The Litoměřice Jirásek Gardens are the park of the year 2017

Jiráskovy sady succeeded in this year's competitive showcase Park of the Year, which evaluates achievements in the field of garden and landscape architecture. The expert jury awarded the park in Litoměřice first place. In addition to the high-quality work and excellent care for the park, they appreciated the fact that the project emerged from an architectural competition and responded to the needs of the locals. This approach was the result of collaboration with the Karel Komárek Foundation for Transformations, which financially and professionally supported the complete renovation of Jiráskovy sady.
The title Park of the Year 2017 was contested by thirteen parks, marking the highest number in the history of the expert competition organized by the professional association Union of Greenery Establishment and Maintenance since 2003. The expert jury visited all the registered parks during September. “The enhancement of the spatial qualities here is absolutely evident,” they commented specifically on the Litoměřice park, which is heavily visited throughout the year and hosts a number of events.
“The title Park of the Year is a recognition of the work of everyone involved in the restoration of Jiráskovy sady. I am pleased that the jury highlighted the attributes that the foundation brings to the projects – namely the involvement of local people, the architectural competition, and collaboration with experts,” says Jitka Přerovská, director of the Karel Komárek Foundation for Transformations, regarding the results of the competition. In addition to the expert competition, there was also an online public voting, in which the Litoměřice park ranked 5th.
The author of the architectural design of Jiráskovy sady is the Atelier of Garden and Landscape Architecture of Zdeněk Sendler. The design selected in the architectural competition Prize of the Karel Komárek Foundation 2011 was created based on a brief that included the results of participation. The construction and gardening works were carried out by the association of gardening companies Gabriel and Gardenline. The restored park also includes original elements designed by students of the AAAD (Academy of Art, Architecture and Design in Prague).
The title Park of the Year 2017 is not the first award that Jiráskovy sady has received. The park has already appeared, for example, in the yearbook Czech Architecture 2015–2016, was also shortlisted for the competitive showcase Czech Architecture Award 2016, and was included in the international exhibition representing landscape architecture from the Visegrad countries. It is currently part of an exhibition titled Public Space CZ / Landscape of the City. This is a selection of the best realizations of public spaces and activities in the Czech environment over the past 20 years, organized by the Jaroslav Fragner Gallery in Prague together with the Architecture Gallery in Brno. The exhibition is open in Brno until October 27, and then it will move to Prague.
Jiráskovy sady are included in this selection alongside the newly completed embankment of the Loučná River in Litomyšl and the forest park on the river island Santos in Sušice, which was awarded the title Park of the Year back in 2014. The renovation of these places was also supported by the Karel Komárek Foundation for Transformations.

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