The Chamber of Architects has announced the first year of a new industry award

The annual architecture award has been awarded for many years by the Association of Architects. However, it has recently faced criticism, especially from young architects. According to them, the Association is not fulfilling its mission and the prestige of activities, including the competition and the Grand Prix of Architects exhibition, is declining. The Grand Prix, which is supposed to showcase the best current architecture in the Czech Republic to the widest possible audience, is becoming, according to critics, more of a local event with minimal impact on the general public. "The discussion about the award has been going on in the chamber for many years; promoting architecture is one of our tasks mandated by law. We are establishing the award in a non-confrontational manner, without positioning ourselves against any other award," said Plicka to ČTK.

There is no fee for registering for the ČKA competition, making it more accessible to young architects, according to the organizers of the award. This will also be facilitated by the option of electronic registration. The main motivation for the exhibition is to present the results of architects' work to the general public, not only in terms of their aesthetic and technical quality but primarily in relation to their origins, relationship to the environment, and social contributions, said ČKA Chairman Ivan Plicka.

For the first year, authors can submit projects realized in the territory of the Czech Republic between 2010 and 2015. An international jury will select 50 works for the shortlist, which will be included in a catalog and presented at the nomination evening in June. From these, five to ten works will advance to the finals, from which the winner will receive the main award at the end of the year. The jury will become acquainted with all final buildings on-site.

In addition to the best realizations in several categories, there will also be awards for theoretical works and recognition for both private and public investors. The Academy of the Czech Architecture Award, composed of domestic architects, theorists, and publicists, will award its prize for exceptional achievements in architecture.

The jury consists of seven foreign personalities, all active on the European continent and holders of national and international awards. It includes Slovenian Boris Bežan based in Barcelona, Dutch Kees Kaan, architect of Czech origin Ivan Koleček, who lives in Lausanne, Slovenia's Miriam Lišková, British architect Joe Morris, Martin Rein-Cano from the Berlin office Topotek, and Belgian architect Jan De Vylder.

Clarification / correction from the Archiweb editorial office regarding the ČTK report:

The Czech Architecture Award is conceived as a recognition of realized architectural works WITHOUT THE ANNOUNCEMENT OF INDIVIDUAL CATEGORIES.
Thus, individuals or offices with projects realized in the territory of the Czech Republic and completed between 2010 and 2015 can participate in the first year of the award; their works will be evaluated together regardless of whether they are public construction projects, family houses, urbanism, landscape interventions, and similar.