To the architects' competition for the fountain in the Great Square, Hradec Králové received 54 proposals

Hradec Králové - The city hall received 54 proposals for the architectural and artistic competition for a fountain for the historic Great Square in Hradec Králové. The expert jury selected five concepts in an anonymous mode, which their creators will complete by the end of October in the second phase of the competition. The winning proposal is expected to be selected by the jury in November, the city hall announced today. The deadline for the first round of the competition was August 15. The fountain is to be located in the Great Square near the former town hall no. 1, where a similar water element used to exist in the past.

In the second round of the competition, the jury will assess not only the architectural and artistic solutions but also the operational and technical parameters of the proposals, their sustainability, and the adequacy of investment and operating costs. The city estimates the cost of constructing the fountain at up to 25 million crowns excluding VAT.

In the western part of the Great Square, three fountains have stood over time. The first, named Jiříkova, was created in the second half of the 15th century and was adorned with elaborate sculptural decoration by its builders. In 1782, it was replaced by a fountain with simple sculptural decoration. After its demolition in 1873, a cast-iron fountain stood in the square until 1937. It was supposed to be replaced by a monument to Jan Žižka, which never happened.

The city has determined the basic parameters and location of the new fountain. For example, the fountain should occupy a square area of a maximum size of 100 square meters and can be a maximum of seven meters tall. Its installation will be part of the overall reconstruction of the Great Square that the city is planning.

"The fountain should be a testament to the era in which it is created. It should reflect the new appearance of the Great Square," said the deputy mayor for urban planning, urbanism, and architecture Adam Záruba (Change for Hradec). According to the city hall, the fountain's design should be timeless.

For the fundamental reconstruction of the Great Square, which is currently a large parking lot, the city hall selected a designer in July, namely the Fildman Project company from Velké Losiny in the Šumperk district. The actual reconstruction, if everything goes smoothly, could begin in 2028. The city estimates the cost of the work at over 600 million crowns.

The city has been preparing the renovation of the Great Square for nearly 20 years. Some residents have reservations about the transformation of the square, mainly due to the proposed reduction in the number of parking spaces. The city leadership resulting from the 2022 elections decided to change the basic concept of the square's reconstruction and incorporate new requirements. This includes the reconstruction of Komenského Street along the square, where new parking spaces should offset their decrease in the square.

Two rows of trees are to be created in the square, and water elements are to be added. Instead of "cobblestones," the square should be repaved with cut pavement. The center of the square should belong to pedestrians.