<Mendlovo náměstí v Brně - výsledky soutěže> translates to <Mendel Square in Brno - competition results>

The subject of the competition was the urbanistic and architectural solution for Mendel Square to find a valuable, conceptual proposal as a basis for decisions about further development or as a basis for changing the Urban Plan of the city of Brno and changing the regulatory plan of the City Monument Reserve Brno.

Announcer: Statutory City of Brno represented by Ing. Petr Vokřál, Mayor of the City
Organizer: Office of the Architect of the City of Brno, contributory organization
Competition Secretary: Ing. & Ing. arch. David Mikulášek

Regular jury members - dependent
Ing. arch. Petr Bořecký
Ing. Petr Vokřál
Mgr. Martin Ander, PhD.

Regular jury members - independent
Ing. arch. Zdeněk Eichler
Doc. Ing. arch. Jiří Oplatek
Ing. arch. Adam Halíř
Akad. arch. Ladislav Kuba

Jury alternates - dependent
RNDr. Filip Chvátal, Ph.D.
doc. Ing. arch. Michal Sedláček
Ing. Martin Všetečka, Ph.D.

Jury alternates - independent
Ing. arch. Robert Sedlák
Ing. arch. Luboš Františák

Date of announcement of results: 26.9.2018
Number of submitted proposals: 7
Total prizes and awards: 1,800,000 CZK

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Jury assessment: The proposal is based on the approved concept of transport solution. The new character of the addressed area is then formed by three basic elements: • Completion of the existing block in the center of the area • Newly designed solitary building with a market on the calm eastern side of the square • Retaining the western part of the area for a large park The area of the transport terminal on the southern side of the square is followed by a newly defined piazzetta of suitable and pleasant scale, with buildings framing the view of the basilica. The extension of the existing small park up to the new road crossing the area is justified by the authors due to the absence of a sufficiently large recreational park in connection with the anticipated construction in the surroundings. The proposal thus offers a calm space with greenery suitably connected to the forecourt of the brewery. The jury disagreed in assessing the composition of the objects and the public spaces defined by them. The character of the new market building with an open ground floor and a playground on the roof did not convince the jury either. The proposal does not fully utilize the potential of the infill development of the northern part of Hybešova Street in the affected area.

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2nd place - amount 450,000 CZK
Author: Atelier RAW s.r.o. / Ing. Rostislav Košťál, Ing. arch. Markéta Koláčná, Ing. Petr Soldán, 
doc. Ing. arch. Ivan Wahla, doc. Ing. arch. Tomáš Rusín
Jury assessment: The proposal works with rational divisions of areas and with a clear organization of traffic. The volumetric addition to the development focuses on the completion of the block in the center of the area and the closure of the western side of the area with a new mass, concentrated at the entrance of Křížová Street, where a solitary building of the Starobrněnská Gallery and the completion of the opposite corner are designed (the feasibility of the completion is, however, in question). The jury considers the urbanistic solution of the Hybešova breakthrough to be particularly successful. Conversely, the retention of a large area of the park square in the west is not assessed positively unambiguously. Similarly, the footprint of the completion of the central block is ambiguous without a connection to the mass of the monastery – the space of the square is not clearly defined. The requirements of the assignment were largely met, and the solution of greenery, the extent of planting, and green areas also exceeded the jury's expectations. Underground parking facilities are designed with regard to tree planting. The concept of transport solution respects the background approved by the city district and according to the statements of the expert consultant of the jury has the prerequisites for successful negotiations with minor adjustments. The connection of Hlinky Street towards Úvoz by one-way road appears to be redundant.

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Jury assessment: The textually declared division into three distinct public spaces remains only a statement. The design of new volumes does not fulfill this premise. Fragmented forms bring unease into the spatially dislocated area and several additional embedded corners with unclear purposes. The spatial impact of the forms is further compromised by removing mass in the parterre. This creates underpasses or arcades two stories high, which appear with an inappropriate scale in the context of the existing buildings. The transport concept is respected to a high degree, which is a positive aspect of the proposal. However, the cutting of the northeastern square with statues by a three-lane communication for IAD and BUS comes across as controversial and even incorrect. This space, removed from the monastery district and connected to part of the former trace of Mendel Square, is in the proposal filled with symbolic meanings and described by the authors as almost spiritual, but the burden of traffic flow disrupts this intention. The textual report does not describe the transport solution, making the routing of lines and the placement of trolleybus stops unclear. In studying the proposal, the jury failed to determine whether Mendel Square refers only to the area with the TRAM terminal (between the newly designed buildings and the front of the existing buildings to the south) or also to the area with the statues, which is also described in the text as Mendel Square. This duality and ambiguity regrettably signify the entire concept of the proposal. The form of Starobrněnské Square is also declared only in a graphic scheme. Unfortunately, the proposal is also compromised in terms of transport spaces, and its expression and meaning are thus significantly weakened. The proposed loose urban structure in the area of the planned breakthrough of Nová Hybešova is considerably unconvincing.