Ostrava knows the winner of the competition for the transformation of Msgre Šrámek Square

Ostrava - The city councilors of Ostrava approved the winner of the architectural-urban design competition for the transformation of Msgre Šrámek Square in the city center at their meeting today. Among the twenty submitted proposals, the expert jury was most impressed by the design by architects Martin Surovec from Prague and Miroslava Šešulková.

The jury called the winning work the most successful solution for the space of the square in front of the Cathedral of the Divine Redeemer. According to them, the authors achieved future limitations on static transport through sensitive interventions, creating three spaces adjacent to the cathedral and also finding a suitable place for an artistic piece commemorating the legacy of Monsignor Jan Šrámek. The architects' design also includes parking along a one-way street.

"In the first half of the year, we announced three architectural competitions and also approved their winners. I believe that not only the architectural community but also the public has noticed our efforts and the search for interesting solutions for transforming empty spaces and buildings in Ostrava," said Mayor Tomáš Macura (ANO). However, he stated that the quality of the proposals this time was not as high as in previous competitions. Many applicants did not meet the city's requirements. Macura stated that the final appearance of the square will likely not be completely identical to the proposal, and he would welcome it if it could be a kind of compilation of the best proposals.

He reminded that the city intends to continue using architectural competitions in the future. It is currently preparing a competition for the construction of a new concert hall, which could take place in the fall. Architects should also propose, for example, the design of a new apartment building on Biskupská Street in the city center.

Architects who created the proposal for the transformation of the square had to respect, for example, the long-term plan for completing the city block next to the Horník department store, as well as the operational needs of the Cathedral of the Divine Redeemer and the Jiří Myron Theatre, whose reconstruction will begin later this year. Part of the adjustments will include, for example, a café with an entrance to the square. This year, the city has already selected the winner of the architectural competition for the transformation of the historic abattoir and the space in front of the House of Arts.