LEADEN DUŠAN 2015: studio Redčenkov - Danda

CHEB VOL. 2

Image of the Inner City

list of students: The Thi Hong Nhung, Jiří Kabelka, Šimon Jiráček, Šárka Tomášová, Monika Nováková, Jana Tichá, Radka Ježková, Johana Šohájková, Ludmila Mahdalová, Pavel Fajfr, Martin Král, Tereza Kupková, Peter Paľko, Hana Tihonová, Jan Matoušek, Kristýna Rajdová, Markéta Kornigová, David Poloch, Lucie Kastnerová, Anna Tomášková, Hana Švehlová, Anna Maria Žílová, Martin Pavlíček, Karolína Vojáčková, Jitka Váchová, Jaromír Krejčí, Zoran Trpčevski

Assignment — In the winter semester of 2014/2015, we returned to Cheb once again, this time directly to the historic core.
The theme was the analysis and redefinition of public space, aimed at shaping the image of the inner city, which has undergone a dramatic development since the Second World War.
The specific task assignments emerged from a joint analysis of the historic core during a collaborative workshop in Cheb.
An important partner in formulating individual assignments were also representatives of the local government, who consulted their requirements with the students throughout the semester and were present during the final presentations.
The ability to reflect on the assignment and, in case of doubts, to modify, expand, or completely change the original ideas of the client is very important for the outcome of the whole design process. The architect is not just the executor of the construction project but an important partner for the builder from the very beginning of the process.
Since many cities in the Czech Republic are struggling with similar issues regarding the development of their historical centers, the experiences gained in Cheb will be applicable to other similar cities as well.


Judging Panel Evaluation — We walked through the school for almost two days to exhaustion. Gradually, I realized that there was a room I enjoyed returning to, where I visibly rejuvenated both physically and spiritually and where I was not crushed by excessive seriousness or processing. And it was not just about a lapidary smart display, with a circular model in the middle and juicy individual projects around the perimeter.
The joy of work mingled with a special kind of optimism breathed from the studio walls, radiating a huge amount of accumulated energy dedicated to one specific city. The stratification of themes sponsored by a colossal overarching theme, the search for the inner image of the center of Cheb, is for us a sufficiently strong and immensely needed assignment. Knowledge of the advantages and problems of a charming, important, yet somewhat unjustly sidelined city is the key ingredient. The enthusiasm of the freshly arrived teachers is then the much-needed spice. Not a single poor, underdeveloped, or careless project hung here. The colorful range of evaluative stickers hinted that something more than just diligence and excessive hard work of all actors had gathered here. One can only hope that the experiences perceived by the jury will not be denied to the residents and representatives of Cheb, and with collective efforts, at least something minor can be shifted from paper into very concrete outlines. The idea of vibrant workshop outings, absorbing the atmosphere and subsequently transforming it into so many viable things remains exciting for us to this day.