<div>Funeral hall in Roudnice nad Labem - 1st prize</div>

"Valley of Sadness" is an early pastel by the painter Zrzavý... it seems that the melancholic view emerging on the Czech Central Mountains and the dominant Milešovka appears to be a precursor to this mysterious work. A similar, if not the same, horizon presented itself during our first visit to the construction site. This is why the view of the hills of the Czech Central Mountains is a realistic and also calming image from the window of the mourning hall. The mourning space, the place of final farewell with loved ones, is a significant architectural and artistic center of our design. The minimalist composition, the simplicity of the interior furnishings, walls, decorations, and precisely focused view of the natural landmarks of Polabí.
The building of the mourning hall is located in the northern part of the site, thus emphasizing the ritual significance of the "final journey." An important compositional motif of the whole is the diagonal axis, part of which is the path that defines the space for the arrival of mourners in the eastern part, and in the western part, the mourning garden, which is separated from the entrance path by a wall. The columbarium, located at the back of the symbolic separating wall, and the quiet areas designated for contemplation, are oriented to the mourning garden. In the eastern part, the entrance path is gently moderated, and there are benches, trees, and sculptures as suitable places to pause. Access to the mourning hall is also possible from the existing urn grove around the current scattering meadow at the eastern edge of the addressed plot. The parking lot is designed at the entrance part on the western side of the site, in close connection to the access road to the entire cemetery area that it serves. Access for the funeral vehicle to the operational part of the mourning hall is enabled by a reserved access road at the eastern edge of the site. We place fundamental requirements on the sculptural processing and cultivation of three outdoor spaces - the parking lot, access roads, and the mourning garden. We anticipate that artists will be invited to complete the individual places and corners of the outdoor spaces. The proposed mourning garden may serve in the future for the placement of an urn grove or the expansion of the cemetery.
The volume of the mourning hall is formed by a cubic shape, which is oriented with the main diagonal axis, connected to the wall separating the entrance path and the mourning garden, thereby integrating into the overall scene. The main axis culminates in the main hall, then the mass is gradually softened and concluded in accordance with the internal operation. The spaces for the bereaved are significantly articulated in the external shape of the building, whose complexity is anchored in a calm simple facade. Window openings are designed so that they do not disturb the introverted nature of the ceremonies. Besides the mourning hall, where tranquility is ensured by prohibiting visitors from entering this part of the garden, the windows do not allow direct views; they face inward courtyards or are illuminated by skylights.
The arrangement and main entrance to the mourning hall connects to the overall diagonal axis, at the end of which there is a catafalque in the hall with space for flowers and wreaths, and space for a speaker. For preparation - on the eastern side of the hall, an entrance for the closest relatives is located from their designated rooms. In contrast to the dark entrance for the bereaved, a large window in the western wall of the hall opens a panoramic view of the Czech Central Mountains. The longitudinally expanding space for the bereaved ends with a room for displaying the coffin and a room for the closest relatives with seating furniture, which is elevated, thus significantly manifesting in the external shape of the building and evoking the solemnity of the room with its apse-shaped design. The space for the bereaved is composed of a longitudinally expanding volume, ending with a room for displaying the coffin and a room for the closest relatives. The main entrance area is divided into an entrance for most mourners; in the eastern part, columns define the entrance to the areas for the closest relatives, and the western part of the vestibule is separated by a bench and is designated for the departure of mourners. Public toilets are located at the eastern edge of the vestibule. In the case of a close time sequence of ceremonies, participants exit the mourning garden through the side entrance so that they do not mix with those waiting for another ceremony. The arrangement of benches in the mourning hall can be in two basic variants: In the case of a regular ceremony, which ends with the symbolic lowering of the coffin onto the catafalque, the benches are arranged into a unified block along the axis of the room. In the case that the coffin is carried out after the ceremony, the benches are divided along the axis by an aisle. The coffin is carried out through the main entrance. The square floor plan allows for additional seating arrangement variations for holding atypical ceremonies.
The technical operation is arranged along the line connecting the catafalque (mourning hall) and the area for loading/unloading the coffin onto the funeral vehicle, where there are rooms for the preparation of the deceased, a cooled coffin storage, a room for special waste, and an air conditioning machine room. Adjacent to this main operational space, on the eastern side, is a handling space for displaying the coffin. A separate entrance for employees connects to their facilities, which are spatially separated from the main operations. Access to the operational part is from the northern side of the building, outside the line of sight of mourners. On the eastern side of the mourning hall, there is a staircase leading to the musicians' choir, where audiovisual equipment is