The new Aleš South Bohemian Gallery is waiting to materialize in a very dense intersection of the fabric of the city. Located just outside the historic centre, next to Mlýnská stoka, between some of the most important cultural institutions we find many key characteristics of the city within eyesight. Yet, as we familiarise ourselves with the history of the town, it reveals the lack of an important memory that is just as crucial a part of this specific location as any other. Fortifications that once surrounded the entire historical city as an integral border of the classic composition have been recently demolished with only a couple of remaining towers still standing alone.
The position of the new gallery falls in this intersection of oldtown and suburbs, green belt and main road next to the other relevant public building of the city. What that means for the gallery is that apart from the necessary task of reviving the close surroundings, together with the reimagined landscape of the park, it also has a symbolic role of connecting the diverse elements around itself and the wider spatial and historical context. It must reinforce the relations between the past and the present, bring together the people and the city, and become a symbolic part of the town for the BUDWEIS 2028 - and on.
Within the local context the gallery has to reinforce the presence of everyday life at Senovážné Square that is currently overwhelmed by traffic. The new landscape should be supported by a new institution that shields the pedestrian area yet invites from both directions and attracts visitors to keep the area of the building lively and engaging.
In a regional sense the gallery both represents an important period of Czech beauxarts and has a refreshingly diverse range of temporary exhibitions that will bring the dynamism of contemporary cultural life straight into the heart of České Budějovice.
The new gallery resembles a barbican - a fortified gate inviting visitors to the city. The mass is simple and monolithic, and results in calm interactions with all elements surrounding it, either a high-traffic road, a calm city park or a pleasant canal. Respecting the regulations the base is a pentagon with 4 even sides, and one narrower that faces towards the outside directions, marking the gate for arriving visitors.
With such a simple form proportions are crucial. With respect towards the preliminary regulation, we decided to reduce the footprint of the mass to the area where 22m height could be achieved. This way the form is generous towards the surrounding, compact yet proportionate and stays within the boundary set by the previous examinations.
The pentagonal form is fortunate in a way as it shows many different faces as we move around it. Some angels provide a narrow, dynamic image, while others let us observe 3 sides at the same time, and see visitors arriving from all directions.
On the pedestrian level the building is really open. The main entrance opens towards the public space in front towards the historic centre, but we can also access from Žižkova třída through the event hall, or come by Mlýnská stoka into the restaurant. These spaces not just invite visitors inside but use the surrounding public spaces and create interaction between the gallery and the landscape.
Throughout the gallery people can enjoy composed views of the surrounding architecture, landscape and important landmarks, so while they enjoy the exhibition they also interact with the city. While we open several views in the direction of the historic centre, the park next to the building and the wider landscape also provides a relaxing background for an immersed experience.
This all comes together as we arrive at the top of the building where - just like from a plateau of a bastion - we can enjoy an undisturbed panorama of České Budějovice.
Tamás Fialovszky, Tamás Ábrahám, Anna Dresch, Gergely Kenéz, Csenge Király, Hunor Szántó
Museum
international open competition - special mention
České Budějovice, Czech Republic
Museum
international open competition - special mention
České Budějovice, Czech Republic
Visitors arrive on the ground floor primarily from the direction of the historic centre through the public square. They can also access the lobby from Žižkova třída passing through the multi-purpose hall. This is a divisible space that can be closed and separated for events but in everyday use acts as a second entrance. The restaurant faces Mlýnská stoka with a retractable sliding-door and al-fresco seating under the trees next to the canal. These three spaces are organised around a central block that encapsulates the information and ticket desk, museum shop, cloakroom and toilets. The ground floor is thus open to all directions, permeable and interconnected.
Service access is positioned toward the less frequent sides of the building. The kitchen next to the restaurant opens towards the road with completely separate access and manipulation, so the restaurant can operate independently from the museum. Cargo delivery for the museum comes from Karla IV. and is taken by the cargo elevator straight to the manipulation area underground. Most storage and preparation spaces are located in the basement for easy access to materials and separate connections from visitor routes. The main depository, workshops and technical storage and the multi-purpose hall storage are all placed here in close vicinity to the cargo elevator.
Exhibition visitors primarily use the staircase directly from the lobby, and pass through the three equal floors one after the other. The arrangement and distribution of the exhibitions is completely flexible. Wide-span floor structure creates a free floor-plan, and the proportions of the space allow for arbitrary design, adapting for the needs of the artwork.
From the two elevators on a daily basis the smaller serves the exhibition spaces, while the cargo elevator brings visitors to the upper level where the catering bar and co-working are waiting for casual visitors to enjoy the view of the city. This connection also allows for direct outdoor access from the cargo elevator to the catering bar while the museum areas are closed. Offices are arranged here along a private corridor. The upper floor is organised around an inner atrium through which we can access the rooftop garden with panoramic views all around.
Main consideration when choosing a structure was the flexibility of the exhibition spaces and proper protection for the depository and storage spaces. Monolithic concrete structures are a logical result of these requirements. For the gallery spaces a wide-span strained monolithic grid covers the space without interior support.
The visible structure together with durable polished concrete floors recall the raw atmosphere of the interior of a bastion, while walls are coated with light plaster to create a neutral background for artwork that is easy to alter and repair.
The raw interior is balanced by the ever changing installation inside and the soft images glanced through the composed opening towards the park and the city. Different types of windows and loggias let visitors spend time along the exterior core, step outside the exhibition to refresh between exhibitions or sit in the window sills and gaze upon the beauty of the city.
The outer layer of the facade had to resemble the idea of a historical barbican, carry a strong contemporary image and stem from local roots to create a strong connection with the city and the area. A public building of this importance deserves a human touch and artisan approach. We imagine a ceramic facade that recalls the image of a masonry structure, yet softer in surface and personal in detail. The final materialisation of the ceramics should come to life by the International Ceramics Symposium in Bechyn, an institution and tradition closely related to AJG. The symposium, founded in 1966 as a manifestation of the vibrant artlife of the region and shortly resulted in the founding of The International Museum of Ceramics in Bechyně as a part of AJG. This cooperation would make the new gallery building a local and relatable symbol for the cultural tradition in the region.