The City of Brno has launched an artistic contest to beautify a section of the floodwalls being installed as part of the revitalisation of the Svratka embankment. The contest is mainly focused on a 345-metre stretch of the Bakalovo nábřeží area. Interested artists have until 25 August to submit their entries, either in physical or electronic form, and CZK 1.5 million will be allocated by mid-September to give life to the winning project, including CZK 250,000 as a prize for the winner.
Expected to be completed by the end of the year, the project’s main goal is to “turn the monotonous concrete wall into a work of art, to bring color, vibrancy and creativity to the urban landscape,” according to the organizers. Through the resulting upgraded aesthetic, the city also hopes to tackle vandalism and help create a stronger sense of identity in this residential and active part of town.
Although this contest will be for a design for one specific part of the wall, other parts of the flood defences will also undergo an aesthetic renovation. The 754-metre section stretching along Poříčí from the BUT Faculty of Architecture to Bauerova will be decorated by students from the faculty itself, as well as the Faculty of Fine Arts. The 296-metre section visible from the ROS Autocentrum on Táborské nábřeží will be taken care of by the Brno House of Arts.
The competition jury will include Vojtěch Mencl, Mayor of Brno-střed, and Michal Doležel, representing the South Moravian region, as well as architects, artists and professors. Additional information about the project and how to enter are available on the project’s website.
