Architects are looking for an alternative rescue plan for the settlement of Bedřiška

Ostrava - Architects and social workers are looking for an alternative revitalization plan for the Bedřiška settlement in Ostrava starting today. The city council of the Mariánské hory and Hulváky district wants to gradually relocate tenants living in the old wooden houses. In the future, the district intends to transform the colony into higher-quality housing, for example, for young families. However, the residents of Bedřiška reject this plan. The Czech News Agency informed about the search for an alternative plan on behalf of the initiative "Wake Up the Houses" by Klára Šebestová.

"The workshop will last until August 31. The aim is to show other ways to deal with the neighborhood. We will present the results of our work on August 31 at 4:00 PM in Bedřiška," she said. She added that four teams comprising students, architects, graphic designers, social workers, and urban planners are working in the area. Their goal is to develop proposals for the revitalization of the locality in such a way that neither the demolition of the existing houses nor the relocation of their inhabitants is necessary; on the contrary, their inhabitants should participate in the transformation of the area themselves. The residents of Bedřiška will also be involved in discussions with the experts.

The teams are led by Martina Mlčochová from the National Heritage Institute, architect Hana Nováčková, who previously worked in Hamburg, PhD candidate Pavel Řihák from the Department of Architecture at VŠB-TUO, and Vojtěch Sigmund from the Architects Without Borders association, which engages in participatory architecture.

Residents of Bedřiška, where 60 adults and 39 children currently live, protested against their eviction at a city council meeting in June. They pointed out that in what was once a problematic area, they now live together without issues, and most residents pay their rent and other fees regularly. They also noted that they are repairing the houses with their own efforts. The city ultimately agreed with the district management not to make any irreversible changes in the area until the elections.

The district repeatedly defends its decision. They see the transformation of the locality as an opportunity to retain young families in the urban area and offer them housing in an accessible and interesting area. According to mayor Liana Janáčková (Independents), the houses, which are about 70 years old, are not worth renovating. Additionally, the area cannot be modernized gradually because it is necessary to clear the territory and lay new utilities.