Results
1st Place – Büro Milk, s.r.o.
The competition team consisting of:
Mgr. Art. Danica Pišteková, ArtD.
Ing. arch. Tomáš Tholt, PhD.
Martin Jenča
Martin Péchy
2nd Place – Ing. arch. Ivan Kanich
The competition team consisting of:
Ing. arch. Tomáš Danko
Ing. arch. Natália Marková
Ing. arch. Ivana Fabiánová
Ing. arch. Ivan Kanich
3rd Place – Ing. arch. Alexander Kupko
The competition team consisting of:
Ing. arch. Alexander Topilin
Ing. arch. Alexander Kupko
From the jury meeting minutes:
The implementation of the winning proposal is conditional upon the author adequately addressing key technical questions related to the design. Should the responses be insufficient, the jury recommends entering negotiations with the authors of the second-place proposal.
Proposals
Prikler atelier s.r.o. (SK)
Ing. arch. Martina Kováčová (SK)
Qisong Zhou (CH)
Patrik Kuťka (SK)
WTA ARCHITECTURE & DESIGN STUDIO (PH)
Július Bruna (SK)
Ing. arch. Ivan Kanich (SK)
Rebeka Jurčacková a Laura Nochtová (SK)
Adam Siekel (SK)
Matúš Peklanský (SK)
Ing. arch. Lenka Kabošová, PhD.: dérive (SK)
Branislav Anwarzai (SK)
STUDIO BRUT s.r.o. (SK)
Kristína Dzuričková (SK)
Alexander Kupko (SK)
Tomáš Moravanský (SK)
Ing. arch. Roman Haviar (SK)
Ing. arch. Gabriela Povrazníková (SK)
Abdelrahman Amr Othman Ibrahim (AT)
Koray Bayraktutan (TR)
Büro Milk, s.r.o. (SK)
Lucia Fabová (SK)
The aim of the competition is to define vision and strategy for the underpass and to transform the underground part of the underpass into a safe, pleasant, illuminated and accessible public space with elements of art and design. The intention, of course, is not to motivate people to spend their free time in the underpass, but to contribute to a change in the perception of the place.
Within the framework of the European Capital of Culture Trenčín 2026 project, the Creative Institute Trenčín announces an art-architectural competition. The aim of the competition is to show the potential of the underpass, to improve its overall impression for pedestrians, and at the same time to use this specific public space for the presentation of the activities of Trenčín 2026.
Design requirements
The general requirement for the design is the implementation of permanent artistic-architectural intervention in the interior of the underpass (in its underground part), which will attract attention, maintain or even improve the illumination of the underpass, enhancing the feeling of safety. At the same time, the design should refer to the Trenčín 2026 and its main motto – Awakening Curiosity.
The design of the new interior of the underpass includes the creation of new digital pannels for the presentation of city events and activities of the Trenčín 2026 programme. The artistic intervention can incorporate elements such as light, sound or space, while maintaining sufficient clear width to ensure that the movement of pedestrians, including parents with prams or people in wheelchairs, is not restricted.
Type of Competition
Project – design & build, anonymous, public, combined architectural-artistic, one phase competition. This procurement, or the contract award, is not a design competition (according to Section 119 et seq. of the Public Procurement Act and Decree of the Office for Public Procurement No. 157/2016 Coll.), but it is a contract award outside the Public Procurement Act announced according to the Competition Act of the Slovak Chamber of Architects.
Important Dates
|
20.02.2025 |
Expected date of competition announcement |
|
04.04.2025 until 3:00 PM 11.04.2025 until 3:00 PM |
Deadline for submitting competition proposals WE ARE EXTENDING THE DEADLINE |
|
14.05.2025 |
Expected date of announcement and publication of results |
|
19.05.2025 |
Expected date of publication of competition proposals |
|
27.05.2025 |
Expected date for awarding prizes and rewards |
Regular Jury Members
Independent of the Announcer
- Martin Piaček – Artist and university lecturer, Academy of Fine Arts and Design
- Jana Benková – Architect
- Samu Forsblom – Program Director, European Capital of Culture Oulu 2026
- Vivien Doumpa – Urbanist, Board Member Placemaking Europe
Dependent on the Announcer
- Omar Mirza – City Curator – Public Space Specialist, City of Trenčín
Alternates for Jury Members
Independent of the Announcer
- Filip Ovádek – Designer and Visual Artist, Fest Art Studio
Dependent on the Announcer
- Peter Kohout – Architect, City of Trenčín
Expert Advisor
- Vladimír Beskid –
Program Manager, European Capital of Culture Trenčín 2026
Prize Money for Awarded Proposals
3 000 € – 1. place
2 400 € – 2. place
1 800 € – 3. place
Competition brief for download
Contact form
Send your questions about the competition to hana.lassova@trencin2026.eu (questions and answers will be published below on an ongoing basis)
You asked us
1st question (March 7, 2025) - map
Question:
At the end of the competition brief, it is stated:
“The presentation will also include a city map highlighting information for visitors (e.g., event locations, info points, artistic interventions, and new infrastructure projects).”
Should this map be part of my proposal (and should I consider it as an additional element of my solution), or will it be displayed on the mentioned digital screens?
Answer:
The term “presentation” in the text refers to the presentation of activities and the program of the city or the European Capital of Culture, which will be displayed on the mentioned LED screens. This presentation is not part of the competition brief.
2nd question (March 8, 2025) - underpass dimensions
Question:
I am trying to determine the exact dimensions of the underpass. Could you please provide them?
Answer:
The specified dimensions can be found in the survey file Underpass.dwg located in the Competition Materials/2D section on the competition website.
If you are unable to work with this file type, here are the approximate overall dimensions of the underground section of the underpass:
- Width: 6.75m (wall to wall)
- Length: 44.40m (between the last steps of the staircases)
- Height: 2.65–2.7m (from the floor to the ceiling panel)
We have also added PDF drawings with annotated dimensions to the “Competition Materials” section for download.
3rd question (March 14, 2025) - foreign participants
Question:
Are there any specific requirements for foreign participants in the competition. Could there be any potential challenges regarding the implementation phase for non-local applicants?
Additionally, is it necessary to own a company to apply? The application form does not request a company name, registered office, or business registration number. Should we interpret this as an indication that applying as a company is required?
Answer:
First of all, it is not necessary to have a registered company to participate in the competition. You can apply as either a natural or legal person, depending on your situation.
Please check the “Affidavit of the participant” form on the competition website.
More details about the future implementation of the proposal between the winner and the competition organizer can be found in the “Call for entries”, specifically in Section 10: “Contract negotiation”.
Additionally, at the beginning of the Competition Terms, in Section 2.5, it is stated: “The building and other relevant permits will be handled by the promoter”
4th question (March 18, 2025) - glass-enclosed space
Question:
I noticed that on one side of the underpass, there is a glass-enclosed space running along its entire length. What is the current function of this space?
Does the city have any plans or intentions for how it could be used in the future as part of the Trenčín 2026 project or other activities?
Or was this glass section completely removed during the 2023 reconstruction, meaning that nothing is there now?
Answer:
The glass wall originally served as a partition for small businesses; however, it was completely removed during the 2023 reconstruction.
5th question (March 28, 2025) - dimension drawing does not match the screens
Question:
The dimension drawing does not match the screens. If you insist on the diagonal size as per the assignment, parts of the cladding will need to be cut. If you’re basing it on a specific screen, please send the parameters.
Answer:
The assignment does not define the specific position of the new LED screens, so it is up to the author to choose a suitable placement based on their design. Additionally, the “Technical Specification” section states the following:
“Stone cladding and paving must be preserved in the design, and in case of coverage, a reversible approach must be chosen that does not damage the original material.”
6th question (April 3, 2025) - can I attach a video?
Question:
Can I attach a video along with the poster? I think a video would help better explain my concept. Will the jury watch / evaluate such an audiovisual submission?
Answer:
You can include a video, but it will be up to the jury to decide to what extent it will be considered during the evaluation.
7th question (April 7, 2025) - the plan regarding the existing graffiti
Question:
What is the plan regarding the existing graffiti on the travertine cladding? Can I count on the city to remove and cover the cost of the removal?
Answer:
It is up to the participant to decide whether to include the existing graffiti in their design or not. If graffiti removal is part of the proposal, we recommend including this item in the submitted budget. The budget is indicative.