Brno will announce an architectural-urban competition for the design of the park at Moravské náměstí

Brno - The Brno-Center district plans to renovate the park on Moravské náměstí and create a recreational area there. In July, it will announce an architectural and urban planning competition for the design of the park, the district spokesperson Denisa Kapitančiková told ČTK today. Interested parties will be able to apply until mid-October. The actual work, which is expected to cost no more than 25 million, will begin in 2018.

The park is one of the central spaces in the city. Its axis is formed by Rašínova street leading to the public transport area at Joštova and Česká streets. Significant radial streets, namely Kounicova and Lidická, extend from the center along the park. "The park should primarily serve as a relaxation zone for the city's residents. The designs should clearly define pedestrian routes connecting to green relaxation areas. This may be complemented by water features, a café, and spaces for outdoor exhibitions," said councilor Petr Bořecký (ANO). He added that there is also an intention to establish a pedestrian connection to Mášova street based on the historical footprint.

In addition, the district will examine the underground fragments of the German House, which was built in the square at the end of the 19th century and later demolished. "Fragments remain below the surface, especially the basement of the building, which was covered after the war. The reconstruction plans include a reminder of the German House. We leave the form of the retrospective open to the participants of the architectural competition," stated councilor Michal Doležel (Žít Brno).

The German House was established as a counterbalance to the Czech Besední House. "During its existence, it was the center of German education and culture, but during the Protectorate, it also became a symbolic place of Nazi Germanization in Brno. That is why its continued existence after the war became undesirable, and it was demolished. Its ruins were then forcibly removed by Brno's Germans," added Doležel.

According to former Deputy Mayor and chairman of the Brno+ association Robert Kotzian (ODS), the work should not be limited to just the landscaping. Kotzian recalled the previously envisioned construction of a new building in the location of the German House. "The new building would symbolize a reconciliation with totalitarian ideologies, and it could also be utilized for culture or some organization. The district should seek to enhance the plan and utilize the full potential of the park," Kotzian added.