Brno has selected the jury for the competition for the design of the exhibition grounds

Ludovica Molo

Brno - Brno has selected a jury for the international two-round urban planning competition for the design of the Brno Exhibition Center. It includes experts with international experience, said Martin Ander (SZ), the mayor's deputy, to CTK today. The nine-member jury consists of five architects and urban planners, three city representatives, and the director of exhibitions, Jiří Kuliš. The competition itself will be announced in April. The costs for organizing the competition are about 7.5 million crowns. Brno Exhibitions is 95 percent owned by the city, which purchased the majority stake from Messe Düsseldorf.

According to Ander, the jury with experts has proven beneficial to the city in the past, for example, during the architectural competition for the design of the South Center in Brno. "We intentionally selected architects and urban planners with international experience because the exhibition center is a significant entity that is not found in every city. It also plays a role in the international image of the city," stated Ander.

The five experts include Ivan Koleček, president of the Federation of Swiss Architects, Jakub Kořínek, founder of the Brno Urbanist Circle, Zdeňka Vydrová, city architect of Litomyšl and Tišnov, Petr Hlaváček, former director of the Institute of Planning and Development of Prague, and Ivan Reimann, who works in Berlin. The city is represented by Mayor Petr Vokřál (ANO) and deputies Ander and Jaroslav Kacer (TOP 09), with Kuliš as the last member.

According to Ander, people with international experience will elevate the level of the competition. "The jury enhances prestige and ensures a serious competition. Winning a competition with a well-composed jury is an attraction. It has proven effective for the competition for the South Center, where we received nearly 60 proposals," added Ander.

The competition is being developed by the Office of the Architect of the City of Brno. Its goal is not to find a new use for the exhibition center but rather a quality solution on how to unify, maintain, and integrate it into the city's structure. "We want to find a unifying concept for the site, revitalize it, and incorporate it into the life of the city. It is currently detached and closed off from the city. The competition can help with that," stated Ander.

Until last year, the city owned only 34 percent of the exhibitions but purchased a majority stake of 61 percent from the German owner Messe Düsseldorf for about 225 million crowns. It also intends to buy the remaining five percent from minority owners.