The competition for the renovation of Jiráskovo Square in Plzeň ended without a winner
The architectural-urban competition Foundation Transformation Award 2016 for the solution of the revitalization of Jiráskovo náměstí ended without a winner. The negotiations with the authors of the designs awarded the second prize – the studios Zábran Nová Architekti and Ting s.r.o. – were aimed at thoroughly verifying whether they could handle the demanding project. Neither of the teams will ultimately be commissioned to implement the project, and a prompted architectural competition is being prepared.
“The revitalization of Jiráskovo náměstí and Klášterní zahrada in the Plzeň Slovany is the best-prepared project we have encountered in our practice so far. There is a lot of work behind it, which we greatly appreciate, and understandably, we care about the responsible selection of the architectural team. In addition to architects and urban planners, experts in water management and traffic engineering should also be part of it. The costs of implementation are extensive, and the correct choice of architect guarantees that the project will not be unnecessarily expensive later,” stated Jitka Přerovská, the director of the Foundation Transformation of Karel Komárek, which announced the architectural competition. “A well-prepared project demands a quality architectural solution, with functionality and sustainability being the main qualities we see. A functionally designed public space is one that people like to inhabit, which is also one of the prerequisites for long-term sustainability,” she added.
“One of the main goals of the revitalization of Jiráskovo náměstí and Klášterní zahrada in Plzeň Slovany is to return everyday life to the center of the district. Involvement of the local public has been part of the project from the beginning, and the outcomes of the participation form an important part of the competition brief for architects,” added Pavel Šindelář, the technical deputy mayor of the city of Plzeň.
After the closure of the competition, which did not produce a clear winner, the representatives of the foundation and the city invited, based on the recommendations of the expert jury, the authors of both proposals that received the second prize. The studios Zábran Nová Architekti and Ting s.r.o. were given the opportunity to present their broader team of experts who would work on the project and demonstrate that they are capable of preparing and implementing the project of high quality in this composition. The teams' experience with projects of similar scope and focus, and with implementations that involved public engagement, were also taken into account.
Ultimately, neither of the teams convinced in the subsequent negotiations of their ability to manage the project in the required scope. “I regret that the transparent and open competition did not yield a clearer solution, but this does not change our efforts to continue with the successful implementation of the project,” said Jan Fluxa, the deputy mayor of the Plzeň 2 – Slovany municipal district.
Representatives of the foundation, the second district of Plzeň, and the city of Plzeň agreed that it is now essential to find an architectural team with the prerequisites and experience that are indispensable for finalizing the competition proposal into a form that will correspond to the complexity of the brief and the scale of the project. “At this moment, we have taken all necessary steps for the quickest possible preparation of the prompted architectural competition. The selection will be based on contacting studios that have already successfully managed similar projects from study to implementation. At the same time, they will have to present the composition of the team that will work on the project,” concluded Jitka Přerovská.
The prompted architectural competition, unlike the open competition, does not provide an open chance to all architects, but on the other hand, it attracts quality and established studios with extensive experience. Its announcement is expected at the beginning of February 2017. Compared to the variant where it would have been necessary to finalize additional collaboration conditions with the studios that ranked second in the open competition, the project schedule will be extended by about 3 months. This proposed procedure must now be approved by the City Council of Plzeň.
"Of course, like everyone else, I look forward to seeing Jiráskovo náměstí shine in all its glory after the reconstruction. The architectural design is the cornerstone of this reconstruction. Therefore, I believe that given the scale and financial demands of the entire investment, a little patience will definitely pay off," added Lumír Aschenbrenner, the mayor of the Plzeň 2 – Slovany municipal district.
Architects in the open competition Foundation Transformation Award 2016 had to deal with a challenging brief and propose a solution for the revitalization of Jiráskovo náměstí, Klášterní zahrada, and other adjoining spaces. The jury consisted of architects, urban planners, and landscape architects, including Pavel Nasadil, Antonín Novák, Martin Rusina, Ondřej Fous, Štěpán Špoula, and Jaroslav Holler. Only five competition teams entered the competition. However, the jury did not find a convincing winner among them who could handle the challenging task and grasp the complex nature of the space being addressed.
The project for the revitalization of Jiráskovo náměstí and Klášterní zahrada is being implemented in extensive cooperation with several partners, including the Foundation Transformation of Karel Komárek, which will provide a grant of 25 million CZK under its Parks grant program. The total project costs, estimated at 110 million CZK, will also be covered from their budget by the Plzeň 2 – Slovany municipal district and the city of Plzeň.
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“The revitalization of Jiráskovo náměstí and Klášterní zahrada in the Plzeň Slovany is the best-prepared project we have encountered in our practice so far. There is a lot of work behind it, which we greatly appreciate, and understandably, we care about the responsible selection of the architectural team. In addition to architects and urban planners, experts in water management and traffic engineering should also be part of it. The costs of implementation are extensive, and the correct choice of architect guarantees that the project will not be unnecessarily expensive later,” stated Jitka Přerovská, the director of the Foundation Transformation of Karel Komárek, which announced the architectural competition. “A well-prepared project demands a quality architectural solution, with functionality and sustainability being the main qualities we see. A functionally designed public space is one that people like to inhabit, which is also one of the prerequisites for long-term sustainability,” she added.
“One of the main goals of the revitalization of Jiráskovo náměstí and Klášterní zahrada in Plzeň Slovany is to return everyday life to the center of the district. Involvement of the local public has been part of the project from the beginning, and the outcomes of the participation form an important part of the competition brief for architects,” added Pavel Šindelář, the technical deputy mayor of the city of Plzeň.
After the closure of the competition, which did not produce a clear winner, the representatives of the foundation and the city invited, based on the recommendations of the expert jury, the authors of both proposals that received the second prize. The studios Zábran Nová Architekti and Ting s.r.o. were given the opportunity to present their broader team of experts who would work on the project and demonstrate that they are capable of preparing and implementing the project of high quality in this composition. The teams' experience with projects of similar scope and focus, and with implementations that involved public engagement, were also taken into account.
Ultimately, neither of the teams convinced in the subsequent negotiations of their ability to manage the project in the required scope. “I regret that the transparent and open competition did not yield a clearer solution, but this does not change our efforts to continue with the successful implementation of the project,” said Jan Fluxa, the deputy mayor of the Plzeň 2 – Slovany municipal district.
Representatives of the foundation, the second district of Plzeň, and the city of Plzeň agreed that it is now essential to find an architectural team with the prerequisites and experience that are indispensable for finalizing the competition proposal into a form that will correspond to the complexity of the brief and the scale of the project. “At this moment, we have taken all necessary steps for the quickest possible preparation of the prompted architectural competition. The selection will be based on contacting studios that have already successfully managed similar projects from study to implementation. At the same time, they will have to present the composition of the team that will work on the project,” concluded Jitka Přerovská.
The prompted architectural competition, unlike the open competition, does not provide an open chance to all architects, but on the other hand, it attracts quality and established studios with extensive experience. Its announcement is expected at the beginning of February 2017. Compared to the variant where it would have been necessary to finalize additional collaboration conditions with the studios that ranked second in the open competition, the project schedule will be extended by about 3 months. This proposed procedure must now be approved by the City Council of Plzeň.
"Of course, like everyone else, I look forward to seeing Jiráskovo náměstí shine in all its glory after the reconstruction. The architectural design is the cornerstone of this reconstruction. Therefore, I believe that given the scale and financial demands of the entire investment, a little patience will definitely pay off," added Lumír Aschenbrenner, the mayor of the Plzeň 2 – Slovany municipal district.
Architects in the open competition Foundation Transformation Award 2016 had to deal with a challenging brief and propose a solution for the revitalization of Jiráskovo náměstí, Klášterní zahrada, and other adjoining spaces. The jury consisted of architects, urban planners, and landscape architects, including Pavel Nasadil, Antonín Novák, Martin Rusina, Ondřej Fous, Štěpán Špoula, and Jaroslav Holler. Only five competition teams entered the competition. However, the jury did not find a convincing winner among them who could handle the challenging task and grasp the complex nature of the space being addressed.
The project for the revitalization of Jiráskovo náměstí and Klášterní zahrada is being implemented in extensive cooperation with several partners, including the Foundation Transformation of Karel Komárek, which will provide a grant of 25 million CZK under its Parks grant program. The total project costs, estimated at 110 million CZK, will also be covered from their budget by the Plzeň 2 – Slovany municipal district and the city of Plzeň.
More information >
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