Ostrava has completed the territorial study of the Černá louka exhibition grounds

Ostrava - The Office of the Chief Architect of the City of Ostrava has completed a spatial study for the approximately thirteen-hectare area of the Černá louka exhibition grounds and its surroundings. The study defined spatial conditions for individual buildings and anticipates the creation of two cultural facilities. The priority for the city remains the construction of a new concert hall, said Mayor Petr Kajnar (ČSSD) to journalists today.
     "In addition to the concert hall, I think there can be things that will be financed commercially, such as hotels, apartments, and I can also envision shops and possibly offices or a school," Kajnar stated. The city competed for the title of European Capital of Culture 2015 with the comprehensive transformation of Černá louka into a new urban district, but lost to Plzeň in the contest.
     In connection with the competition, an international urban planning competition for the development of the Ostrava exhibition grounds was announced two years ago, which was won by the Dutch architectural studio Maxwan, which is now also involved in the creation of the spatial study.
     The study accounts for the preservation of Exhibition Pavilion A, the Puppet Theatre, and Villa Tereza in the area. Some other existing buildings will therefore be demolished in the future to make way for new developments.
     Similar to Maxwan's proposal, the spatial study includes the construction of buildings around a relaxation zone. It will not be a block development of the area, but rather the construction of individual standalone buildings.
     The owner of the land is the city. When selling lands to private investors, it will likely impose a condition to hold an architectural competition for each building constructed.
     Now, according to Kajnar, it is necessary to prepare the area, such as in terms of transportation infrastructure and engineering networks. The study anticipates, for example, the removal of part of the road that separates the area from the Ostravice River so that the entire space can open towards the river. "I would be glad if the Černá louka study could be included in the investment plan so that we know the prices and can plan the main components for the planning period of the European Union from 2014 to 2020," Kajnar stated.