The Czech Architecture Award 2024 was awarded to the Concert Hall in Karlovy Vary

Prague - This year's Czech Architecture Award was won by the Concert Hall in Karlovy Vary, designed by architects Petr Hájek, Nikoleta Slováková, and Martin Stoss from the Petr Hájek Architects studio, located in the hall of the reconstructed Emperor's Baths. Along with the main winner, five other works were awarded the title of Finalist. One project received an honorary mention. A total of 307 projects entered the competition organized by the Czech Chamber of Architects, as stated by the award organizers in a press release.

The red, free-standing self-supporting structure of the Concert Hall in Karlovy Vary is now the home stage of the Karlovy Vary Symphony Orchestra and serves for hosting concerts, theatrical performances, film screenings, and lectures and conferences. The structure rests on six supports designed to reduce vibrations and maintain a distance from the walls of the bath building. It features retractable seating, an adjustable orchestra pit, and panels and partitions to adjust the acoustics according to current needs.

"The Czech Architecture Award very well fulfills the statutory mission of the Czech Chamber of Architects and the updated Architecture and Building Culture Policy of the Czech Republic – it presents high-quality architectural production realized in our territory to both professionals and the general public, which can inspire both the private and public sectors in renovations and the preparation of new buildings,” stated Jan Kasl, chairman of the Czech Chamber of Architects and also the jury of the Czech Architecture Award.

The jury was also impressed by the transformation of a building in the center of Prague, which now houses the art studios of the AAAD (Academy of Art, Architecture and Design) and serves as a Technological Center UMPRUM. The authors of the reconstruction and extension are Ivan Kroupa, Jana Moravcová, and Tomáš Zmek from the UMPRUM Project Studio.

Among the finalists was also the Sports Hall in Řevnice, financed by a private investor. The project was created for the needs of students, sports clubs, and people from the town. Its authors are architects Peter Sticzay-Gromski, Jan Horký, and Sebastian Sticzay from the Grido studio.

The jury praised the Adaptation of the Grain Silo as a thoughtful and successfully executed transformation of a brownfield, which is part of the revitalized premises of the Automatic Mills in Pardubice. The authors from Prokš Přikryl architects focused, among other things, on improving its accessibility concerning the new function. The initiator of the rescue of the Automatic Mills and also the investor for the adaptation of the grain silo, Lukáš Smetana, received an award for exceptional achievement this year, which is part of the Czech Architecture Award.

Also among the finalists was the Reconstruction of a House in Kutná Hora by architects Jan Holub and Tomáš Hanus from the BYRÓ studio, as well as the solution of the Technical Services Base in Lysolaje, Prague by authors Jan Kalivoda and Vojtěch Kaas from the Progres studio.

This year, an honorary mention was awarded to the new design of a traditional cottage in the gardening colony named Garden Pavilion also by architects Jan Holub and Tomáš Hanus from BYRÓ.

The jury this year was headed by Greek architect Alexandros Vaitsos, and its members included architect Doris Wälchli (Switzerland), landscape architect Neil Porter (United Kingdom), architect and urban planner Silja Tillner (Austria), architect Peter Moravčík (Slovakia), architect and journalist Adriana Granato (Italy), and architect and lecturer Andrius Ropolas (Lithuania).
The English translation is powered by AI tool. Switch to Czech to view the original text source.
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