The project prepared by the KWK PROMES studio of Robert Konieczny was realised in Ostrava in the Czech Republic. The Plato Gallery of Contemporary Art was created as a result of the reconstruction of a former slaughterhouse. Now the project has made it to the final five of the Mies van der Rohe European Union Prize competition.
The Plato Gallery of Contemporary Art can already be considered an architectural icon. The building won the Czech Republic’s top architectural prize (Grand Prix Architektů 2023) and is now in contention for the title of best new building in Europe. The final list of the Mies van der Rohe European Union Prize competition announced includes:
Thestudent pavilion of the Technical University campus in Braunschweig, Germany (designed by Gustav Düsing Max Hacke); The Reggio School in Spain (designed by Andreas Jaque, Office for Political Innovation); The rebuilt Abbey of Saint-François in Santa Lucia di Tallà, France (designed by. Amelia Tavella Architectes); the Hage public space in Lund, Sweden (designed by Brendeland & Kristoffersen architects); and the Plato Gallery for Contemporary Art in Ostrava, Czech Republic (designed by KWK PROMES).
Which of these buildings will win? We will find out in mid-May!
The Plato Gallery of Contemporary Art in Ostrava is the result of the reconstruction of a former slaughterhouse building from the 19th century. Robert Konieczny’s studio preserved the valuable old fabric, which was complemented by modern architecture. This can be seen in the texture of the new elements, their minimalist form and technology. The openings feature bright, rotating walls which, when opened, enlarge the space, creating new exhibition possibilities. The new sections are made of contemporary material, which is a contrast to the smog-soiled façade. The building makes no secret of Ostrava’s industrial past; the architects have turned this history into an asset.
This is what the place looked like BEFORE its reconstruction:
Saving the historic building and transforming it into an art gallery, we introduced a solution that makes art more democratic. By turning the walls in an unusual way, art goes outside the building. We have transformed the space around the gallery, which was previously polluted, into a biodiverse art park for the benefit of local residents,” describe architects KWK PROMES.
The Mies van der Rohe European Union Prize has been awarded since 1988 and its winners include architects such as Álvaro Siza, Peter Zumthor, Zaha Hadid, the Snøhetta studio, David Chipperfield or Alberto Veiga & Fabrizio Barozzi. The latter received an award in 2015 for their design of the Mieczyslaw Karlowicz Philharmonic Hall in Szczecin.
design: KWK Promes – Robert Konieczny, Michał Lisiński, Dorota Skóra with team
photography: Juliusz Sokołowski, www.juliuszsokolowski.pl, Jakub Certowicz, www.jakubcertowicz.pl
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