Holešovice–Karlín FootbridgeSponsor: The Capital City of Prague
Location: Prague, Czech Republic
Type: Open, international
Language: The competition brief is in both Czech and English, but will be held in Czech only.
Eligibility: Open to all professional teams
Fee: None
Awards:
1st prize 1,000,000 CZK (US $41,161)
2nd prize 600,000 CZK (US $24,696)
3rd prize 350,000 CZK (US $14,406)
Honourable mentions: 50,000 CZK (US $2,058)
Timetable:
25 July 2017 – Registration & submission deadline
Description:
The river is a landscape feature that makes a major contribution to the appearance and character of the city of Prague, while also forming a natural barrier between the two parts of the city lying on opposite banks. Karlín and Holešovice are important city districts that lack good connections between them, especially for pedestrians and cyclists. The new footbridge is intended to create this connection and, from a citywide perspective, to contribute to making the cycle route along the Žižkov–Karlín–Holešovice–Troja axis more compact. The new footbridge will also be important in opening up access to the Štvanice island, making it a major recreational centre. Štvanice can be accessed by cars via the Hlávkův bridge but this route is not ideal for pedestrians and is a long way for residents of Karlín and Holešovice to walk. Both banks are now connected to the island by ferry. The idea of building a footbridge over Štvanice has long been a part of the land use plan. An architectural competition was held in 1999 to de ne the appearance of the footbridge. However, a er the oods in 2002, ood protection measures were reinforced. The reason for holding a new competition is primarily that the technical and legislative requirements have changed and the situation on both riverbanks and Štvanice island have deteriorated due to the lack of a footbridge. The new footbridge would provide convenient and easy access. The most important restrictions on the design are requirements relating to ood protection, water ow and waterway management, the nature of the urban situation on both banks and requirements for wheelchair access to the footbridge. The footbridge will be located near urban heritage sites – Dejvice, Bubny, upper Holešovice and Karlín – and in the Prague Conservation Area. It will impinge on notable vistas along the Vltava river and run through a regional bio- corridor on the Štvanice island. The design of a new footbridge should therefore emphasise respect for the environment and a minimal impact on the landscape. For more information, go to: https://www.tenderarena.cz/profil/zakazka/seznamDokumentu.jsf?id=87879
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Young Architects in Competitions When Competitions and a New Generation of Ideas Elevate Architectural Quality 
by Jean-Pierre Chupin and G. Stanley Collyer
published by Potential Architecture Books, Montreal, Canada 2020
271 illustrations in color and black & white
Available in PDF and eBook formats
ISBN 9781988962047
What do the Vietnam Memorial, the St. Louis Arch, and the Sydney Opera House have in common? These world renowned landmarks were all designed by architects under the age of 40, and in each case they were selected through open competitions. At their best, design competitions can provide a singular opportunity for young and unknown architects to make their mark on the built environment and launch productive, fruitful careers. But what happens when design competitions are engineered to favor the established and experienced practitioners from the very outset? This comprehensive new book written by Jean-Pierre Chupin (Canadian Competitions Catalogue) and Stanley Collyer (COMPETITIONS) highlights for the crucial role competitions have played in fostering the careers of young architects, and makes an argument against the trend of invited competitions and RFQs. The authors take an in-depth look at past competitions won by young architects and planners, and survey the state of competitions through the world on a region by region basis. The end result is a compelling argument for an inclusive approach to conducting international design competitions. Download Young Architects in Competitions for free at the following link: https://crc.umontreal.ca/en/publications-libre-acces/
Night view of the memorial tapestry from Independence Avenue, with Gehry’s sketch of the Normandy cliffs.
Explaining the contributions of a World War II hero and later President of the United States on a very modest site on Independence Avenue just off the Washington Mall is tantamount to asking an author to describe the life of this person in no more than one paragraph. But on September 17th, after a long and bumpy journey, lasting almost 20 years and navigating a warren of the DC approval processes and public scrutiny, the Eisenhower Memorial finally was dedicated and opened to the public. Designed by Frank Gehry, it has received mixed reviews, the majority being more positive. But most have pointed out that the memorial is more impressive at night than in full daylight. This is due primarily to the illumination of an almost block-long metallic tapestry—featuring a sketch by Gehry, which depicts his interpretation of the cliffs of the Normandy coastline where the Americans landed on D-Day. Read more…
Professional winner: Brooklyn Bridge Forest (image © Pilot Projects Design Collective)
While looking for new adventures on a visit to New York City, friends suggested that I take time to walk across the Brooklyn Bridge—certainly a New York icon. For those intending to undertake this trek across the bridge for the first time, the bridge consists of layers, with a large platform for pedestrians on top of a lower level for cars and the metro system. Traversing this connection for the first time between Manhattan and Brooklyn is not just about getting from one place to another, but experiencing a great scenic view of both boroughs and occasionally interacting with other bridge crossers. As for the latter, they provide a flavor of the city’s demographics, as opposed to similar experiences one might have of the city’s inhabitants when riding the city’s subway system. Read more… Another Competition for Moscow’s Expanding Subway Network
Image © Zaha Hadid Architects
Even under Stalin, Moscow subway stations represented the crown jewels of the city’s projects when it came to design. In more recent years, the emphasis placed on modern design in the city’s expanding metro rail network has resulted in some major new projects, and this year’s competitions for two stations was no exception: the Klenoviy Boulevard Station 2 won by Zaha Hadid Architects (London), and the Prospect Marshala Zhukova station, won by the ASADOV Architectural Bureau (Moscow). Read More… Hangang District Urban Design International Master Competition
1st place entry by Dominique Perrault Architecture (image ©Dominique Perrault Architect)
China’s planning priorities for their urban areas experienced a sharp turn after the post-Mao reforms took place. During the early post-WWII period, when Soviet influence in the early urbanization of China dominated, industrial development took precedence over all other issues, with heritage, conservation, residential planning, and the amenities associated with it, being almost entirely neglected. Read more…
Winning design by ©Moreau Kusunoki /Genton
Although one might normally assume that local firms participating in a competition might have a clear advantage over foreign competitors, this has seldom been the case: just see Sydney’s Opera House, won by a Danish architect, and Toronto’s City Hall, won by a Finn—as evidence that well devised competition briefs as adequate documentation can create a level playing field for potential competitors, regardless of their location.
Read more… |
