KAM presented how the transformation of Brno's Peace Square should look

Brno - The Office of the Architect of the City of Brno (KAM) has presented the competition brief for the transformation of Míru Square and the adjacent former military complex on Lerchova Street. The location is to be transformed into a place for leisure activities while retaining the character of a villa neighborhood center. As part of the competition, a new multifunctional building is to be designed, featuring a leisure center, shops, services, municipal apartments, and a large garden. This was stated by the office's spokesperson Jana Běhalová in a press release. The competition is set to be announced in December.

People can familiarize themselves with the competition brief during an online presentation on the office's website or on information panels in the square, and they can send their opinions until November 3rd. "Our team will evaluate and further incorporate them," said KAM director Michal Sedláček.

At the beginning of this year, interested parties could respond to questions during public meetings and an online survey about what they feel is missing from Míru Square, how it should be modified, or what use the adjacent military area should have. KAM discussed the brief with representatives of local associations, the city, and the city district. "We have recorded every opinion and discussed each one. We found that finding a compromise will be very difficult, as different groups of citizens disagreed on fundamental issues. Thanks to further discussions, we managed to mitigate some strongly held opinions. In preparing the brief, we considered a result that would be beneficial for the largest possible group of residents," said David Zajíček, head of the KAM public space department.

The brief also includes a change in transportation solutions and the position of the tram loop, which is intended to calm traffic. The Brněnka supermarket, currently in the area, will be demolished and moved into the multifunctional building that will be created on the site of the current Lerchova complex. "In addition to shops and services, it will feature a leisure center with two halls and space for 35 to 45 municipal apartments. The city plans to have smaller apartments for young families, seniors, single parents, and people with disabilities. Another 15 apartments will be in private ownership of Brněnka owners. The building will also include at least 1,000 square meters of garden," added Běhalová.

An important requirement is that the multifunctional building does not disrupt the character of the villa neighborhood. The height will be approximately the same as the surrounding schools and the building is to have the character of a house in greenery from the direction of the square.

The competition will be open to all who have the necessary professional qualifications and meet the competition conditions. The goal is to find the best proposal and a specific designer. All solutions will be evaluated by an eleven-member jury, predominantly made up of independent experts. The results of the competition should be known by June 2021, after which the competition entries will be displayed. KAM was tasked with preparing the competition by the city management at the end of 2019.