Water features at Dominican Square in Brno - competition results

The subject of the competition was original works - original designs for two water features for Dominican Square, specifically in the space in front of St. Michael's Church (part 1 of the design) and in the central area of the square, defined by 4 planes and 4 stone benches (part 2 of the design). The designs were required to respect the significance of the place, namely a historical square with the current function of a gathering and social space in front of the local government office. Among the functional requirements for the design solution were, for example, enhancing the character of the place, cooling the surroundings, air, and paved surface of the square during the summer months, interaction with visitors to the square, as well as representing the city. No form of solutions was excluded in the proposals. Water features like fountains could be sculptural, architectural, or purely technical solutions, provided that other client requirements were met. The designs were to meet the requirement for maintaining artistic quality even in winter when the objects would be disconnected from the water medium; it was necessary to respect the requirement for durability and resistance to climatic influences and possible vandalism. The approach was left to the creativity of the authors.

Organizer: Statutory City of Brno based in Brno
Competition Secretary: Mgr. Jaroslav Hamža, Department of Culture of the City Hall of Brno
Competition Dates: 5.11.2019 - 20.1.2020
Announcement of Results Date: 13.5.2020
Number of Submitted Designs: 18
Total Prizes and Awards: 450,000 CZK

Regular Jury Members - Dependent
JUDr. Markéta Vaňková, Mayor of the City of Brno
Ing. Marek Fišer, member of the City Council of Brno for Culture
Mgr. Jitka Ivičičová, member of the City Council of Brno

Regular Jury Members - Independent
Ing. arch. Marek Štěpán
Mgr. Rostislav Koryčánek, head of CENS, curator, Moravian Gallery in Brno
doc. Mgr. Tomáš Medek, sculptor, Faculty of Fine Arts, VUT Brno
doc. MgA. Milan Houser, artist, Faculty of Fine Arts, VUT Brno

Substitutes Jury Members - Dependent
JUDr. Robert Kerndl, Deputy Mayor of the City of Brno
Bc. Tomáš Koláčný, Deputy Mayor of the City of Brno
Mgr. Miriam Kolářová, member of the Cultural Commission of the City Council of Brno

Substitutes Jury Members - Independent
Ing. arch. David Mikulášek
Ing. arch. Jaroslav Hulín
Mgr. Jan Press, Director of the Moravian Gallery in Brno
doc. MgA. Pavel Korbička, sculptor, Faculty of Fine Arts, VUT Brno

1st place: 200,000 CZK
Author: 
Ing. arch. Radim Horák, Ing. arch. Martin Sazama, Ing. arch. Romana Ema Pavlovská
Jury Evaluation: This proposal counts on a circular fountain surrounded by decorative fish for the space of Dominican Square as a reference to the fish market that once existed in the mentioned square. The design best fulfills the concept of a water feature and combines several meaningful and functional layers. The central fountain has an accurate scale, its circumference shaped by stylized fish has adequate detail, illuminated at night. The water, calm surface, and cascading represent a sufficient area for evaporation. Overall, despite its size, it acts more like a piece of jewelry. The processing of the design adequately reflects its character. The jury recommends creating a prototype of part of the wall with fish for assessing the precision of execution in future phases. In front of St. Michael's Church is a long rectangular trough with water. Although it is quite a delicate solution, it does not bring additional qualities to the given location.

2nd place: 150,000 CZK
Author: akad. soch. Stefan Milkov
Jury Evaluation: The jury positively evaluated the placement of the object as well as its form stylization and mature artistic form, especially for the figurative object in Dominican Square. The enclosed and contemplative form of the object, which would be more suitable for memorial sculpture, was seen as problematic. This impression is further accentuated by the object's illumination. The depiction of the angel in the square brings new meanings to the space that may conflict with the context of the surroundings. The new form of the water feature in front of St. Michael's Church is an alien form that complicates the given space.

3rd place: 100,000 CZK
Author: 
Oldřich Morys, Ondřej Bělica, Václav Kielar
Jury Evaluation: The jury appreciated the exaggeration and playfulness of both proposals, which try to present a new concept of an urban water feature. The proposal for Dominican Square attempts an imaginative postmodern quotation of the Parnas fountain in Zelný Trh in the form of a cloud placed on the shaft of a historicizing column, situated in the stone field among the quartet of planes. The exaggeration is enhanced by a light object meant to resemble the Moon and "raining" water falling from the clouds onto the shaft. The jury appreciated the originality of the significantly vertical solution, which nevertheless conflicts with the treetops, which are expected to obscure the upper part of the object in the future. The water feature in front of St. Michael's Church already addresses the colorful mixture of urban furniture and technical elements in this space by multiplying one of them in the form of a street lamp that combines the use of light, flowing, and misting water. Transforming the street lamp for a different purpose can appear as a light and witty solution but is inadequate to the significance of the space in front of the church. For the jury, the use of this element in another, less meaningfully loaded part of the city is conceivable. 


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