Lake Milada International Landscape Urban and Architectural Design Competition, Czech Architecture Contest

Lake Milada Competition in Czech Republic

2 July 2021

Lake Milada International Landscape, Urban and Architectural Design Competition

First Prize: Mandaworks AB

Location: Lake Milada, Northern Bohemia, Czech Republic

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Prague, 1st July 2021 – Palivový kombinát Ústí, state-owned enterprise, and ONplan the organizer of the Lake Milada International Landscape, Urban and Architectural Design Competition announced that the winner of the competition is the Stockholm based Design studio Mandaworks AB.

Lake Milada Design Competition winning design:

The winning team described their competition proposal as a living landscape based on three main principles that reinforce and develop existing values: living nature, living destinations and living future. Their strategy presents clear pathway to reclaim, strengthen, and celebrate the existing landscape while developing novel and exciting ways to experience the lake and its surrounding area.

Lake Milada Design Competition winning design:

Lake Milada is located in Northern Bohemia about 80 km north of Prague and 50 km south of Dresden in Germany. The lake was created by reclamation of an extensive lignite quarry after the mining activities finished in 1997. Despite the fact that the area was open to the public in 2015 it was missing a master plan for its further development. The region which was hardly hit by the end of mining and related industry has been experiencing demographic decline and social problems. The Czech Government believes that the Lake Milada project will contribute to the rebranding of the region.

Lake Milada Design Competition 2nd prize winners’ design:

“Over the years, the region has experienced several drastic transformations, in an attempt to balance this tumultuous history, we decided to ground our proposal in a deeply contextual and sensitive approach. We are looking forward to the next steps of the process where we will develop the proposal further in close cooperation and dialogue with the client PKU state enterprise, residents, and surrounding municipalities who play a critical role in Lake Milada’s future”, said Martin Arfalk founder of Mandaworks.

Lake Milada Design Competition 2nd prize winners’ design:

The international jury appreciated the elaborate and logical concept plan for the newly formed landscape of Lake Milada and its surroundings. The proposal minimizes any burdens on the natural components of the area, does not unbearably exploit the new landscape by tourism and at the same time is economically feasible. The jury also appreciated the excellent design of architectural interventions, which have the potential to complete the character of the area and create a strong brand of the place.

Mandaworks is a progressive and contemporary design studio engaged in the fields of architecture, landscape architecture, urban design, and comprehensive planning.

The Stockholm based studio was founded in 2010, and since then has expanded to include offices in Montreal, Canada and Shanghai, China. The multidisciplinary design team spans thirteen nationalities and features a creative mix of professional and educational backgrounds.

“It would not be possible to reach a unanimous agreement on the winner of the competition if we did not manage to define a broadly shared vision of the development of Lake Milada together with all the stakeholders when preparing competition brief. During the competition, we did not have to go back and forth and discuss key principles, but we were looking for the proposal that will best meet the predefined and broadly accepted shared vision,” explained Petr Návrat from ONplan, Czech planning consultancy that was the competition organizer.

Lake Milada Design Competition 3rd prize winners’ design:

Six teams qualified for the competition 1st round and three where shortlisted for the 2nd round. The second prize went to the Czech American consortium 4ct and Denver based CIVITAS while German Landscape studio Rehwaldt Landscape Architects was awarded the third prize.

Lake Milada competition shows a new trend in the Czech Republic, which is increasingly using international competitions to select teams for architectural, urban and landscape design projects. These include the Florenc 21 urban design competition for brownfield in the centre of Prague, soon to be announced competition for the Vltava Philharmonics in Prague or the main train station in Brno, Czech second biggest city.

Lake Milada Design Competition 3rd prize winners’ design:

Detailed information about the competition and competition proposals are available at www.vizemilada.cz.

Lake Milada Competition, Czech Republic – Design Information

1/ 1st prize, Mandaworks AB – Plan of the competition site
2/ 1st prize, Mandaworks AB – Land art object Vyklice
3/ 1st prize, Mandaworks AB – Initiating project – landscape shelter
4/ 1st prize, Mandaworks AB – Lookout tower
5/ 1st prize, Mandaworks AB – Initiating project – elevated landscape shelter
6/ 2nd prize, 4ct, s.r.o. a CIVITAS, Inc. – Vyklice Island
7/ 2nd prize, 4ct, s.r.o. a CIVITAS, Inc. – East Portal Tower
8/ 2nd prize, 4ct, s.r.o. a CIVITAS, Inc. – A stroll along south shore
9/ 3rd prize, Rehwaldt Landscape Architects – Main boardwalk
10/ 3rd prize, Rehwaldt Landscape Architects – Roudniky Beach
11/ 3rd prize, Rehwaldt Landscape Architects – A viewing and climbing tower

Lake Milada Design Competition winners images / information received 010721

Location: Czech Republic, central eastern Europe