In the competition for the Víta Brandy Award 2024, the Štvanická Bridge in Prague won today

Prague - In the competition Vít Branda Award 2024, which recognizes changes in public spaces, the main prize was awarded today to Štvanická Bridge, which connects the Prague districts of Karlín and Holešovice. This was announced by the organizers of the competition via ČTK. A total of 55 projects from across the Czech Republic entered the competition, with 16 projects making it to the final nomination.

"One of the goals of the Vít Branda Award is to highlight successful and valuable interventions in public spaces with a significant positive impact on walking, cycling, and public transport," said Jaroslav Martinek, managing director of the Partnership for Urban Mobility, which organizes the competition.

Minister for Regional Development Petr Kulhánek (STAN) stated that the projects nominated for the main award clearly demonstrate how the perception of public space adjustments has evolved in the Czech Republic. "Support for sustainable transport and the integration of transport structures into public spaces significantly improve the quality of life in cities. Walking and cycling reduce the burden on the environment and contribute to a friendly environment for residents," he added.

The Vít Branda Award honors projects that combine technical solutions with aesthetics and sustainability. "Transport structures can be not only functional but also beneficial to public space, as demonstrated by the Štvanická Bridge in Prague and other awarded or nominated projects," noted Kulhánek.

The jury agreed that constructions should serve not only a technical but also an aesthetic function. "When I looked at the photo of the completed structure (Štvanická Bridge), I felt like I was looking at its computer visualization. It wasn't until later that I realized that this structure is already here," said juror Petr Velička.

A special award for pedestrian measures was given to the footbridge over the railway tracks at the Cheb station, a special award for cyclist measures went to the cycling path Bevlava in Horní Lidč on the Vsetín region, a special award for an unrealized proposal was the temporary pedestrian zone in Tábor, and a special award for regional contribution went to Hub 123 - a shared space for development in Uherské Hradiště.

The projects were evaluated by a nine-member expert jury composed of representatives from organizations focused on transportation, architecture, urbanism, landscape architecture, visual arts, and environmental protection.