In the competition for the reconstruction of the former prison in Uh. Hradiště, the studio ov architekti succeeded

Uherské Hradiště - In the architectural competition for the reconstruction of the former prison in Uherské Hradiště, announced by the Office for the Representation of the State in Property Matters (ÚZSVM), the Prague studio ov architekti was successful. Out of nine submitted proposals, the expert jury evaluated its design as the best, reported today by ÚZSVM spokeswoman Michaela Tesařová. Alongside a museum of totality, which will commemorate the history of the prison, the complex is expected to house the district court, the district public prosecutor’s office, and the probation and mediation service.

This is the first time the property office has announced an architectural competition. The jury consisted of Czech and foreign architects, future users of the complex, representatives of ÚZSVM, and the city of Uherské Hradiště. "Based on the winning proposal, we can proceed with other necessary steps, such as preparing documentation for zoning decisions, building permits, and for the execution of the construction," stated the general director of ÚZSVM, Kateřina Arajmu.

The heritage-protected area of the prison in the city center has been deteriorating for years. The city has been striving for a fundamental transformation for a long time. According to Mayor Stanislav Blaha (ODS), the chosen concept handles the needs for life in a modern city very well. "At the same time, it meets all requirements of future users, which was a significant challenge, particularly for the justice sectors, and last but not least, it provides more than adequate space for the establishment of a memory institution. In our evaluation, urban context and the impact of the revitalization of the area on surrounding public spaces were also important. In this parameter, the winning proposal was very well thought out," said the mayor.

In the past, ÚZSVM stated that the reconstruction of the complex would cost about 436 million crowns. The state plans to start work in 2025, and the renovated complex is expected to open in 2028. The association Memoria is working together with the Uherské Hradiště town hall to have the prison designated as a National Memorial for the Victims of Totalitarian Regimes.

The authors of the winning proposal are Jiří Opočenský, Štěpán Valouch, Ondřej Králík, and Jan Sulzer. According to representatives of ÚZSVM, the jury appreciated the overall architectural solution, the materials used, and the details of the public space, which underscores the significance of the place with an emphasis on creating a modern democratic institution with historical memory. Viktor Žák, Anna Blažková, and Kateryna Bondarenko collaborated on the proposal. The authors will now refine the winning design based on the jury's recommendations, and it will also be specified with future users. The team Múčka Veselý architekti placed second in the competition, and the studio re:architekti took third place. Interest groups will see the competition proposals starting December 9 at an exhibition in the Reduta in Uherské Hradiště.

The prison was particularly known for the brutal methods used by the investigators of the communist State Security against political prisoners in the 1950s. During World War II, it was used by the Gestapo as a gathering place for political prisoners before their transport to concentration camps. After the war, popular courts were held there, and public executions took place in the prison courtyard; during the communist era, people inconvenient to the regime were imprisoned there. The prison was closed in 1960, and a large part of the complex has been deteriorating since then.