Kladno has announced an architectural competition for A. Raymond, focusing on the former hotel

Kladno - Kladno has announced the seventh edition of the architectural competition Antonín Raymond Award. This year's focus is on the possibilities of utilizing the former La Park hotel, which the city purchased last year. CTK was informed of this today by the spokesperson for the Kladno City Hall, Vít Heral.

The ruins of the former hotel are located on the edge of a forest near the city’s sports complex. There was a building on the site since the 1930s that served as a recovery facility for employees of the Kladno Poldi Steelworks. In the 1990s, it was converted into a hotel, which ceased operations in 2016. The task of the competition is to bring life back to the place and to the people. "We expect the full potential of the site to be utilized – the view of the landscape, peace, the forest, the bike path, and the inline skating track, as well as the proximity to the Sletiště sports complex," Heral stated. The deadline for submission of proposals is September 11 of this year.

According to the competition guidelines, the city’s intention is to build a dignified accommodation complex for seniors in place of the hotel, which would also be open to other activities and serve the other residents of the city. Student proposals do not have to adhere to this intention but should meet the condition that the site serves the public.

The competition commemorates Kladno native and founder of modern Japanese architecture Antonín Raymond. It is intended for students of Czech universities in the fields of architecture, urban planning, landscape architecture, and similar disciplines. It has been held every two years since 2011. It brings inspiration for the city’s development. The winners can participate in an internship in Japan. Raymond’s most significant building is the Gunma Music Center in Tokyo.