The Union of Towns and Municipalities awarded architects for the revitalization of public spaces

Ing. arch. Zdeňka Vydrová

Prague - The winners of the new Architect to the Municipality competition are the city of Litomyšl and architect Zdeňka Vydrová. The jury of the competition organized by the Association of Towns and Municipalities evaluated her design for two streets in the city as the best. The second and third prizes went to Atelier M1 architects for a project in Líbeznice and architect Kamil Mrva for a project in Trojanovice. ČTK was informed about the results of the first year of the competition today by Štěpánka Filipová from the Association of Towns and Municipalities. The awards were presented on Wednesday evening at the FOR ARCH fair.

Municipalities and architects were able to enter the competition with projects such as land use and regulatory plans, spatial or similar studies impacting public space, or buildings that affect public space in relation to historical context. The jury evaluated the quality of architectural or urban solutions, their sustainability, site selection including conceptual solutions, collaboration between local government and architects as well as residents, and contributions to the quality of life.

Vydrová has been the city architect since 1991, receiving the prize for the regulatory plan for Mariánská Street and the design for the modification of Partyzánská Street. The former complements the missing development in the heritage conservation area. Based on the wishes of the residents, the architect also participated in the preparation of flood protection measures on the Loučná River, which resulted in a separate concept for the modification of Partyzánská Street. This plan respects water protection while simultaneously transforming the area into a space for recreation. According to the jury, Vydrová has nurtured and cultivated responsible representatives of the local government to such an extent that previously established limits and procedures are now routinely used and do not require any changes.

The second place in the competition was awarded to the municipality of Líbeznice and Atelier M1 architects, who were commissioned three years ago to create a new land use plan. They proposed the creation of a green belt around the municipality. They received the award for the modifications to the municipal office, service building, and health center. The third prize was awarded by the jury to the municipality of Trojanovice and architect Kamil Mrva for the revitalization in the Horečky area. Architect Mrva has also been collaborating with the municipality for a long time, in this case for more than eight years. Horečky is located on the border of Trojanovice and Frenštát pod Radhoštěm. Especially in the interwar period, it was a popular destination for vacationers, athletes, and hikers. The jury appreciated the preparation of the revitalization study and further development of the area in the coming years, aiming to restore recreational life to the place.

As part of the FOR ARCH fair, the Architect of the Year award was presented for several times. It was received by architect Marcela Steinbachová. She is behind the establishment of the Kruh association, which has brought dozens of architects from around the world to the Czech Republic for lectures, discussions, and workshops, and organizes Architecture Day.