Space in front of terminals 1 and 2 of Václav Havel Airport Prague - competition results

The subject of the competition was the improvement of the public space in front of terminals 1 and 2, particularly the clarification and reorganization of traffic flows in relation to the planned railway station, a new parking system, the creation of representative resting areas, the cultivation of vegetation modifications, and advertising spaces. At the same time, a vision for an urbanistic solution with firmly anchored transportation for the prospective state in 2030 was required.

Organizer: Czech Aeroholding, a.s. in cooperation with the Institute of Planning and Development of the Capital City of Prague
Secretary of the competition: Ing.arch. Vladimír Zdvihal

Jury:
Regular jury members: 

Dependent: Ing. David Olša, organizer; Ing. Jiří Pos, organizer; Ing. akad. arch. Jan Šépka, IPR Prague 

Independent: Doc. Ing. arch. Václav Dvořák CSc., Doc. Ing. arch. Jan Jehlík, Ing. arch. MgA Osamu Okamura, Ing. arch. Regina Loukotová, PhD.
Jury substitutes: 

Dependent: 
Ing. Jiří Kraus, Prague Airport, a.s.; Ing. Marek Zděradička, IPR Prague
Independent: Ing. Vladimir Sitta, Ing. arch. Jaroslav Wertig

Competition date: 08. 06. 2015 - 20. 11. 2015
Results publication date: 17. 12. 2015
Number of submitted proposals: 15
Total prizes and awards: 1,000,000 CZK

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1st prize - amount 600,000 CZK

Participant: rala s.r.o.
Authors: Ing. arch. Radek Lampa, Ing. Josef Filip, Ph.D., Bc. Tomáš Cirmaciu, Bc. Pavel Fajfr, Bc. Tomáš Kroužil

Jury evaluation

of the jury's evaluation in the I. round: The concept is understandable and the proposal is clearly presented. The solution is based on the strong effect of an extensive resting platform in front of terminal 1 with an accompanying service platform in front of terminal 2 with related landscaping modifications at the completion of the "finger" of terminal 2. However, calming in front of terminal 1 is achieved at the cost of a challenging deepening of traffic service with low quality of this environment and very problematic ways of moving passengers between parking lots and terminals. Similarly, this applies to the discomfort of the journey between terminal 1 and the train station.
Jury evaluation in the II. round: The proposal recorded a significant shift from the first round. The jury positively evaluates the balanced solution of the main themes set by the organizer, i.e., solutions for transport, public space in front of the terminals, strong visions, and the utilization of the area's potential. A significant positive is also the fact that the focus is on the person-pedestrian, who is given the main communication level on the ground. The forecourt becomes a cultivated extension of the airport halls, with clear architectural qualities. A certain risk is the difficulty of phasing the proposal.

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3rd increased prize - amount 200,000 CZK
Participant: Association – CMC architects – Atelier DUA – Jan Mužík
Authors: Ing. arch. Martina Chisholm, Ing. Václav Malina, Ing. Jan Mužík
Collaborating persons: Ing. David Richard Chisholm, Ing. arch. Vít Máslo, Ing. arch. Evžen Dub, Ing. Daniel Šimpach, Bc. Yuliya Pozynich


Jury evaluation in the I. round: The concept is understandable and the proposal is clearly presented. The solution is based on a compact shape with strong two axes. However, the longitudinal axis does not have a clear connection at terminal 2 and its second pole is overemphasized by an oversized entrance gate. The functionality of such a strong axis throughout its course is problematic. The transverse axis is meaningful at the termination points, but less so along its course. The merit of the proposal is the potential for the development of public space in front of the terminals and the addition of an aviation museum to the area.
Jury evaluation in the II. round: The solution reflects some comments from the I. round well. There remains a doubt about the overly strong emphasis on the axial solution and hierarchy of communications upon arrival at the terminals. The proposal is schematic in solving communications and in spatial structure; however, this scheme does not bring an increase in quality to the forecourts of the terminals or the built-up area between them. The jury positively evaluates the effort to develop an architectural solution for public spaces. In the design of the buildings, the architectural quality is uneven.

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3rd increased prize - amount 200,000 CZK

Participant: D3A spol. s r.o.
Authors: Ing. arch. Eva Macková, Ing. arch. Tomáš Prouza, Ing. arch. Jaroslav Zima
Collaborating persons: Ing. Daniel Polič, Ph.D., Ing. arch. Petra Barotková, Milan Bulva, Ing. arch. Lenka Chmelířová, Ing. arch. Miroslav Juren, Ing. arch. Eva Macková, Ing. Jan Přikryl, Ing. arch. Jana Školníková


Jury evaluation in the I round: The concept is understandable and the proposal is clearly presented. The solution is based on concentrating external activities within a compact central "city". It is a pragmatic and clear way of organizing the area. The question is the viability of the central communication core in the area designated for bus transport and the relative disconnection of this core from the terminals.
Jury evaluation in the II. round: The proposal does not show a significant qualitative shift from the I. round. The public space in front of the terminals is primarily treated as traffic. The justification for the longitudinal communication axis of the area has not been demonstrated. It is commendable to integrate mass and pedestrian transport, including accompanying functions, into the central communication node. The conditionality of this solution on the construction of the railway is a certain weakness.

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Non-award in the II. round - SUPERLABOR
Authors: Jiří Vítek, Michal Mačuda, Jakub Kopec
Collaborating persons: Yvonna Hawerlandová, Petr Pokorný, Klára Zahradníčková (landscape design), Marek Chmiel (graphics), Flying architecture (visualization)

Jury evaluation in the I. round: The concept is understandable, and the proposal is presented ambiguously. The solution is based on a consistent urbanization of the entire area through a unifying approach and on the authors' conviction that it is a self-contained city. The approach to formulating and shaping volumes, areas, and flows comes from an alternative, primarily parametric method of regulation. This leads to a problematic uncertainty in the solutions for transport, building, and public space. From the proposal, for example, a strong potential for public space in front of both terminals is evident.
Jury evaluation in the II. round: The proposal in the second round did not defend the innovative conceptual principles from the first round. The presented structure lacks the proclaimed urban qualities, e.g., base, proportions, and scale of urban space. The potential for public space is not sufficiently utilized. The forecourts in front of the terminals are not convincingly processed.

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Non-award in the II. round - Hlaváček – architects, spol. s.r.o.
Authors: Prof. Ing. arch. Michal Hlaváček, Ing. arch. Barbora Janíková, Ing. arch. Karel Musil, Ing. arch. Petra Nováková, Ing. arch. Tomáš Skřivan
Collaborating persons: Ing. Daniela Maxová, Ing. Stanislav Janoš

The proposal convincingly does not develop the strong points of the concept from the I. round. The proposed volumes are oversized, and the architectural expression is formally effective. The innovative transport solution was not transformed into a convincing form. The question is what the authors understand as public space and how they perceive its quality.

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