SuperMost – SuperRadnice

LANDSCAPE – SUN SUN – LANDSCAPE The art and architecture of the town hall featured two themes: ‘Landscape on the Attic’ and ‘Sun in the Atrium’. Both have disappeared. We are now introducing ‘Sun on the Attic’ and ‘Landscape in the Atrium’. We see this change as a reference to history – and, at the same time, as a necessity for a different present. SUN – ATTIC The motif of sunrise and sunset is among the oldest and most universal in humanity’s perception of the world. It is not merely an ornament – it is an archetype. It brings hope, invites contemplation, and reminds us of the cyclical nature of time. The attic forms the upper frame of the building. Beyond it lies the sky – ever-changing, bright, sometimes azure, at other times grey or white. For the image on the attic to stand out, it must be distinct against the sky. A light-coloured surface would dissolve into it – blend in, disappear. A dark and richly coloured surface, on the other hand, stands out: it is legible in all weathers, at any time of year, and in any light. The building’s striking geometry demands that the rhythm of the vertical lines be repeated whilst maintaining a horizontal composition. The original mosaic consisted of vertical formats arranged in a single band. This is the compositional principle we are building upon. The entire parapet is a linear composition of vertical images. Each is a unique gradient – a section of the celestial sphere capturing, in a single moment, the varying tones of the sun. Like frames of a film, they are arranged in a strip that forms the stories of the days – records of the gradual transformation of the sky from sunrise to sunset.

The design impressed the jury with its overall concept, its striking yet contextually appropriate artistic intervention in relation to the existing architecture, and the high-quality use of materials. The design of the parapet creates a distinctive identifying feature of the building without detracting from its architectural expression. The colour scheme of the design and its contemporary character were also viewed positively. A significant strength is the clarity of the design and its accessibility to the wider public. The work has the potential to become a natural part of the site’s identity whilst also serving as adistinctive feature in the public space. The incorporation of the jury’s comments during the dialogue was also viewed favourably. A certain area for improvement lies in the treatment of colour transitions, which does not fully exploit the potential of the technology used. The gradient appears too smooth and, according to the jury, partially detracts from the mosaic-like effect, which it considers to be one of the design’s fundamental artistic principles. A more pronounced treatment of the material structure itself could further enhance the resulting artistic effect. The jury has minor reservations regarding certain interventions in the parterre and alterations to existing sculptural elements, such as the relocation of the lion statue. However, these comments do not have a significant impact on the overall quality and persuasiveness of the artistic concept. A well-thought-out technical solution based on the use of contemporary materials and technologies is a significant and integral part of the design. The technical principle of titanium anodising is naturally linked to the artistic concept and enables the creation of a striking visual effect whilst maintaining a relatively understated architectural expression. The use of materials in the parapet design and the overall technical concept were particularly well received. At the same time, the design lays the groundwork for a long-term functional solution and effectively integrates the artistic aspect with the technical component of the work. Overall, the design represents a very strong yet sensitive solution which combines a striking artistic intervention with respect for the existing architecture and has the potential to strengthen the identity of the site as well as the quality of the public space. The artistic concept is integrated with current technological possibilities and, from the perspective of technological and operational solutions, represents a convincing and sustainable concept.

The work explores themes of memory, architecture, perception, and recontextualisation. We do not perceive the parapet as a surface, but as a form, a sculpture — an integral part of the architecture. It completes the composition of the building while simultaneously opening up the roofscape. The work thematises the qualities of a building conceived as an open house, without a single “main” façade. Its dark tonality restores the building’s horizontal character. The work is made of cast aluminium panels forming a continuous surface. Monument In Fini. The new artwork for the Most town hall inevitably follows on from the removed work - the mosaic “Earth”. This work articulated the key features of the town hall architecture and the urban planning of Most. It was conceived as an abstract composition referring to the geological relief of the landscape. The mining of brown coal was central to the economy, culture, spatial planning and character of the new Most. In the sense of the time, this future erased everything historical. This future was compromised. The Old Most was renovated, the New Most never met expectations for growth. The mosaic itself was removed due to its unsatisfactory technical condition. The question of how to approach the artistic conception of the Town Hall today is ultimately a question of how to engage with memory without suppressing it. It is a complex mixture of a difficult past and optimism for the future. Architecture must contain all of these layers. The building is an “open monument”. It embraces the memory of the place while transforming itself in response to the changing context of time, politics, economy, and culture. The question, therefore, is not how to erase what exists and what has existed, but how to transform, adapt, recontextualise, and leave space for future transformations. The proposed transformations within the Most Town Hall explore the relationship between the present, the past and the future through the interplay of architecture and form. The parapet is not an autonomous work. All the proposed interventions address similar themes in different ways. Whilst the parapet is emblematic, the works on the parterre – which are mostly historical and have been de-monumentalised – form part of the space. We accept this aspect and build upon it. We transform the space – the landscape, the representative area and the recreational space. The works thus alter the context, but do not lose their role within the organisation of the building’s open parterre.

The design impressed the jury with its high level of conceptual and artistic thought and its sophisticated approach to the brief. Particular praise was given to the use of the collage principle, the somewhat wild nature of which the design translates into the atrium space, and to the effort to create a visually distinctive environment. A notable strength of the design lay in its use of drawing and colour sketches, which, in the early stages of the dialogue, offered a more distinctive and playful artistic solution. However, in the jury’s view, this potential was not sufficiently realised in the final version of the design. The principle of the pixelated mosaic and the use of colour shades can be viewed positively; however, compared to the original variants, the final form appears less convincing and, in places, even gloomy. The jury has certain reservations regarding the scale of the mosaic and its legibility from pedestrian level. Given the way it is divided, it is not entirely clear whether the artistic principle will come across sufficiently when viewed from ground level. The technological solution is based on the use of cast aluminium and its surface treatment. The effort to create a durable material solution and a technologically precise principle for assembling the mosaic can be viewed positively. At the same time, however, the jury feels that the design does not make sufficient use of the natural structure and material character of cast aluminium. The chosen surface treatment largely masks this quality, and the resulting material effect is not sufficiently legible from ground level. Reservations were also expressed regarding certain material options in terms of maintenance requirements and the persuasiveness of the structural anchoring solution. The significant change in materials during the dialogue also led to a certain weakening of the original artistic concept. Overall, the design represents a highly sophisticated solution of high conceptual and technological quality; however, in the jury’s view, its final aesthetic form does not utilise the potential and possibilities of the chosen material to the same extent as the winning design.

The proposal is based on the themes of coal and energy, which are linked to both the history and present-day life of Most. Through participatory workshops, we will engage the public in a debate on the future of the landscape and the town. We reflect on environmental and social issues through the metaphor of the four elements – water, wind, fire and earth – drawing on the Baroque sculptures from Old Most. The result is a landscape encircling the parapet of the town hall: a collage of drawings and objects by us and by local people, cast in metal, serving as a shared vision of various futures and a protective symbol of the town. In the atrium, we propose a sculpture park and minor alterations to the public space. The work also has an intangible component: the online archive contains a record of drawings, artefacts and discussions from the workshops. Audio narrations then convey the local debate beyond the region.

The design impressed the jury with its original approach to the parapet and its aim to create a new visual language for the building. The use of distinctive forms, which give the building a unique character and deliberately disrupt the conventional aesthetics of the surrounding area, was particularly well received. A key strength of the design lay in its communicative and participatory aspects. Engaging with the public and incorporating their suggestions offered the opportunity to create a playful and open work with a strong connection to the community. However, in its final form, the jury felt that these qualities had been significantly weakened and that the original potential for participation had not been sufficiently reflected in the resulting design. The design’s relationship to the town hall itself also raises questions. The use of the parapet as a support for the artwork is original; however, the final solution may come across more as a standalone exhibition or gallery installation than as a work naturally integrated into the character of the town hall. Furthermore, the use of sculptural elements in the parterre does not appear to be a wholly convincing link between the artwork and the public space. The technical solution underwent a significant transformation during the dialogue, particularly in terms of materials. The transition from the originally envisaged 3D printing, via ceramics, to aluminium sheet resulted in a simpler material and structural principle; however, in the jury’s view, this also weakened some of the design’s original artistic qualities. A positive aspect is the team’s ability to work with an extensive set of ideas gathered through participation and to utilise them in shaping the design. However, according to the jury, their translation into the final technical and artistic solution was not sufficiently convincing. The jury felt that the technological component does not provide as convincing a foundation for the resulting artistic concept as in the designs that received higher honours. Overall, this is an original approach with significant conceptual potential; however, in its final form, it failed to sufficiently integrate the original participatory ideas, the technology and the chosen material into a convincing final aesthetic form.

The ‘Super Town Hall’ project is conceived as a precise transformation of the existing town hall through two complementary architectural elements: the ‘Crown’ and the ‘Bench’. Rather than a large-scale redevelopment of the building, the design focuses on a limited number of strategic interventions capable of restoring both its urban identity and everyday public life. ‘The Crown’ lends the building a new character within the Most city skyline. Its dimensions, transparency and proportions are carefully balanced to respect the existing architecture and preserve the visual connection between the council chamber and the city. Inspired by the mosaic that once adorned the building, it transforms this lost work of art into a modern lighting feature. The ‘Crown’ project is not conceived as a decorative cladding, but as a genuine scenographic element integrating the structure, perforated aluminium, LED lighting and access for maintenance. By day, it functions as a light and permeable architectural lintel; by night, it becomes a shifting urban image that reconnects architecture, memory and civic identity. The second is the continuous bench, located within the central atrium at ground-floor level – the building’s true public space. The bench is conceived as a spatial and social device capable of organising movement, clarifying the entrances and guiding the flows through the building. At the same time, it accommodates the existing artworks, restoring them to a primary role within the public realm and turning them into an active part of the everyday experience of the atrium. The bench creates opportunities for people to sit, meet, pause and interact, reinforcing the atrium as a shared civic interior. Through these two simple elements, a unified response is given to the different requirements of the brief. The crown redefines the identity of the building from afar, while the bench shapes its public life from within.

The design presented an original theme based on the motif of a crown and an interesting metaphor involving the reflection of light from the original mosaic. The jury commended the team’s ability to identify this motif and develop it into a striking architectural gesture. However, in the jury’s view, this original potential was not sufficiently realised in the final version. The striking architectural gesture gradually came to overshadow the artistic content itself, and the resulting design comes across more as a dominant structure than as a compelling work of art. Although the design is visually striking, it is not sufficiently clear what its main artistic content is, nor how the work is intended to be perceived by users of the public space. Significant doubts were raised regarding the scale and massiveness of the structure. This issue was discussed with the team during the dialogue; however, in the jury’s view, the final design did not adequately address this concern. The technological solution of the design is based on a striking structure and a variable arrangement of light and colour with the potential to change over time, which the jury found interesting; however, in its final form, it was not sufficiently convincingly substantiated or presented. The structural solution, in particular its massiveness and overall technical complexity, raised significant doubts. The design does not provide a sufficiently convincing answer to the question of long-term feasibility, operation and maintenance. The economic viability of the solution was also called into question. In the jury’s view, the technological component thus becomes the dominant element of the design without delivering corresponding artistic and practical value. Overall, the proposal demonstrates an interesting initial concept; however, its potential was not realised in its final form. In the jury’s view, the structure itself does not meet sufficient standards in terms of artistic, material or physical quality, and the proposal’s added value for the public space is the lowest compared with the other entries.