The winner of the competition for the use of Breda in Opava is a Czech-Belgian project

Opava – The winner of the international architectural competition for the redevelopment of the former department store Breda in Opava is the Czech-Belgian project atelier gram + OFFICE Kersten Geers David Van Severen + Spolka. This was announced yesterday by the organizers. The design includes significant construction modifications, such as making the roof accessible, from where there is a view of Opava, said Roman Konečný, spokesman for the Opava city hall, to ČTK.

The jury, composed of representatives of the city and leading figures from the field, headed by Gabu Heindl, selected the winner only from a shortlist of five studios that advanced to the next round from the originally submitted 40 architectural studios from the Czech Republic and abroad.

According to the city's mayor, the winning design is radical on one hand, but on the other hand, it sensitively preserves the spirit of the Viennese architect Leopold Bauer, who designed Breda. "It is urbanistically very well resolved, there is significant public participation, and it takes into account all values, such as sustainability, ecology, reasonable economy, and architecture with modern elements. I was particularly impressed by the open design of the ground floor," said the mayor.

Breda is expected to offer a mix of commercial and public use in the future. Konečný stated that the building will include small shops, cafes, and restaurants, as well as spaces for schools. The plan includes utilizing the space around Breda and connecting it with the open ground floor, and the road may also be shifted.

"Now we will have two years for planning and negotiations with heritage conservationists," Konečný said. The reconstruction itself should begin no later than 2026, so that it is completed by the 100th anniversary of Breda's opening.

When it opened in 1928, Breda was the largest department store in what was then Czechoslovakia. However, the heritage-protected building has deteriorated in recent decades. In 2022, the city acquired it for nearly 40 million crowns and began its renovation last year.