The Olomouc Town Hall will present proposals for flood protection in the northern part of the city

Olomouc - The Olomouc City Hall will exhibit all 12 proposals submitted for the landscape competition for the third phase of flood protection in the northern part of the city. People will be able to view them from April 1 to April 7 in the orangerie in Smetanovy Sady. From the submitted proposals, which were prepared by experts among architects and urban planners, the jury selected three best ones. The city hall will continue negotiations with the Morava River Basin Authority about the preparation and form of the third phase of flood protection in Olomouc, Deputy Mayor Tomáš Pejpek (ProOlomouc) informed ČTK.

According to Pejpek, the authors of the flood protection proposals for the northern part of Olomouc not only focused on protection against high water but also on transforming the area around Klášterní Hradisko into a quality public space. The jury assessed the architectural quality, functionality of the proposals, and their connection with the surroundings. The winner of the landscape competition was the studio gogolák + grasse. "The competition addressed measures along the Morava River in the areas of Letná, Lazce, Černovír, and especially the baroque dominant Klášterní Hradisko. The goal was to obtain a project that not only protects Olomouc from high water but also focuses on connecting the river with the surrounding landscape and development," Pejpek stated.

The competition was announced as a two-phase event. Twelve competition teams registered for the first round. The jury selected five finalists from them, who advanced to the second round. From these five proposals in the second round, the jury chose three best ones, which the city will financially reward. The second prize was awarded to a proposal by P. P. Architects – PRIS, and the third place went to the solution by Till Rehwaldt. "Negotiations between the city and the Morava River Basin Authority will now follow with the aim of progressing further in the design preparation for this extensive investment," Pejpek noted.

The construction of flood protection measures in Olomouc on the Morava River is divided into several phases. In 2022, a section near the center of Olomouc was completed, which began construction in spring 2018 and followed two previously completed sections. The investment of 730 million crowns included the construction of two bridges on Komenského Street and Masaryk Avenue, the construction of dikes and flood walls, as well as the widening of the Morava River’s channel and the embankment.

Last spring, the Morava River Basin Authority began the construction of another phase of flood protection for Olomouc, which will now secure the city districts of Nový Svět and Nemilany against high water. Establishing flood protection measures in this part of Olomouc will cost 170 million crowns. The planned third phase will protect Letná, Lazce, part of Hejčín, Černovír, and the surroundings of Klášterní Hradisko in the northern part of the city against high water.