Šumperk will have a new gateway to the city, born from a competition of architects

Šumperk - The main entrance to Šumperk will be adorned with an artistic intervention, the city sought its form in the art competition Intervention Šumperk. The aim of the competition was to find an artistic-architectural or possibly landscaping solution for the internal area of the roundabout. According to representatives of the city hall, there was a great interest in the competition under the auspices of the Czech Chamber of Architects, with three dozen artists and architects participating. The first place was awarded to the proposal by the Landa Ruhmkorf studio, reported the city hall spokesman Bohuslav Vondruška to ČTK. The competition proposals can be seen in the gallery of the Southern Wing of the House of Culture until November 3.

According to city hall representatives, the aim of the competition was to create an artistic intervention that would serve as a dignified and confidently designed gateway to the city. The target location was the central inner area of the roundabout at the intersection of Zábřežská and Šumavská streets, covering an area of 2,381 square meters. The city had previously stated that the estimated value of the public contract would be 4.5 million crowns excluding VAT. "The ambition of the entire competition process is to bring a new quality and significance to today's dismal place, the symbolic threshold of our city," stated Mayor Miroslav Adámek (ANO).

The competition attracted 28 participants, with eight non-competitive proposals contributed by talented students from the VOŠ and SPŠ Šumperk. The expert jury consisted of professionals headed by architect Jan Šépka, art historian Anežka Bartlová, artist Pavla Sceranková, and landscape architect Radmila Fingerová. "The main benefit of the artistic competition for the city leadership was that a large number of quality proposals arrived with completely different approaches - artistic installations, architectural, as well as landscaping solutions. There was an opportunity to compare different approaches to the location. For the first time in history, the city as the client underwent the entire process of the artistic competition according to the rules of the Czech Chamber of Architects," stated Deputy Mayor Karel Hošek (Šumperáci).

The winning proposal has the character of a landscaping adjustment, and its success, according to the committee, depends on living nature. "To be successful in the long term, it will require careful maintenance. It is essential to reach an agreement with the authors of the proposal on its practical functioning, which will be key to deciding whether this project or another awarded project will be realized. We are considering minor adjustments, but the basic idea should remain untouched," added the city hall spokesman.