The buildings of the year in Plzeň include the medical faculty, the synagogue, and the residential building, all in Plzeň

Plzeň - The Buildings of the Year for the Plzeň Region for the past year are the new building of the Faculty of Medicine, the reconstruction of the Great Synagogue and the Rabbi's House, and the residential complex Hradišťská, all located in Plzeň. In the final round, 21 participants competed, and this year saw a number of quality buildings in the competition, said Miloslav Michalec, head of the jury and the regional department of regional development to ČTK.

"The main building of the Faculty of Medicine, which also received the public's choice award, is, according to the expert jury, an architecturally and functionally refined structure that creates a modern and inspiring environment for future doctors. The restoration of the synagogue and the rabbi's house was praised for returning the monument to its form of greatest glory after demanding construction and restoration work,” he stated. And the Hradišťská residence in Plzeň's Slovany district was recognized for paying attention to every detail and for creating a unified and distinctive whole through an imaginative combination of materials and structures.

The jury award went to the reconstruction of the Semler residence in Plzeň, originally designed by the world-renowned architect Adolf Loos. "The jury appreciated the quality restoration of the cultural monument and its accessibility to the general public," said the spokesperson for the competition, Hana Kulawiaková.

An honorable mention was awarded to the senior citizens' apartment building in Nová Hospoda, a family house in Bručná, and a sports hall on Krašovská Street, all in Plzeň. The governor's award went to the rescue of the House U Tří růží in Nepomuk, and the mayor of Plzeň's award went to the new apartment buildings at Světovar. Světovar also made a mark with the Ministry of Industry, which awarded the transformation of a former brewery into the TechTower technology center. The award from the Association of Construction Entrepreneurs was given for the reconstruction of the tram depot in Plzeň, the spokesperson stated.

This year, a record 40 buildings registered for the competition, which has been held for 20 years. The significant role of municipalities has been confirmed. The region, Plzeň, and smaller towns are increasing their investment volumes and thus maintaining construction in the region along with state infrastructure projects, even though the industry has been struggling with declines for the second consecutive year. The competition contributes to increasing the quality of buildings; designers and builders consider it prestigious, and thanks to the titles, they win interesting contracts, Michalec said.

Last year, the title was awarded to the apartment building on Jetelová Street in Plzeň, the recreational facility Útulnoff in Milínov, and the public space at the Plzeň train station Paluba Hamburk.