Some architects disagree with the high-rise building in Olomouc

Olomouc - A group of thirty local architects has opposed the project for a high-rise building in Olomouc, which, at 75 meters, would share the position of the second tallest building in the city with the town hall. They argue that the height of the building, adjacent to the historic center of Olomouc, would disrupt the skyline, and thus the town hall should not permit its construction. The new high-rise building, Šantovka Tower, is to be part of the Šantovka district, which SMC Development is building on the site of the former Milo factory.
The high-rise building, the project of which was presented to the public last December, is planned to have 22 floors, and SMC Development estimates the construction costs to be 400 million crowns. The building is designed to accommodate around eighty apartments. If SMC Development obtains all the necessary permits, it aims to start construction in 2014 and complete it within 16 to 18 months.
Last week, the group of architects sent an open letter to the Mayor of Olomouc, Martin Novotný (ODS), pointing out that this high-rise building does not belong in the protective zone of the city monument reserve and contradicts regulations. "The Building Act requires not to disrupt urban and architectural values in the area," states the letter. According to the architects, the project autores ignore the position of the National Heritage Institute and the Ministry of Culture, which expressed opposition to the construction of additional high-rise buildings in the protective zone of the monument reserve during the preparation of a new zoning plan for Olomouc.
In their demonstration of the high-rise building's impact on the skyline of the city monument reserve, the architects used a bronze model of the center of Olomouc that stands in the Upper Square. They placed a wooden model of Šantovka Tower near the model and estimated that pedestrians in the Lower Square would see the silhouette of the new high-rise building among the rooftops of historic houses.
Novotný told ČTK today that the Šantovka Tower project will be evaluated by experts according to the applicable rules that apply to all similar investments, taking into account the impact of this building on the skyline of the historic center of Olomouc. "How the city will position itself on this project is still completely open," he noted. The town hall will provide the architects opposing the Šantovka Tower with a digital model of Olomouc so they can more accurately describe the impact of this building on the skyline of the historic center. "For me, it would be crucial if the high-rise building were to be visible from the perspective of pedestrians or from the houses in the monument reserve. The backdrop formed by the historic houses and this high-rise building would likely bother everyone. However, conclusions must be drawn based on expert assessments," Novotný added.
SMC Development rejected the architects' claims about the negative impact of the Šantovka Tower on the city's skyline. "The presentation by Olomouc architects is a one-sided and misleading event," said project spokesperson Juraj Aláč to ČTK today. According to him, some architects who signed the letter to the mayor previously presented their own high-rise buildings or evaluated similar designs positively in an urban design competition for the redevelopment of the part of Olomouc adjacent to the monument reserve from the role of jurors. "We can only speculate about the reasons for the change in opinion. We stand by the fact that it is first-class architecture that belongs in this place," Aláč stated.
There are two new high-rise buildings in Olomouc. The Regional Center Olomouc near the main train station reaches 71 meters, and the building of the Moravian University of Science is 74 meters tall. The new zoning plan, which has not yet come into effect, does not account for the construction of additional high-rise buildings near the city monument reserve. However, SMC Development does not intend to wait for the new zoning plan to be approved. If it obtains permission based on the current zoning plan, it will be able to start construction even after the new version of this document, which determines the parameters for the city’s development, comes into effect. The new zoning plan is likely to come into force only at the beginning of 2014.
The construction of the Šantovka urban district, which is being created on 11 hectares, is set to cost around ten billion crowns. It will include a residential neighborhood, a shopping center, and an office complex. Architects from the London studio Benoy are involved in the project.