Urbanistic – architectural competition "Western part of the Great Square in Strakonice"

The city of Strakonice announced an urban planning and architectural competition for the development of part of the city center. The subject of the competition is the proposal for the architectural and urban planning solution for the western part of the Great Square in Strakonice. This is a design competition aimed at finding the most suitable representation of the given space in both aesthetic and functional terms. The goal of the modifications will be to create one of the most significant public spaces in the city. It is anticipated that the activities of citizens and visitors to the city will be interconnected.

A tour of the competition site with an explanation will take place on December 12, 2017, at 10:00 AM.
Competition proposals can be submitted until March 9, 2018.

More information about the competition is available on the city's website
http://www.strakonice.eu/architektonicke-souteze

Additional Information:

Subject of the competition
The subject of the competition is the proposal for the architectural and urban planning solution for the western part of the Great Square in Strakonice. This is a design competition aimed at finding the most suitable representation of the given space in both aesthetic and functional terms. The goal of the modifications will be to create one of the most significant public spaces in the city. It is anticipated that the activities of citizens and visitors to the city will be interconnected. Essential will be the support for further development of the center, emphasizing not only urbanistic and architectural aspects but also social, economic, cultural, and ecological aspects.
The proposal will include a solution for the public space itself, a solution for paved areas including material execution, a solution for greenery and any potential water features, a solution for urban furniture, lighting, determining and placing any artistic works. The proposal will address transportation in this central part of the city.

The area being addressed is delineated by the roundabout at the intersection of the Great Square and Bavorova Street, up to the intersection of Na Stráži and U Svaté Markéty Streets with the Great Square (including the intersection). Included in the addressed area is the connection from the Great Square towards the underpass under Katovická Road towards the Otava River (Lázeňská Street). The competition will also examine broader relationships in the area and the integration of the addressed area into the city's structure.

Requirements for the solution

The square will allow for a wide range of public activities:

• Public space - the priority is not to disrupt but to develop the economic activity of the natural center of the district town and adjacent properties, thus supporting the meeting of residents; to also enable the holding of occasional cultural and social events (allowing the occasional closure of the space for car access, enabling the construction of a stage, etc.), holding seasonal markets (e.g., farmer's markets with a frequency of once every two weeks, Christmas markets, etc.);
• Transport - the proposal for transport solutions will be part of the competition proposals, and the transport solution will include automotive transport including supplies, parking arrangements, possibilities for parking, service to adjacent properties, cycling, and pedestrian movement.
• Transport accessibility - the contracting authority prefers bidirectional passage through the square; full access to adjacent properties will be maintained in the area, and establishments will be allowed to receive supplies from the square. The requirement for retaining a certain number of parking spaces is not specified, but the intention should be to retain as many parking spaces as possible, considering the quality of the architectural and urban planning solution of the public space;
• Public transport - to investigate the possibility of servicing the center with public transport, including public transport stops;
• Greenery - the contracting authority recommends addressing greenery with trees of medium to lower growth from the medium-aged category with high canopies (2.5 m and above);
• Urban furniture - the contracting authority recommends continuing with the existing furniture of the already realized part of the city center (public lighting lamps, trash cans, etc.);
• Artworks - the ground floor can be complemented with artworks, and the realization of a water feature is anticipated;
• Material solutions - the contracting authority prefers the use of paving from noble natural materials.
• The contracting authority prefers solutions on plots owned by the city of Strakonice or the Czech Republic. Parts of the proposal located on privately owned plots must not be essential for the overall quality of the competition proposal.
• Barrier-free solution for the urban ground floor;
• Financial feasibility for the maintenance of the urban ground floor;
• Consider the possibility of removing ramps to expand the square space;
• Consider ways to rectify the unclear and communicatively complicated solution for the forecourt in front of the Pope's houses and the related connection between the Great Square and the underpass under Katovická Road towards the Otava River;
• High pedestrian traffic on U Sv. Markéty Street across the Great Square to Na Stráži Street (especially considering the terrain configuration and enabling comfortable pedestrian movement);