A new Village im Dritten district will be created by 2026 in the middle of Vienna’s third district, offering sustainable and ecological housing for approximately 4,000 people. Less than half of the apartments will be supported by the city.

Within five years, Vienna’s Council aims to construct a new district in Vienna’s lucrative third district near Landstrasse in cooperation with ARE Austrian Real Estate. The new project will cover an area of 11 hectares and provide a home for 4,000 residents. Less than half of the total of 1,900 housing units are city-supported apartments, of which there should be a total of eight hundred. The project, which the council has been preparing for 10 years, is not the only ecological complex of new buildings. The Eurogate project, the largest housing estate for passive houses in Europe, was established nearby in 2007.

According to the representatives of Vienna Council, the most important thing in the construction of the new district is affordability, the high quality of the materials used and their use in everyday life. The central principle is then sustainability, which is why the council bet on enough greenery, building tempering, shading and proper wind circulation in the new project. Vienna also achieves a reduction in the temperature in the apartments with suitable glazing, effective sun protection, and good ventilation of the apartments and climate-neutral regulation of the building temperature, i.e. mild cooling by means of heat dissipation, in urban construction projects. Effective greening of the roof and façade, shading of common areas and paths, favourable surface design, rainwater retention and the provision of adequate ventilation also help to further reduce the temperature.

The new district also considers common areas. All residential buildings are to be equipped with green facades as well as roof gardens and terraces, which residents will be able to use together with neighbours. The city plans to build shady lounges in the courtyards, which can be a haven and a meeting place. Apart from fitness offers, there will be various playgrounds for all age groups as well as mist jets and water games for further cooling in the hot summer months. The spacious two-hectare central park will also include playing and sports areas and a dog zone. Other parts of the public space are designed near nature, such as urban wilderness or urban forest. Of course, there will also be a nursery school, shops and restaurants.

According to the council, the new city district should play a pioneering role and become a so-called laboratory, which is to test a wide range of measures that will be standard in the future.

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Filip Pokorný heads the Prague office of Chapman Taylor. The portfolio of countries where this successful multinational company operates is very wide – from Asian countries, which are only in bloom, to developed European countries.

The fact that Chapman Taylor operates in so many diverse markets represents a considerable opportunity to follow the general trends of urban planning, to gain experience and to apply and find the optimum solutions for each project. Filip Pokorný connected his name with the company more than 13 years ago. He enjoys his work. It is very diverse and interesting, although not always easy. “While you hardly process a planning permit with full commitment, my daughter, who was born when we started one of the bigger projects, grew up, learned to walk, talk, and is slowly starting to count,” he adds with a smile.

You have been working for the company since 2007. What was your professional growth like? Did you expect to stay with one company for so long? Don’t you require change?

I started at Chapman Taylor’s office shortly after school with a few years of experience in several offices, after an internship in Brighton. Although I did have a certain comparison, I still had plenty to learn. This company initially approached me with a mix of international and local projects, with a wide range from small projects through to large ones. After I joined, I was very pleasantly surprised by the corporate culture of this international company, where everyone behaved and still behaves in a very friendly, correctly manner and pulls together as a team. It is this culture that Jon and I (Jon Hale – Group Board Director at Chapman Taylor – editor’s note) attempt to develop within the company and which sometimes even protects us from our architectural egos.

Is your work varied or are you trying for it to be?

I’m lucky that my work is naturally varied and that I don’t have to try much harder to make it so. In any case, my colleague Jon Hale and I try to maintain diversity for our colleagues in the office so that they have an opportunity to develop their skills and knowledge across typologies or the levels of projects. In my opinion, this is one of the advantages of our office that we can offer our colleagues.

You have a doctor’s degree in urban planning and brownfield regeneration. Especially the second field is very attractive and indeed current. Do you still focus on brownfields?

I am lucky to be, amongst other things, able to focus on urban planning and brownfields. I enjoy this. It is certainly attractive to me and its complexity represents a significant challenge. In addition to the projects, we are working on in the Czech Republic – the new city district of Ameside in Plzeň, the regeneration of the Pardubice distillery and the regeneration of the Mosilany complex – I have the opportunity to view large-scale projects abroad within Chapman Taylor’s global network, especially those in Asia. There I can follow the latest trends in urban design in practice, whether it is the phenomenon of smart cities, sponge cities, or short-distance cities.

Don’t you think that many architectural gems such as old factories, etc., are ‘destroyed’ along with brownfields?

I do not. Personally, I see a little more value in a well-functioning city than in the conservation of times long past. This is not to say that we must demolish everything, but if the building is to remain, it must, in addition to its significant cultural value, also prove its current viability and that it will enrichen the lives of people in the city. If the preservation of such a building, which in the past was sometimes created by chance and was built for a specific business purpose, is at the detriment of today, it is a different matter. If its preservation requires a compromise solution of urbanism, or prolongs the regeneration process for many years, or even completely blocks the regeneration of the excluded brownfield, then the price to pay is far too high for me.

As an urban planner, you look at each project very comprehensively…

It is important that whenever we regenerate brownfields, we put the time and quality of the environment on scales and realise what our insistence on controversial historical values sometimes represents. Many people will not live to see the regeneration of that part of the city in which they live and that could serve them because of such a historically type of valuable building. It is often that even more ironic is that laymen do not consider these buildings beautiful or valuable.

You are responsible for the company’s key projects in the Czech Republic. Which ones are currently up to date and which do you like best?

We have just over 30 active projects in the Czech Republic and also elsewhere in Europe, from urban studies through the design of office or residential buildings, shopping centres and renovations to interior designs. I like every project I participate in with my colleagues. For me personally, the closest projects are always those where there is mutual understanding with the client, when we do something new and innovative and where the project represents a challenge that we have to overcome.

You participate comprehensively in the project – from its origin to its implementation. How do you view the complex legislative and approval processes and how does your company deal with them?

Unfortunately, the construction planning period is disproportionately long and unpredictable, as we all probably know. Moreover, this process is completely vulnerable to obstruction and ill will. I sometimes feel that we do not remember that a human being’s life lasts on average 70 years. And if the permit for a larger project in Prague today takes an average of seven years, that’s a tenth of our lives. But when we look around, that tenth of life is not reflected in the quality of our cities at all. We often devote energy to minor technical problems, solving obstructions, etc. It is absurd to see what a small percentage of the time and cost of building preparation goes into design or concept, and what is taken up by bureaucracy.

You are also involved in retail, planning and regeneration design. What does it involve?

I work and have worked on many shopping centres and their reconstruction. Shopping centres and retail are not that different from urban planning and the planning of a city as it may seem at first sight. In particular, current trends in this area create more and more small lively neighbourhoods from empty ‘shop boxes’. This is a trend that will continue and the current situation only accelerates it. The new shopping centres will be poly-functional buildings with different contents and different types of public spaces, although mostly still covered.

Do you mean the combination of retail and apartments, leisure activities, etc.?

Yes. Two of our current large projects, Ameside Plzeň and Galerie Pardubice, are moving in this direction, and other projects of reconstruction of shopping centres, where it is not only about cosmetic modifications but often about an overall reassessment and change of the concept, are also moving in this direction. In future, I believe that the reconstruction of shopping centres will go even further, and we will talk about regeneration rather than reconstruction, because their transformation will be very significant.

What are the partial trends here? What about multiplexes, etc.?

You know, I personally think that it is precisely these large impersonal cinemas that are a thing of the past, and rather the trend of small club cinemas or cinemas with some added value is returning.

You have also outlined for me a very surprising ‘densifying of cities’, or how to call this trend?

Yes. While, for instance, in Asia, which is often still completely underdeveloped and developing from an urban point of view, this trend will be the opposite in Europe. Now we can see it, for example, in Leipzig, where people have been, for the last 30 years, moving from the periphery back to the city centre. I think that city centres, even historical ones, will need to be adapted to normal life and people’s needs. Then it is clear that the suburbs will be de-populated and people will return to the cities, which will greatly assist urbanism in general.

It is said about you that you can combine business with architecture. Is there a recipe for this?

I don’t think so. However, we must ensure a quality environment so that our colleagues can devote themselves to their work and ensure their material needs. So, I have to bravely deal with the business side of things so that someone can draw those beautiful projects.

How much has the pandemic situation affected your business? Do you see any light at the end of the tunnel?

As for myself, I see it more like a flight in turbulence. It’s a little bumpy now, but hopefully we will all survive and it will pass soon and we will move on. I believe that the whole thing surrounding covid will shift us, as a human society, and therefore architecture, to a slightly different environment, with slightly different values and also demand. I hope that there will be pressure, among other things, to make our buildings more environmentally friendly. I hope that the state will be forced to significantly streamline the administration in order to help the economy in a rapid recovery, and this will be reflected, for instance, in the shortening of negotiations on building permits, outline plans, etc.

Kristina Vacková / Photo: author and Chapman Taylor

The activities of the Karlín Group have, since its establishment at the end of the 1990‘s,  focused mainly on the Prague district of the same name.

They have succeded to realize many extraordinary projects there and plan further construction in the coming years. Karlín Group also directs their development activities to other parts of Prague, especially in Modřany, Holešovice and Smíchov. The company takes pride in the maximum architectural level of all its projects. They are doing well, as can be seen from various prestigious awards – ‚Best of Realty‘ and ‚Building of the Year‘ – for the implementation of the Karlín Palace, Corso Karlín and Kotelna projects. The co-founder of Karlín Group, Serge Borenstein, answered our questions.

Karlín still has something to surprise with and something to offer. You and your partners are currently implementing three projects there. Can you tell us something about them? 

Certainly, the Karlín location is naturally a ‘heart’ issue for us, but other parts of Prague also have interesting sites that attract me. On the Rohanské Embankment, in the immediate vicinity of the Vltava River, we will complete the KAY River Lofts in the summer. The face and form were bestowed by Ivan Kroupa, who engraved the stream of the river into the minimalist shapes of the façade; the house has wonderful dynamics and a wonderful layout of apartments. The uniqueness of the place and the proximity of the river enhanced the attractiveness of the house and all 55 apartments have been sold before construction is completed.

You are known for bringing a number of foreign architects to the Czech Republic. KAY is rather an exception. What about the second project, which is being developed in the vibrant part of Karlín in Křižíkova Street?

Each project has its own specifics: It is influenced by the shape of the land and situating it within the location. I do not look at new building as an individual object. It has to fit into the location, complete its character and ideally enrich it with its function in the long run. That is why we always carefully consider the designs of both Czech and foreign architects. The Slovenian architect Vasa J. Perovič designed an elegant and timeless house in a gap site in Křižíkova Street, which actually comprises two houses with two different street facades facing Křižíkova Street. An amazing space with a park and views of Vítkov was then created in the courtyard. We enjoy working with architects from the Bevk Perovič studio. In Modřany, they designed one of two buildings from the Zahálka project for us.

DVA DOMY (TWO HOUSES) were given an apt name according to their visual identity. You talked about the function of the house. What role does this play? 

We always make sure that we maintain and develop the liveliness and diversity of Karlín and its character. The project of TWO HOUSES naturally also fulfills this idea. It is a multifunctional project, the concept of which naturally connects the commercial premises on the ground floor of the building with the main residential part on the upper floors. The residential units that are currently available come with layouts ranging from compact one bedroom apartments with kitchenette, which are ideal for young couples, through spacious two bedroom apartments with a kitchenette suitable for families to luxurious five bedroom apartments with a kitchenette spread over two floors. The choice within the individual categories is particularly wide, where those apartments with the designation two bedroom + kitchenette, for instance, offer a floor area from 65 sq m up to 155 sq m; one or two bathrooms, balcony, loggia or terrace.

Are all 112 apartments offered in the TWO HOUSES project for sale, or will you keep some of the apartmentss for rental?

TWO HOUSES represent our first project, in which the Church entered as an investment partner, in particular the Diocese of Hradec Králové. All apartments are intended for sale and we currently have over 50% of apartments sold.

At what stage of construction are TWO HOUSES currently?

Almost symbolically with the coming of spring, the project begins to shoot out from the ground, the vibration isolations have been completed and the construction of the 1^st floor, where there will be interesting retail space, is currently in progress.

What else will you surprise us with next in Karlín and other localities? 

In Holešovice, we completed the Student House, which also won the Best of Realty award. In Modřany, we completed the first stage of the Zahálka residential project. And as for our home location of Karlín, we will start a new project in April, which will offer 48 apartments in Sokolovská Street and behind which is a young Czech-Slovak progressive studio ‘edit’!

Can you disclose the name of the new project? 

Definitely, now I can – Iconik. And we present its appearance on the front page of this issue of Development News!

PR / photo: karlín group

TBG METROSTAV is one of the largest concrete producers in the Prague region and operates four concrete plants.

We were talking to Ing. Jakub Šimáček, the Director of TBG METROSTAV, about the current situation in Prague’s development and the future of concrete plants in the capital.

You are the company director of three plants: TBG METROSTAV, TBG Pražské malty and Pražské betonpumpy a doprava. Can you introduce them in more details?

TBG METROSTAV, which is one of the largest concrete producers in the Prague region, where it operates four concrete plants, has the longest history. TBG Pražské malty and Pražské betonpumpy a doprava are subsidiaries and are engaged in the production of mortars and cast floor mixtures, respectively the pumping of concrete. The division, into three companies, has proven practical over time – each company focuses on ensuring that the work results are of the highest level. At the same time, all three entities work closely together and as a group supply customer with professional services and quality products.

Last year was difficult. What was it like for your companies?

The beginning of last year was very similar to previous years. But then the first wave of the pandemic came out of nowhere and construction in Prague ceased. There were several reasons. Borders were closed, foreign workers were absent on construction sites, the operation of offices was reduced and some investors were thrown out of balance. Moreover, in recent years, there hasn’t been any large infrastructure contract under construction in Prague that would help overcome fluctuations in commercial investment. The construction of administrative buildings and hotels was almost halted within the market and the commencement of apartment buildings was postponed by several months.

How did you respond to the sudden drop off in demand? Did you have to lay staff off?

We didn’t have to lay staff off. Our goal was to retain jobs, because we knew that construction would start again and then we would be needing staff. Our people are highly qualified and hardworking and it would make no sense at all to lay off a third of them and then look for new people with difficulty and to have to train them as well. We managed to apply cost-saving measures and reduce wage and fixed costs accordingly. In this way, we kept the company in shape during the summer and were prepared for the autumn start of the postponed constructions.

So how did 2020 turn out for your companies?

In the end, well. Although we didn’t manage to compensate for the production outage from the summer months, even with higher production at the end of the year, our results remained only slightly behind the original plan. What I consider extremely positive is the fact that we managed to reaffirm the good name of our company and the high quality of our services, especially thanks to the retention of experienced employees with their diligence and commitment.

What do you think 2021 will be like?

I presume that it will continue to be dominated by apartments in Prague. The interest in buying one’s own apartment is, despite high prices, still extraordinary. It also seems that the construction of housing blocks for rental accommodation will begin. Investment in administrative buildings will probably stagnate a bit this year, but I assume that from next year, this segment will also start gradually going again. Based on my experience, I don’t think that home office is a permanent solution, because only a few employees are able to achieve full work commitment and high performance at home – without social ties, it just doesn’t work. The construction of administrative buildings will continue after the temporary decline. This can also be seen in the just launched Masaryk Centre project by Penta Investment, where we currently supply our colleagues from Zakládání staveb and Zakládání Group with concrete for the foundation of the building and will supply the concrete workers of Metrostav a.s. who are starting to build monolithic structures. We are waiting to see if the next stage of the Prague metro will be launched. In recent years, it is the only large transport contract in the capital – and Prague would certainly deserve such a major investment in its development.

What new innovations have you prepared for your clients?

We launch a new product basically every year. However, we do not want to just come thoughtlessly with some mixtures that have no application in the market, or that only promote a standard product under a flashy name. Each of our branded products bestow customers with certain benefits or is part of a systematized solution. For example, fresh MALMIX mortars – a proven solution where we supply fresh mortar to construction sites every day, ready for immediate processing. Without any further adjustments. When a client orders MALMIX, he knows that the mortar is top quality, a fine structure and will be on site in time and in the right quantity. The same goes for PERMACRETE concrete. With this product we responded to the non-systemic addition of crystallizing additives to fresh concrete under the pretext of improving the watertightness of white tubs, or even to improve protection against radon, erratic currents, etc. PERMACRETE is a special concrete for white tubs designed in accordance with German and Austrian standards. It develops a minimum of hydration heat and, thanks to its composition, significantly reduces the formation of cracks. This solution is cheaper than using crystallizations and has been tested successfully on dozens of buildings.

These are proven products. How about new ones?

We always put the client above everything we do. We constantly work on modernizing and developing new products. This year, we are planning to present an interesting
TERRAFLOW filling material, which is suitable for filling construction pits around pipelines or filling joints around the foundation of the building, etc. We are also constantly improving our branded products, especially our most durable and strongest product TOPCRETE, an ultra-high-quality concrete (UHPC), which has incredible potential for renovations, bridges, footbridges as well as architectural use. And we must not forget the protection of the environment and long-term sustainability. We also develop concretes from recycled aggregates, but no major use can be considered just yet. Current regulations, logistics and achieved parameters of concrete produced in this way do not allow for the fully-fledged replacement of ordinary aggregates, but certain types of structures can be made from recycled aggregates.

And what about your concrete plants? How do you deal with the increasingly stricter environmental regulations and restrictions?

As I have already mentioned, we have four concrete plants, which are conveniently located throughout Prague. In the north we have the Libeň concrete plant, in the west Radlice, in the south Písnice and in the central, slightly eastern area, the Rohanský ostrov concrete plant. These locations are advantageous for our efficient logistics, because we always choose the nearest establishment for the supply of material for a particular construction site, so that the concrete mixers do not unnecessarily burden the already complicated traffic in Prague. What comes as a matter of course is wastewater management, the recycling of residual concrete, waste management, dust filters, landfill sprinkling, etc. However, the fact that two of our facilities have a dock for cargo ships is also related to ecology. We use ecological shipping to the maximum extent possible. As a result, the Libeň and Rohanský ostrov concrete plants fundamentally help reduce the amount of lorry traffic in the metropolis. Thanks to their direct connection to the river, all underground stages, road tunnels and railway corridors were built with a minimal impact on Prague’s traffic. The ship’s supply has already saved Prague over 250,000 lorry loads.

You are promoters of shipping in Prague. From where do you get your inspiration?

The shipment of aggregates and sand for our establishments has been operating for a very long time, but few people realize how many positive effects it has on the city. There are several inspirations: Paris, Brussels, Vienna and other cities that are similar to Prague and where the river flows through them. For example, there are nine concrete plants and 11 loading bins for ship waste and debris situated directly on the banks of the Seine in Paris. There are also several compact mini-transhipments in operation, where river boats bring containers loaded with consumer goods. Or Brussels with the Charleroi Canal, which transports up to 3 million tonnes of material a year. After all, in Vienna, one cargo ship after another goes on the Danube River, transporting soil, rubble, wood and aggregates.

So, do you see a future in supplying buildings with raw materials along the river?

Shipping cannot be the only supply route in itself. A large part of raw materials and goods will always be transported by road. It is just a matter of making the most of the possibility of river transport and not only using it marginally. After all, in Prague we are actually the only ones using freight shipping.

So, when someone buys concrete from TBG, it means that they have helped reduce the number of lorries, is that right?

Actually, yes, even though I wouldn’t put it that way. Our goal is to supply concrete of the highest quality parameters and to be a reliable business partner to our customers. And the fact that we produce concrete economically and with respect to the surroundings, thanks to shipping we also save roads and relieve citizens from harmful emissions, I see this as our contribution to global efforts to improve the quality of the environment.

PR

Jindřichův Hradec has long struggled with the absence of a city architect. Last year, a selection procedure was finally held and was attended by 13 candidates. 

The winner was Ing. arch. Lukáš Soukup, a graduate of the Faculty of Architecture of the Czech Technical University Prague, who worked there as a lecturer in doc. Rothbauer’s studio. Since 2011, he has been authorized by the Czech Chamber of Architects. He has experience from an architectural studio, a development company and also experience gained during an internship in Tampere, Finland. He currently works for the international real estate and consultancy company Knight Frank, where he manages the construction of office buildings and specialist opinions from the areas of architecture and urban planning.

How did you convince the committee that your vision of a city architect’s activity is best for Jindřichův Hradec? Did you bet on tourism where there is the third largest castle complex in the Czech Republic following Prague and Český Krumlov?

I think Jindřichův Hradec as such is not a classic tourist destination. You can apply double standards there: On the one hand, the town potentially loses income from the tourist trade but, on the other hand, it was spared the situation in Prague centre, for instance, which is considerably damaged due to the number of tourists and stalls with souvenirs with no relation to the city and the place (for instance Russian fur hats and other items that, in my opinion, have nothing to do on the Royal Route).

So, where do you perceive the potential of the town?

The town centre is romantic – with many historically valuable and well-preserved buildings. But at the same time, more conceptual interventions in individual, mostly public spaces, are needed. I myself have an idea for a better background for residents as well as tourists. According to statistics, their visits mainly lead them to the castle grounds and the rest of the town seems slightly neglected.

And other fields aside from tourism?

I have a feeling that the town offers relatively few pleasant outdoor places that would allow for just sitting quietly or for some other activities even when it comes to its inhabitants. There is no comprehensive system of greenery, no suitable orientation system, etc.

What do you consider to be the most important thing at the moment?

There is no comprehensive transport system or parking in the town centre or in its wider surroundings. The cycleways do not have any logical connection to individual peripheries, especially to the Vajgar and Hvězdárna housing estates, which requires long-term care and conceptual thinking. If we start to look into it now, we will be able to leave something to our children and grandchildren. Something that we are able to prepare within the scope of just a few years.

How did the selection procedure actually proceed? Can you describe it further?

The first round of the selection procedure consisted of meeting formal prerequisites, such as university education, authorization and some practice. The second round included personal interviews with the presentation of a common task, which was to design a solution for the Ladislav Stehna Embankment on the bank of the Vajgar Lake. The next subject for discussion was the applicant’s awareness of Jindřichův Hradec and his ideas as to how to utilise the town’s potential. For instance, the chateau brewery – right next to the chateau – is situated in the protected town centre and is difficult to access. This is currently one of the biggest problems in historic centres of other Czech towns as well. Any function you place here will require an access. At the construction stage, it will require the availability of equipment, supply of material, etc. Even the subsequent operation can cause a disproportionate burden on the protected centre, if not even maybe collapse. This needs to be taken into consideration at the beginning when setting up the building programme. Reconstruction as such is expensive but that is nothing atypical. What I see decisive is a correctly chosen function and naturally project funding, ideally divided into stages.

Let’s go back to your proposal for the use of the Ladislav Stehna Embankment.

It’s a huge opportunity. However, the idea that the embankment will be reconstructed and that tourists will thus start going there is wrong. We need to take a step back and think about the concept of transport solution within the town and its surroundings. I think that that is the most important, not only here, but in most Czech towns. As for Jindřichův Hradec, renovations took place in the second half of the 20^th century where many of which were not entirely pleasing. One of the less successful is the road along the Vajgar Lake, the Ladislav Stehna Embankment. According to traffic statistics, several thousand cars go through here daily in latter years. The traffic load is disproportionate to the location and if traffic is not prevented and reduced to a necessary minimum, the embankment will remain cut off from the town centre.

What do you find crucial then?  

Considering the solution and concept of transport in the centre, the wider town centre and its surroundings. To try to adapt the centre more to the needs of the population in the form of gradual measures. Let’s realize that it is very easy to walk in a town of this size. I consider this to be one of the main qualities of a town such as Jindřichův Hradec, where there is also an optimal terrain for cycling. That is what I really enjoy about it.

Does this mean a priority modification to the transport solution and the embankment as such?  

It will certainly be necessary to amend urban greenery – part of the town does not even hold the status of green area but, according to the outline plan, it is ‘insulating greenery’. That means that maintenance of the areas and access to them are subject to this. This is a matter that should also be addressed. Residents need to be more involved in this process and where possible, it is also necessary to come up with other barriers than the existent steel railings between the Vajgar Lake and the sidewalk for cyclists and pedestrians. As you walk through there you will probably realize that pedestrian crossings are not in places where it is logical in connection with pedestrian routes, but are located in places common from the point of view of comfortable driving.

How is it related to the historical centre?

From my point of view, the transport solution used in a town with more than 20,000 inhabitants corresponds conceptually with the 1960s. However, from today’s point of view regarding the use of public areas I think that this solution is outdated, obsolete and needs to be modified.

So, how should a town of this size work optimally – including visitors?

I would certainly not build the quality of the town and life in it on tourism. I don’t think it is the most important thing for such a town. I believe the city as such should first and foremost be a pleasant place for its inhabitants. In this respect, Jindřichův Hradec is smaller than Prague and Brno, etc…, but still experiences similar trends as West European towns, this being the displacement of the centre. Based on available figures I know that in the last few decades, the number of permanent residents has reduced to approximately one third. And then comes the classic issues – it is difficult to park here, it is difficult to shop, there is noise at night, which is something you do not want for family life. These issues bother your life so you would rather move to the outskirts where you can have a bigger house, bigger garden and perhaps also a garage. And the town centre as such can easily become a kind of mausoleum in the future, especially with the strengthening of tourism. This needs to be carefully thought through because the steps we take today will reap fruits for future generations. That means that the town cannot do without a more fundamental concept of tourism solution.

How do you personally see the total concept?

As soon as we manage to successfully plan and implement one public space, which can be, for instance, Míru Square or the Ladislav Stehna Embankment, I am convinced that we will set the standard for other public spaces within the town. If the residents identify with this space, we will be able to extend the quality solution to at least the rest of the centre. Another thing that I consider important is the solution of parking in the centre and the transport connection between the town periphery and the town centre. Therefore, it is a matter of solving the functioning of the combination of car traffic, cyclists and pedestrians. Building a town for cars, as we can, for instant, see in the town of Most, which today looks like a 1960s small American town, where walking through the centre on foot is difficult due to long distances because there are motorways, is a long-overdue model. It’s something that can be aesthetic for some, mostly architects, but research has long shown that the most pleasant are winding streets, pleasant nooks – and that’s why historic town centres are popular.

However, panel housing estates were built here on the outskirts, just as in other Czech towns. How do you see their inter connection with the historical centre?

A part of the centre was preserved thanks to the new prefabricated housing estates located outside the historical centre because in the 1960s, it was a great time to demolish twice as many houses as eventually happened. Of course, I’m sorry about those houses, but I can be relatively satisfied that no more was destroyed. I don’t want to perceive the housing estate negatively, especially when you see how many inhabitants in the Czech Republic live in panel houses. It’s a huge amount. And housing estates as such do not always have to be solved as so-called ‘rabbit hutches’, if you look at Brno – Lesná or other good examples, such as Prague – Pankrác with lower-storey houses, cultivated greenery, etc. The parterres of some buildings at the housing estates are lined with stone, somewhere there are works of art, accessible civic amenities and lots of greenery…

What do the housing estates in Jindřichův Hradec look like in this comparison? 

Unfortunately, they are not that nice, but, on the other hand, there is greenery and it is close to the centre. I would not perceive it completely negatively. If they need anything, it is more cultivation of public areas and better connection to the centre for cyclists and pedestrians. What bothers me most in housing estates, not only those in Jindřichův Hradec, is the fact that they are often only visible from the historical centre. And it was enough to build two floors less or design the whole development in a different fashion.

Where do you see the real basis of each town?

In the locals and I think they are the ones who should be involved in what is being prepared by the town, especially with regards to long-term plans and investments. I think that it is a priority to give space to discussions in the form of panel meetings and present upcoming projects … everything must have a clear plan and the specific responsible person who is preparing the project must be determined. However, it is necessary to involve both the public and town residents because as a weekend visitor, I cannot have the same point of view as the locals and I am interested in the opinion of both children and youth, university students, mothers on maternity leave, pensioners and workers. They are the inhabitants of the town and they all have the right to have their say on these issues. How the concept will work once completed, what the town takes into account – all this can determine residents’ satisfaction with the town’s plans and gradual transformation and improvement. I don’t like to say problems, but the use of the potential that is there at the moment.

How do you yourself see the function of a city architect?  

The main task is to actively participate in the concept of town development. At the same time, it is also important to popularize architecture and to convey the council’s plans to the inhabitants. At this time, Czech society lacks discussion as such. When someone disagrees with us, we take it as an invective and a personal attack. I myself got used to discussion when defending projects as an architect. I am convinced that when a logical counter-argument is heard, it will force me to rethink the solution. The issues that had not occurred to me till then can also be termed in this way. I see two options: You either defend the concept and confirm your opinion, or you do not defend it and therefore have to rethink the solution and rework it.

Is this about better communication then?

Communication is generally required: I do not yet know how the public will be involved in the discussion, but I hope that it will be as much as possible so that their views can be taken into account. The worst scenario I can imagine is that in a year – when you walk through Jindřichův Hradec – you will see residents laughing at the prepared solution and feeling that the person who came from elsewhere and never lived here spent their money and that they are not to be identified with the concepts and plans. That’s wrong and it certainly shouldn’t work that way. Towns are different, but problems recur. It is important that local people adapt to the upcoming projects. That is the key to success.

How do you want to help with regards to the solving of these difficulties?  

In the future, I would like to address my former colleagues from the Faculty of Architecture and together assign selected tasks within the town as term work for students. This is the experience I had when working as a lecturer in the studio of Mr. Rothbauer, the senior lecturer, where we processed similar assignments of randomly selected towns. They were projects of individual buildings and groups of these buildings, but often also more extensive urbanism.

Arnošt Wagner / Photo: archive