The architects' dispute over the station will end in a settlement, the mayor of Hořice will pay

Ing. arch. Martin Pour

Hradec Králové – The dispute between architects over the design of the bus station in Hořice in the Jičín region, which resembles a previously constructed railway stop in northern Moravia's Čeladná, will end in a settlement. Claims regarding unauthorized interference with copyright were made against the city of Hořice and its mayor, who is also the city architect, Martin Pour, by the Ostrava company PROJEKTSTUDIO EUCZ, led by architect David Kotek. During today's proceedings at the regional court in Hradec Králové, the parties agreed that Pour, as the author of the architectural design of the Hořice building, would pay the plaintiffs and the city would publish an apology on the official notice board. The amount Pour is to pay has not been disclosed by the parties in the dispute.

"An agreement was reached on the basic parameters of a settlement proposal, thereby avoiding the initiation of legal proceedings. This agreement means that the city of Hořice will not be obligated to any financial compensation claimed by the lawsuit,” the city hall stated in a press release issued this afternoon.

According to the city hall, Mayor Pour did not want to involve the city in a prolonged and costly legal dispute with uncertain outcomes, which would have the nature of a professional disagreement between two architects. "It involves a professional and complex assessment of the similarity of studies, which would require the involvement of court experts,” the city stated. The city did not provide further details, citing the parties' confidentiality agreement.

At the beginning of today's first court hearing, the disputing parties remarked that they had attempted to reach a settlement, but unsuccessfully. From the lawyers' statements, it emerged that the defendant had offered a payment of 70,000 crowns and an apology, while the plaintiffs demanded two million crowns. When prompted by the judge whether they were willing to negotiate further, the attendees responded affirmatively. The judge adjourned the hearing, and after approximately 45 minutes, the disputing parties returned to the courtroom with a preliminary agreement on settlement. The exact proposal for the settlement will now be sent to the court, which is expected to approve it by June 3rd.

Hořice opened the bus station building in September 2020, which bears a resemblance to the railway stop in Čeladná built nine years earlier by PROJEKTSTUDIO EUCZ. Pour, who was then the deputy mayor of Hořice, stated at the opening of the station that the design of the building was inspired by the stop in Čeladná.

The legal representative of the plaintiffs stated in court today that they learned about the similar building in Hořice last summer and subsequently filed a lawsuit in September. They sought financial compensation, the public disclosure of the judgment, and an apology on Hořice's official notice board, as well as reimbursement of costs.

After the hearing, Pour stated in response to a ČTK inquiry that he had already informed the architect of the stop in Čeladná about the Hořice station project when working on the study. "In all project stages, this inspiration is indicated, not a copy. We did not hide it, both from my side as the author and from the city," said Pour. He did not comment on the settlement agreement. The plaintiffs also did not provide a comment on the settlement to the media.

The passenger terminal at the bus station in the eight-thousand-strong Hořice opened nearly 20 years after the completion of the station itself. Until then, passengers had to use a provisional construction cabin for toilets, and another cabin served as the information office. The construction of the passenger hall cost 10.5 million crowns, with an additional 2.5 million for the rearrangement of departure stands and platforms.

The ground-floor, barrier-free passenger hall includes a waiting room, information office, toilets, facilities for bus drivers, and a bicycle storage area. The facade of the building is made of sandstone, which is typical for Hořice, while other materials include wood and concrete. The stop in Čeladná is clad with a facing of facing bricks.