karabcová
FA ČVUT, Institute of Building Science, Studio Koucký

HONORABLE MENTION - Krumlovia Education Center
Tereza Beránková
FA VUT Brno, Institute of Urbanism, Studio prof. Hana Urbášková

HONORABLE MENTION - Borders - Hranice na Moravě
Maroš Kostelanský, Miriam Leštachová
FA VUT Brno, Architecture and Institute of Spatial Creation, Studio doc. Jiřího Palackého

HONORABLE MENTION - Bratislava. Obchodná street "Flexible city"
Paula Bencová, Miroslava Mišurová
FA STU, Institute of Urbanism and Spatial Planning, 2_AT1_AU-Studio I

SPECIAL MENTION - Urban Plan for Nové Strašecí
Lenka Chlanová, Eva Krňanská, Daniel Nosek, Barbora Štěpánová
FŽP ČZU Prague - Department of Applied Geoinformatics and Spatial Planning, Project M1