An award that every architect in the Olomouc region would like to win. This is the Rudolf Eitelberger Award. On Saturday, October 2, 2021, at 4:30 p.m., the finalists and the winner of the 7th edition will be announced at the Theatre na cucky in Olomouc, and our Telegraph will be there.
The prize has been awarded by the Association For Beautiful Olomouc (ZKO) since 2008 at two-year intervals. The association was founded in 2007 by Olomouc art historians due to dissatisfaction with many of the city's previous interventions, and they wanted to influence future ones to make Olomouc a pleasant and cultural environment that respects the city's genius loci. To this end, ZKO organizes lectures, screenings, walks, rides, exhibitions, debates, the RE award, and actively engages in debate on current city issues, creating an open space for discussion informed by the opinions of experts.
The RE Award is given for quality achievements in the field of architecture, urban planning, conservation and public relations in the Olomouc Region. Why the Rudolf Eitelberger Award? Rudolf Eitelberger von Edelberg (1817-1885) was a native of Olomouc, the founder of monument conservation in Austria-Hungary, the first professor of art history at the University of Vienna and the founder of the Museum of Decorative Arts and the School of Decorative Arts in Vienna, and therefore an important personality with an incredible legacy.
For the RE Prize, the association carefully selects a high quality independent jury including Czech architects, art historians, officials, experts and city councillors. This year's nine-member jury consisted of Prof. PhDr. Rostislav Švácha, Csc. arch. Zdeňka Vydrová (city architect of Litomyšl), Ing. arch. Jana Křenková (Head of the Office of the Chief Architect of the City of Olomouc), Mgr. František Chupík Ph. D. (Director of the National Heritage Institute in Olomouc), Ing. arch. Tomáš Machovský (architect behind the reconstruction of the university complex Křížkovského 10), Ing. Jana Trundová (designer and co-founder of the studio mimokolektiv), Ing. Barbora Trundová (substitute for Mayor Miroslav Žbánek, garden and landscape architect of studio mimokolektiv), Ing. arch. Zdeněk Chmel (architect of Malý Chmel and the last winner of the RE 2019 Award for the project of the elementary school in Nezamyslice) and Bc. Jan Žůrk (non-elected member of the Olomouc Region Council in the field of culture and heritage protection).
How is the selection of buildings done? Firstly, the members of the ZKO (architects, art historians and experts) collect tips on new buildings, reconstructions, realisations and achievements in the field of architecture of the Olomouc Region in the last two years. From the large number, a shortlist - this year 22 - will be selected and presented to the commission at a joint meeting. Subsequently, an independent commission will personally visit all the buildings and select the finalists. This year there are eight, one of which will be the overall winner.
In addition to a diploma and glory, the winner will also receive a prize of blown glass by sculptor Jaroslav Koléšek, and the other finalists will receive a diploma in the form of a graphic by Zbyněk Baladrán.
Letos association ZKO has also arranged a window display in Ztracená Street, where a banner with all eight finalists will be placed. After the award ceremony, the winner will be moved here, and the winner will be marked for all to see, making it accessible to the general public.
Who are this year's finalists? The Society has been gradually publishing them and to date we already know 5 of them. They are us too! Our adaptation of an industrial building for the Telegraph gallery, coworking space and cafe by Barley Studios completed in 2018-2019! Others are the adaptation of a military bakery into a hostel with a café and restaurant Long story short in Olomouc by Studio Raketoplán, the reconstruction of Jakob Gartner's villas in Olomouc by Jan Dohnal, Ondřej Fous and Michal Fišer, reconstruction of the municipal office in Hluchov by Public Atelier and studio FUUZE and reconstruction and extension of the primary school in Vřesovice by Public Atelier and studio FUUZE. The last three finalists will be revealed by Friday and you can join us on Saturday for the announcement of the winner.
Text: Tereza Holoubková, Telegraph gallery
Photo: http://www.krasnaolomouc.cz
