Ferry to the Pavilion of Humanity in Troja?

The company Xella CZ has announced another year of the international competition aimed at university students focusing on architecture, engineering, or art. Students could submit designs corresponding to the assignment "Pavilion of Man/ZOO Troja" until the beginning of February this year. A jury composed of renowned experts will decide on the winner among young talents on March 3 and 4 at the castle in Troja, where a ceremonial vernissage will take place at 14:00 at the end of its session.

On the western edge of the Zoo, "Pavilion of Man" is expected to be established, an alternative entrance for the creature that founded the Zoo, cares for it, visits it, is omnipresent, and yet in a way is missing from it. The small structure should symbolize the boundary between the Zoo and the surrounding world. However, that is not the end of the assignment for the 14th year. The new entrance will lead directly to the coastal path, which further downstream connects to the river ferry dock. And it is here that the second object of the competition – the Ferryman's House – is to be situated. The ferry itself is an old and symbolic connection: of both shores, the traveler and the ferryman, water and land… “We have managed to find a truly original theme, which is an undeniable expression of the growing prestige of the competition. A topic with a fateful subtext that, considering the high probability of the competitive proposal's realization, may become a fateful matter for one of the students. I believe that the Pavilion of Man will be a tremendous challenge for many Czech and Slovak talents, and that we can look forward to a beautiful spectacle,” says PaedDr. Hana Šimánová, head of student competition projects at Xella CZ, regarding the new year's assignment.

An attractive assignment for an attractive Prague location will be evaluated by a truly representative jury of the 14th year. It will include renowned Czech and Slovak architects – Stanislav Komárek, Ľubomír Králik, Ivan Kubík, Emil Makara, Petr Malinský, Vlado Milunić, Peter Moravčík, Josef Pleskot, David Vávra, Jaromír Veselák, Lubomír Závodný, as well as the director of the Prague Zoo Petr Fejk and Ing. arch. Tomáš Drdácký, the mayor of the Prague Troja district. The expert jury will assess the urban and landscape solutions of the chosen location in the context of the entire area, the processing of the specifics of the urban landscape, and the architectural, spatial, and functional solutions of the proposed objects.

The Xella student competition is very popular among students every year.

Xella invites promising architects to this prestigious competition for the fourteenth time, and for the sixth time students from Slovak schools may also participate alongside Czech students. The goal of the entire project is to support their creative invention and deepen practical knowledge. “One of the clearly declared interests of Xella is the support of modern, quality architecture. The student competition allows us to glimpse the possible directions it can take, and from my experience with past years, I can say that it has a truly promising and interesting future ahead,” adds Hana Šimánová regarding the competition. The competition has gained great popularity among students, especially due to the unconventional and original assignments of each year, which could also be challenges for experienced professionals. In the past, students have addressed issues such as the transformation of a quarry into a sports, recreational, and cultural center in the village of Mariánka in Slovakia or the urban and architectural solution for the brewery gardens in Český Krumlov.

Xella CZ traditionally supports the authors of the best designs with financial prizes. This year, the three best creators will receive prizes valued at 1500, 1000, and 500 €. At least three more interesting works will be rewarded with a tangible gift worth 150 €, regardless of the ranking. The ceremonial announcement of the winner will take place at the IBF and CONECO construction fairs in Brno and Bratislava.

The competition is intended for all students in the fields of “Architecture” and “Civil Engineering” at technical and artistic universities in the Czech and Slovak Republics, who do not hold a master's or engineering diploma in any of these fields. Detailed competition assignment can be found on the pages of Xella CZ.

---

YTONG is primarily used for the construction of apartment and family houses because of its unique thermal insulation properties, ensuring year-round thermal and humidity comfort. The environmentally friendly and energy-efficient production, together with the minimal energy consumption of buildings, ranks YTONG aerated concrete among the most environmentally friendly construction materials available today. High precision, low weight, speed, and simple masonry technology also predispose it for the reconstruction of all types of buildings. YTONG white aerated concrete is made exclusively from quality natural raw materials, such as siliceous sand, lime, cement, and water. Therefore, it is ideal for buildings designed for long-term human habitation, including spaces with increased hygiene requirements.
The production of YTONG aerated concrete is guaranteed in the Czech Republic by Xella CZ. With 350 workers in three production plants, approximately 1,000,000 m³ of this precise building material is produced annually. In addition to the YTONG aerated concrete building system, the company also offers a complete range of silicate blocks SILKA, which stand out primarily for their exceptional load-bearing capacity and extreme sound insulation. The combination of YTONG and Silka materials creates optimal building solutions for both standard and special projects in civil, residential, and industrial construction.
More information about the company Xella and its product range can be found at www.xella.cz and www.ytong.cz.