15 architectural firms want to address the surroundings of sports facilities in Krnov

Krnov - Fifteen architectural studios or architects have registered for the competition concerning the modifications and use of spaces around several sports facilities in Krnov. The competition was announced by the Krnov city hall at the beginning of September. Architects are tasked with proposing how to meaningfully connect sports facilities, which include, for example, an athletic stadium, an ice rink, and football fields. The modifications to the areas are expected to cost around 35 million crowns. The city's spokesperson, Dita Círová, informed ČTK today.

"Fifteen studios have registered for the architectural competition in Krnov focused on the design of public spaces around the sports facilities located between Petrovická Street and Smetanový Circuit. The jury selected five from them that will begin developing their proposals. Those must be submitted by early December," Círová stated. She added that the selected studios include BY architects, U/U Studio from Prague, Plural from Bratislava, and architects Jakub Vašek from Chrudim and Martin Duba from Ústí nad Labem.

The mayor of Krnov, Tomáš Hradil (Krnovští patrioti), was pleasantly surprised by the high participation. "It is evident that architects are interested in Krnov. Of the fifteen participants, two teams were from abroad. Our goal was to select architects diversely so that later the proposals do not turn out to be similar. Therefore, we chose architects with a minimalist and therefore affordable approach, as well as architects who are skilled in temporary, quick interventions in public spaces, and a team of active skateboarders," he said.

The city will award the best proposal with a sum of 250,000 crowns, while the second and third places will receive 125,000 and 75,000 crowns, respectively. "Among the proposals that do not receive any award, there will be a distribution of a total amount of 100,000 crowns," the spokesperson said. The architectural competition will cost the city 1.2 million crowns.

The area that the architects are to address also includes the sokolovna, tennis courts, a volleyball court, a skate park, a workout area, as well as sports facilities owned privately, such as a tennis hall, tennis courts, or bowling. "The competition touches on three main themes. The first is the revitalization and connection of public spaces around the sports facilities into one unit, which should be made as accessible to the public as possible," the spokesperson said.

Architects are also tasked with resolving and finding a balance of interests in this area, to accommodate both professional athletes and people out for a walk. Another task for the competition participants, according to the spokesperson, will be modifications to Petrovická Street, whose importance will increase after the construction of new municipal baths within the swimming pool area. "The most important point of the assignment, however, is to create attractive public spaces among the large organized sports facilities where children and adults will enjoy spending their free time," Hradil said.