The "Best of Realty" competition announces its 24th annual winner

Construction completed in the Czech Republic after January 1, 2021, in five basic categories: Residential projects, Administrative centers, Shopping centers, Hotels and Industrial and warehouse areas applied for the nomination for the title Best of Realty for 2022 . From them, the jury selected the winners and awardees (first to third place in each category) at its October meetings. In addition to the titles in the mentioned categories, the Special Jury Award and the "ARTN Award for Excellence" were also awarded at the gala evening, and the winner of the Environmental Project of the Year title was also announced. As in previous years, one of the contestants won the Readers' Award, which is not decided by a jury, but by the lay public in a vote on the competition's website. Last but not least, the Best of Realty Hall of Fame grew with another exceptional personality.

"This year's competition results clearly show that the Czech real estate market can generate interesting, valuable and quality projects even in difficult times. Compared to last year, we saw a slight increase in nominated projects - especially those that originated in the regions: they already accounted for more than half of the total number of nominations. The numerically most represented category was, as every year, Residential projects, followed by Industrial and warehouse premises. Especially the latter segment is now developing very dynamically. Considering the high quality of the nominated projects, the jury's decision making was not easy at all: in many categories the results were very close," commented Tomáš Drtina on the results of the 24th year of the competition.

When assessing projects nominated for the Best of Realty title, the key role is played by the urban and architectural solution of the project, its contribution to the locality, the quality of implementation and, of course, commercial success. In recent years, the aspect of sustainability and consideration of the project towards the environment and the people who live or work in it have been added to these criteria.

In the traditionally most strongly represented category of residential projects, 22 candidates received nominations this year: twelve in the category of smaller-scale housing projects (up to 55 housing units) and ten in the category of larger-scale residential projects (from 56 housing units). In the first of them, the judges built the Rezidence Čertův vršek project in Prague 8 as the highest. They appreciated the high level of use of technologies and materials that are friendly to nature, the architecture that respects the surrounding development and the modern design of the common parts of the apartment building. In the category of larger residential projects, the Molo Lipno Residence project in Lipno nad Vltavou won. The jury highlighted its exceptional architecture and quality workmanship. With well-thought-out details of the apartments and common areas of the complex, it meets the specific requirements of residents and visitors to the site. The residential area not only thanks to its layout, but also thanks to the 150-meter-long observation pier topped by a restaurant, becomes an impressive landmark of the city and creates a new center.

Among the administrative centers, the project of the regional headquarters of ČSOB – HHQ in Hradec Králové won. The jury appreciated the comprehensive solution both in terms of the building's economy and the quality of the interior environment. Thanks to him, the regional capital of Hradec Králové acquired a modern administrative center of the highest standard, which is an example worth following.

In the category of shopping centers, the jury awarded the first place to the OC Rokycanská project in Pilsen, for the overall reconstruction of the shopping center, which, thanks to the radical change of the facade, moved the project from an ordinary neighborhood shopping center to a building that aesthetically enhances the locality in which it is located.

In the category of hotels, the title was won by the reconstruction of the former Sugar Palace building into the Andaz Prague hotel in Prague 1. The project won thanks to the extremely sensitive reconstruction of a historic building located on Senovážné náměstí in the center of Prague. The character and scope of the reconstruction and subsequent generous modification of the space surrounding the palace made this project a clear winner in its category. The very positive evaluation of the hotel by clients is also proof of the high quality of the services provided.

In the category of industrial and warehouse premises, the Panattoni Park Kojetín project – Amazon's robotic distribution center – won the prize thanks to its sustainable brownfield construction using the most modern technologies and recycled materials. The jury also appreciated the fact that it is the first multi-storey building in the Czech Republic with a height of up to 22 meters, which has photovoltaic panels with a power of up to 4 MW installed on the roof.

The special jury prize went to the reconstruction of the South Bohemian Philharmonic in České Budějovice. The jury highlighted the architecturally, technically and acoustically exceptionally successful reconstruction of the concert hall in the building of the former St. Anne's Church. The reconstruction combines modern elements with a return to the shape of the original church.

This year, the Association for the Development of the Real Estate Market presented its "Award for Excellence" to Dr. Ing. arch. Petr Hlaváček, who in 2015-2016 was the director of the Institute of Planning and Development of the Capital City of Prague, and since 2018 the representative of the Capital City of Prague and 1st Deputy Mayor.

The winner of the Environmental Project of the Year award was the regional headquarters of ČSOB – HHQ in Hradec Králové, which also won in the Administrative Center category. The guarantor of this category was the Czech Green Building Council, according to which the new ČSOB building is an architecturally timeless project and at the same time one of the greenest buildings in the Czech Republic, as evidenced by the LEED Platinum - New Construction certification. The building uses a number of sustainable and energy-saving solutions: it is heated and cooled by heat pumps with 108 geothermal wells that are 200 meters deep, so there is no need for a boiler room or air conditioning. There is a lot of greenery in and around the building. There is also a roof garden, which also includes retention tanks for the use of rainwater. Facilities include a parking lot with special facilities for bikes and changing rooms, chargers for electric cars and electric bikes. The project is thus a very good example of a comprehensive approach to a sustainable building.

As part of the 24th annual "Best of Realty" competition, doc. was inducted into the Hall of Fame this year. Ing. architect Jakub Cigler.

The Readers' Award for 2022 belongs to the Maison Ořechovka project (2nd stage) in Prague 6, which competed in the category of larger residential projects.

With the announcement of the results of the competition, the next one, the 25th year in a row, was announced at the same time. During 2023, projects completed between January 1, 2022 and autumn 2023 can apply.

Complete overview of projects awarded in the 24th edition of the "Best of Realty" competition

Residential projects of smaller scale

1st place           Residence Čertův vršek, Prague 8; developer: Skanska Residential; architect /

interior architect: Architectural and project office CASUA / CASUA

2nd place           Residence Michelangelova Prague 10; Michelangelo Residence (JRD Development); Podlipný Sladký architects / Podlipný Sladký architects

3rd place           Kay River Lofts, Prague 8; Karlín Group, Horizon Holding, Ungelt Partners; Ivan Kroupa

Architects / Ivan Kroupa architects

Residential projects of a larger scale

1st place           Molo Lipno Residence, Lipno nad Vltavou; developer: REALACTIVA/INVESTIKA;

architect / interior designer: Chapman Taylors / Chapman Taylors

2nd place           Housing Brâník, Prague 4; Trigema Project Braník; QARTA Architecture / QARTA

Architecture

3rd place           Barrandez-vous, Prague 5; TOP ESTATES; Under-construction architects+Atelier Flera

/ Machar & Teichman

Administrative centers

1st place           ČSOB – HHQ, Hradec Králové; developer: Československá obchodní banka; architect

/ interior architect: Projectile architects / Projectile architects

2nd place           VIA UNA, Prague 1; S+B Plan & Bau Prague; MARANI ARCHITECTS / MARANI

ARCHITECTS

3rd place Bastion Florenc, Prague 8; ČSAD Prague holding; Ing. architect František Novotný and Ing.

arch. Jaroslav Suchan / DB by DN

Shopping centers

1st place          OC Rokycanská, Plzeň 4; developer: Shopping Mall Pilsen; architect / architect

interior: Ing. arch. Ivan Šach

2nd place Novo Plaza, Prague 4; Bluehouse Capital; Kyzlink Architects / Kyzlink Architects

3rd place Řepy, Prague 17; Trikaya Asset Management; Aukett / -

Hotels

1st place           Sugar Palace – Sugar Palace and its reconstruction into the Andaz Prague hotel,

Prague 1; developer: UBM Development Czechia; architect / interior designer: 1) Blue

Sky Hospitality – interior architect, ZEM restaurant, 2) Brime Robbins –

interior architect, rooms and common areas, 3) UBM Development Czechia

2nd place           Stages Hotel Prague, Prague 1; Bestsport; ADR – Aleš Lapka, Petr Kolář / Martin

Kuklík, Ann