<Cena> <Petra> <Parléře> <2008> </Cena>

Authors of the study: Ing. arch. Martin Rosa, Ing. arch. Jan Kratochvíl

The solution lies in the effort to build on the original high-quality design of the municipal cemetery. In the spirit of the competition brief, problematic areas have been stabilized, and the character of important gathering spaces has been enhanced.

Jury Assessment

From a historical perspective, the cemetery reflects the current situation in the former Sudetenland, where the generous intentions of creators of the cultural environment have been forgotten...
The fulfillment of this competition brief is most evident in the "aestheticization" of the cemetery space, emphasizing the sensitive reconstruction of the mourning hall. In addition to operational and technical conditions, the design appropriately complements the sculptural decoration of the cemetery based on the compositional principle of the Latin cross, at the center of which is a statue of Christ and at the ends of the cross's arms are placed sculptures representing the attributes of the four evangelists.
The adjustment (graphics) of the presentation provides a good level of communication. The quality of the design lies in the sensitive and creative approach of the authors, who approached the historically given concept, i.e., the layout of the cross, with humility.
The complexity of the solution is given not only by the harmonization of the original design and current requirements (scattering meadow, columbarium) but also by the creation of order in the organization of the individual parts of the cemetery.

Author's Report

The cemetery has historically been an important part of the community. In Vítkov, it is situated on a hill above the historical center. It is a tangible chronicle of the city. Although it is significantly geometrically composed, it is neglected and poorly developed today.
The cemetery is a public space with a different atmosphere than the town square. It is a place for pausing and contemplation. Pathos and monumentality do not feel out of place here. The space and architectural forms within it gain unprecedented significance and carry deep meaning. The space stands as a witness to eternity...
The Vítkov cemetery reflects the current situation in the Sudetenland. Generous intentions, based on artistic principles, have been overgrown in recent decades by layers of greenery, scarcity, and misunderstanding. The cemetery in Vítkov is a gem adorned with precious stones, yet it now lacks luster.

Wider Context
The settlement structure of Vítkov consists primarily of historical organic development. The past of the city and drastic social changes have manifested in many places as a return to the rural character of the settlement. The municipal cemetery also exudes a rural atmosphere in many places – instead of walking on paved main paths, we walk on gravel overgrown with grass and roots of unmaintained trees. We do not consider this characteristic a flaw; rather, we draw inspiration from it. The balance of urban and rural, of vegetation and stone, of monumentality and groundedness, of the spiritual and the rational… These poles create an interesting tension in Vítkov, and our endeavor is to respect and utilize this bipolarity.
In connection with the realization of the parish church of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary, the foundations of a unique urban composition were laid within the organic structure of Vítkov. The main Vítkov church together with the two most important public spaces in the city creates a system of two urban axes that are symmetrical to the axis of the church’s main nave. While the urban axis leading from the square down Lidická Street to the church serves not only an aesthetic function but primarily a transportation one, the second axis connecting the towers of the parish and cemetery churches serves a purely artistic-compositional function.
For the design of the rehabilitation of the municipal cemetery, the second axis, which connects the church towers, is pivotal. This axis also passes through the ceremonial hall added in the 1980s. We utilize this axis and complement the ceremonial hall with a new vertical element, which is slightly deviated from the viewpoint axis to maintain and artistically enhance the view between the church towers with a new "tower."

Principles of Urban Design
The municipal cemetery has been significantly artistically composed in the past. The main paths of the cemetery form a cross, at the center of which is a statue of Christ. The longest arm of the cross is spatially emphasized by a tree-lined avenue.
The readable modulation of the cemetery is expressed in the individual rows of graves and pathways. From our perspective, it is correct to respect the established geometry and to solve all areas of the cemetery using it. The previously open spaces deserve firm regulation. Transverse rows of both old and new graves and the columbarium line the avenue and are compositionally closed along the perimeter by a belt of tombs.

Space
We reinforce the motif of the axial cross of the main paths with the central statue of Christ, enhancing the ends of the arms with sculptures representing the attributes of the evangelists (Matthew-angel, John-eagle, Mark-lion, and Luke-ox), framed by mature greenery. The sculptures of the angel and the eagle are envisioned as freestanding, while the lion and the ox are considered as relief components of architectural features – blind gates and tombs. We consider the realization of new sculptural works to be very important, as this art is disappearing from the city cemetery space.
The Church of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary and the Ceremonial Hall are important landmarks of the cemetery. The columbarium is placed in a way that spatially balances these buildings, creating a harmonious rhythmic whole developed along the communication axis – the avenue. The mass of the columbarium is raised on the existing geometric matrix. The rows of the columbarium are interrupted by two spaces – a piazza under a mature tree and a piazza around a water feature. Passages through the rows disrupt the regular rhythm and are also favorable from an operational standpoint.
The scattering meadow is currently situated appropriately. We believe it is necessary not to continue developing the cemetery in that direction. Given the character of the ritual, it is advisable to preserve the view from the meadow on the panorama of the Oderské Mountains and not to disturb it with architectural features. The lapidarium of monuments is moved to the north, and the cemetery is thus spatially defined only by a stone wall.
The area around the Ceremonial Hall is addressed entirely anew. We do not find it appropriate to enter the ceremonial hall directly from Krátká Street. Therefore, we create a new ante space covered by a portico, supplemented with seating for mourning guests. The use of a columned portico creates a more intimate character for the entrance space. The architectural form establishes a dignified environment for the mourning ceremony.

Operations
We respect all entrances and access points to the cemetery and consider them appropriate. The main access from the town around the Church of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary is composed as an axial trident. The two existing staircases with two linden trees have been supplemented on the southern axis with a water feature – a fountain, around which a small church square with benches is developed. The fountain and the sculpture of the first evangelist (Matthew) flank the entry into the avenue. The paved surface of the communication cross (cobblestones) is delineated against the paving of the ante space of the scattering meadow and the ceremonial hall (granite cubes).
The main approach to the cemetery via two gates on the northern side remains preserved. The entrance near the Ceremonial Hall also serves for waste disposal, which is concentrated in existing sites, but in a more architecturally friendly form.

Function
From a functional standpoint, the cemetery serves as a burial place, and in our proposal, we do not insert any other functions into the cemetery space. We complement the existing areas with a columbarium (540 places). The existing free space to the north of the columbarium is designed for urn graves. We recommend situating classic graves around the church.

Greenery
We supplement the avenue with new mature trees to ensure that the rhythm of planting respects the historical artistic intention. At the ends of the arms of the communication cross, pairs of mature trees are newly placed beside the intended sculptures of the evangelists. We strive to preserve all existing greenery in the grave fields, as its presence creates a more intimate environment and mitigates the monumentality of the overall compositional solution.

Architecture of the Ceremonial Hall
Our most significant intervention in the architecture of the cemetery is the radical reconstruction of the Ceremonial Hall. The current condition is insufficient and demeaning. The extension from 1986 did not meet operational requirements. The architecture and construction execution of the work reflect a poor era.
We preserve the maximum number of vertical load-bearing structures. We create a new monumental entrance to the ceremonial hall, straighten the flow between the morgue and the ceremonial hall, and increase the comfort of the social facilities. The existing odd roof is removed by us and replaced with a flat roof with skylights, from which a central cone illuminates the space for the last farewell. We have supplemented the ceremonial hall with columns to maximize the intimacy of the environment. Columns were often present in sacred spaces in the past. In addition to the structural perspective, they also hold symbolic significance for us.
We propose a new surface for the facades of the building – exposed concrete, a roof slab made of monolithic reinforced concrete, as well as the columns. The openings, grills, and other elements are made of black-painted steel.

Benefits of the Proposed Solution
Our endeavor was to harmoniously build upon the original high-quality design of the municipal cemetery. In the spirit of the competition brief, we stabilized problematic areas, enhanced the expression of important gathering spaces, and we believe that we have returned the spiritual dimension to the place. From an approach standpoint, our project can be characterized as rehabilitation of public space.
We attempted to sensitively integrate a contemporary element of the reconstructed Ceremonial Hall into the cemetery environment, which would be classified among the significant architectural landmarks of the city. Through the proposed spaces, we aim to strengthen the significance of the performed ritual and grant it seriousness.
Our proposal serves as a guideline for how to proceed in previously unused parts of the cemetery. Ultimately, it could become a regulatory plan for the cemetery. The brief from the city leans more towards the creation of implementation documentation, which, in our opinion, is not yet appropriate. It would be suitable to involve citizens in the rehabilitation of one of the most important public spaces in Vítkov and enrich the project with additional ideas through their participation.

Ing. arch. Martin Rosa (1981) - studied industrial design and architecture, graduated from the Faculty of Architecture, Brno University of Technology. He has long been involved in the project archiweb.cz and occasionally gains experience by collaborating on smaller architectural projects.

Ing. arch. Jan Kratochvíl (1978) - grew up in the Sudetenland, graduated from the Faculty of Architecture, Brno University of Technology. He has long been involved in the project archiweb.cz and serves as an assistant at the Institute of Imaging and the Institute of Design I at the Faculty of Architecture, Brno University of Technology.