Architects criticize Opava for lack of preparedness after the demolition of Slezanka, the city rejects the criticisms

Opava – Some architects criticize Opava's approach regarding the demolition of the deteriorating Slezanka shopping center in the city center. They are not opposed to the demolition itself, but allegedly to the unprepared subsequent steps. They are concerned about, for instance, a gap that would mar the city center for years. They are also calling for an architectural competition to be announced. A petition has been created, signed by 160 representatives of the architectural community. The mayor of the city, Tomáš Navrátil (ANO), rejects the criticisms. He told reporters today that the municipal office is planning a competition.

"We do not perceive the demolition itself negatively. On the contrary, we see it as an extraordinary opportunity to transform one of the city's most significant public spaces," said architect Tomáš Bindr, one of the petition's initiators. However, he considers the unpreparedness of the follow-up projects to be a problem. "The project is currently only in the phase of architectural study. For the planned residential buildings, it is not known that any phase of project preparation has been initiated," he added.

The demolition of the shopping center is to be completed in April. According to Bindr, the preparation of project documentation and construction permits will take several more years. "Without prepared projects, there is a risk of creating a long-term, 65-meter-long gap. This is a fundamental intervention in the urban structure of the city, which can have negative impacts on its functioning and perception," he stated.

Mayor Navrátil indicated that the city had to choose such an approach considering the possibilities of demolishing the entire object. The town hall currently only owns part of the building and is trying to acquire the rest. Additionally, the declaration of the neighboring building, the Theater Club, as a monument complicated the process. The municipal office aims to save time through gradual demolition. According to the mayor, an archaeological survey will also need to be conducted on-site before construction begins.

Opponents also have objections to the planned development, which is meant to connect with the facades of the historical buildings in the vicinity. They reportedly have only minimal information. According to Bindr, the center of Opava deserves an architectural solution of high quality that corresponds to the present day. He would welcome the final version to be sought through an architectural competition. "Architecture is always a reflection of the cultural and economic level of society at a given time and place," Bindr added. In this context, Navrátil stated that the city plans to hold an architectural competition. It is likely to be announced in May, with results expected by the end of the year.

The panel building of the Slezanka shopping center was created on the site of former brewing houses from the 17th century. The block, which has a residential appearance, connects to the historical development of the center and neighbors the Gothic church. The building has been a long-term problem for the municipal office. The city purchased the majority share in 2008 for 270 million crowns. Since then, the possible use of the building has been under discussion. In 2021, the city council approved the demolition of the purchased part.

Demolition was to begin a year later. However, the work had to be halted as the Ministry of Culture declared the neighboring Theater Club a monument. The city disagrees with this decision from the ministry and has filed a lawsuit with the administrative court. Demolition was also blocked by a co-owner of the left part of the building. Therefore, it was necessary to develop a new demolition project to ensure that neither the left co-owner's building nor the Theater Club in the right part was affected. Demolition and construction work had to be divided into several phases.

The Slezanka is to be replaced by a multifunctional cultural hall with a capacity of approximately 800 to 1,000 people, intended for balls, dances, concerts, congresses, and other social events. A representative space of this type has long been lacking in the city center. The project also includes an underground parking lot with a capacity of approximately 250 spaces. A hotel and residential buildings could also be built on the site. In addition to the hall and underground parking, the buildings are to be constructed by private investors.