An Overall Vision for Ústí nad Labem - aussig.mysteria.czaussig.mysteria.cz/090901-brief...

International workshop in architecture and urban design.

Liberec, September 5 - 13, 2009 .

An Overall Vision for Ústí nad Labem

Brief book September 1-st

Ústí nad Labem Municipality

Technical University of Liberec

C

Contents

ObjectivesOrganizationTeam

CZECH REPUBLIC

THE CITY OF USTI NAD LABEMUsti regionUsti city

PROGRAMME

ANNEXES - photos

CONTACTS

Workshop schedule

TopicAreal schemesDistricts

ANNEXES - historic maps

metropolis ‘09 International workshop in architecture and urban design.

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Endorsed by:

Politecnico di Milano.Polo Regionale di LeccoFacolta di Ingegneria Edile-ArchitetturaDipartimento di Architettura e Pianificazione.

And

Technical University of Liberec Faculty of Art and ArchitectureDepartment of Architecture

Technical University of Liberec

Objectives

Metropolis is an open, international and multidisciplinary research network, aimed to the theme of design of a contemporary town.Operating as a virtual communication network, it occasionally becomes an actual meeting point of meditation and co-operation among institutional parties and private operators, the world of research, and those who somewhat affect or deal with the transformations of the contemporary settlement structure directly (design offices, authorities...).

Metropolis is a permanent forum promoted by a multidisciplinary group of teachers from Facolta di Ingegneria Edile-Architettura of the Polytechnic of Milan. In collaboration with European and international universities and research centers, with contribution of private supporters, it provides theoretical reflections and illustrative design experiments in order to give an answer to the deep transformations typical for the contemporary town, dealing with the latest process of globalization. Metropolis organizes congresses, exhibitions, seminars and public meetings about its research topics. The core of the Metropolis activity is organization of application-oriented Workshops.

On such occasion, usually for two weeks, scholars, researchers and teachers from all over the world discuss a specific design topic, working out an architectural/urban project aimed to promote and encourage the qualitative transformation of the area, as well as stimulating interventions and strategies from local authorities and international institutions. During the workshops there are various additional events (seminars, exhibitions, etc.) which enhance interest towards it, thus involving a wider public

Organization

The design workshop is organized in one multidisciplinary international atelier consisting of up to 25 participants, who will be confronting each other over a common design topic. Project team is supervised by project heads coming from important and qualified design studios in the world of architecture and engineering.

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At the end of the workshop, the objective is to produce an actual project in the architectural scale, with real purposes. Conceived as an encounter of young professionals, it is also intended as a centre of experimentation where different experiences and feelings achieve a consistent and shared synthesis of design, through debate and confrontation.

Metropolis aims to broaden its research network towards the new EU member states, which are undergoing deep processes of transformation at the moment and in the next few years..Metropolis is characterized by its operating mode through which it is able to detect the project area for the application-oriented workshop. This feature emphasizes Metropolis open nature and its interdisciplinary approach. In fact, the topic is not originated within the team but, depending on the progress of research, the staff defines a problematic area that can affect the reality of a contemporary town. The staff then identifies some privileged interlocutors (whether they are public, private, institutional and/or non-governmental), participating to create potential areas of intervention, thanks to their competence. The design topic therefore, is not an abstract exercise for experts and scholars to be subjected to, whereas it is a real opportunity aimed to promote tangible qualitative development scenarios of urban transformation within critical areas. Therefore, Metropolis plays the role of meeting point between research, universities, local authorities, higher institutions and private parties.

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Politecnico di Milano (Italy)Massimo Tadi, Danilo Palazzo

Technical University of Liberec (Czech Rep.)Jiří Suchomel

Universitat Autónoma de Barcelona (Spain)Matias Serracant

CoordinatorPetr Janoš

Angela ColucciFranck Nolesini

EntrantsMark Baquir Laura BoiŠimon BrabecRamon BusiMichaela DlouháAtul DwivediSara FerriIlaria GelmoGiuliana GuanettiJan HolubJan HoraYU JianghaoMichal KrejčíkJan LuksíkJiří NěmečekEwa PankowskaMarcello PariMiquel PybusEleonora RumiMarta SesanaEliška SlámováFrancesco Carlo TosoShahrooz VahabzadehJan VeisserAndrea Vergani

PhilippinesItalyCzech RepublicItalyCzech RepublicIndia ItalyItalyItalyCzech RepublicCzech RepublicVietnamCzech RepublicCzech RepublicCzech RepublicPolandItalySpainItalyItalyCzech RepublicItaly

Czech RepublicItaly

Iran

Transport and Reception

Upon request, Workshop participants will be welcome on 5-th September 2009 at the bus or railway station in Liberec and will be taken to their accomodation. From here they will be able to get to the Workshop working site easily. The opening party of the Workshop is set on 5-th September, 7pm in the architecture studio of TU Liberec. Please notify the Workshop coordinator for any specific need or any other issues related to the transport.

How to arrive to Liberec

to Prague: the easiest way is by plane, airport Ruzynewww.easyjet.comwww.wizzair.comwww.skyeurope.com

from Prague:By car - speedway Prague - Turnov No. R 10 Turnov - Liberec No. R 35

By bus - Bus No. 119 from the airport to Dejvická Metro station (25 min.)Metro line A from Dejvická to Mustek (15 min.)Metro line B from Mustek to Cerný most (25 min.)Bus from Cerný most to Liberec (operates until 9:30 pm, 70 min.)

By train - Bus No. 119 from the airport to Dejvická Metro station (25 min.)Metro line A from Dejvická to Muzeum (15 min.)Metro line C from Muzeum to Hlavní Nádraží - Main train station (5 min.)train from Hlavní Nádraží to Liberec, changing trains in Turnov (in total 2,5 hours)

transport information available at - www.idos.cz


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Accomodation

During the Workshop time, participants will stay at the student dorms of TU Liberec. Accomodation is just 15 minutes walking from the Workshop working site - architecture studio. Accomodation has units of 2 or 3 rooms, each unit has a bathroom and a small kitchen. Rooms can be double or single (2 - 6 people/unit).

Cost of accomodation:

240 CZK / night - bed in double room (9 Euros)

320 CZK / night - bed in single room (12 Euros)

Meals

There is possibility to order meals for each day - meals are served in a student’s mensa at the dorms. Meals can be ordered on site. In the area there are also student pubs and clubs where you can eat.

Price for full-meal / day (breakfast, lunch, dinner) - 160 CZK (6 Euros)

Otherwise 10 Euros/day is enough to have lunch in a restaurant and buy some food for the rest of the day in a supermarket.

1 Euro = 26 CZK (Czech Koruna)

Workshop site and Equipment

The Workshop will take place in the architecture studio of TU Liberec. The participants will be able to use the reserved working space in the studio and the adjoining computer lab counting around 30 PC workstations, printers, plotters, scanners and also a 3-D plotter. They are encouraged to use their personal laptops, wireless LAN connection available anywhere in the studio. Acces to the studio is possible only with electronic cards which will be provided.


Workshop working site - Architecture studio of TU Liberec

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Accomodation - Student dorms of TU Liberec - plan of unit


Workshop schedule - September 5 - 13

Sat Sept 5 6:30 p.m. bus picking up international participants at Prague airport (also Czech participants can join) 8:20 p.m. arrival to Liberec - Harcov, accomodation9:00 p.m. official Workshop opening in the school studio

Sun Sept 6 9:00 a.m. departure of the bus from Liberec Harcov - for all participants - to Ústí 10:40 a.m. arrival to Ústí, meeting with arch. Jehlík at Vetruše hill, introduction to the workshop topic11:30 a.m. 2 p.m. excursion of the workshop area2 p.m. 4 p.m. lunch, free time - sightseeing4 p.m. departure from Ústí to Liberec5:40 p.m. arrival to school studio, brainstorming, definition of the teams and tasks for each participant Mon Sept 79:00 a.m. 1:00 p.m. Project work - consultations with transportation Specialist Jirí Kalcík from CTU Prague and demographer Jaroslav Koutský (Ústí University)1:00 p.m. 2:30 p.m. Break 2:30 p.m. 7:00 p.m. Project work / brainstorming /stage ANALYSIS

Tue Sept 89:00 a.m. 1:00 p.m. Project work - ANALYSIS / brainstorming1:00 p.m. 2:30 p.m. Break 2:30 p.m. 7:00 p.m. Project work - stage DEVELOPMENT STRATEGYWed Sept 99:00 a.m. 1:00 p.m. Project work - DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY1:00 p.m. 2:30 p.m. Break 2:30 p.m. 8:00 p.m. Project work / brainstorming / stage MASTERPLAN

Thu Sept 10 9:00 a.m. 1:00 p.m. Project work - MASTERPLAN / brainstorm1:00 p.m. 2:30 p.m. Break 2:30 p.m. 9:00 p.m. Project work - stage DISTRICT PROJECTS

DISTRICT PROJECTSFri Sept 11 9:00 a.m. 1:00 p.m. Project work - 1:00 p.m. 2:30 p.m. Break 2:30 p.m. 9:00 p.m. Project work / stage PRESENTATION

Sat Sept 12 9:00 a.m. 11:00 a.m. final presentation of the outcomes 1:00 p.m. Departure from Liberec Harcov by bus to Prague (airport)

Sunday - sightseeing of Praguetrip to Dresden and Berlin recommended

Participants will work divided into 5 teams elaborating following issues:

1 Transportation/Infrastructure.2 Economy/social/education.3 Energy4 Environment5 Urban development

+ Modelling team+ Presentation team

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n architecture and urban design.metropolis ‘09 International workshop i

Preface.

Today all European cities are strongly influenced by globalisation. On an economic level this has lead to intense competition between cities. Everybody tries to attract the same tourists, big companies and specialised employees. Most cities are trying to achieve a high rank in the global urban hierarchy. And to compete you need to differentiate yourself from the others. Identity has become an important means of competition. In a cultural perspective, global influences have a double effect. Simultaneously threatening and reinforcing local identities. Planners are using different strategies to cope with this challenge. Many restructuring and regeneration projects in urban areas attempt to interpret local preconditions and make way for new identities to grow. Meanwhile, other local characteristics may more or less consciously be swept under the carpet. Identities cannot be understood without a notion on how they always disappear, hide, return and force each other back and forth. Cities all over the world are facing great challenges attempting to meet the dynamic and contradictory trends of today. By 2010 more than half the Earth's population is expected to be living in towns and cities, and the importance of urban communities for quality of life, the environment and economic growth will increase. As a consequence of globalisation, there is growing competition between cities and urban regions for new investments, both public and private. So we can see new urban landscapes and processes coming into being.

What image to propose for the next town?People are increasingly demanding a sense of place and belonging, historic continuity, safety and predictability. Structural changes are greatly affecting both the social and the physical environment of the city. In the same time, everything that is built today consumes finite resources such as energy and land. The built environment influences how people live, move about, work, and interact with each other. Planners, engineers, and architects thus face the question of how to build in such a way to consume the least possible resources while improving the quality of life of people today and tomorrow. Or to put it differently: How can we design and build projects that best support sustainability?

We consider compact urban structure (linked with complexity and diversity) could offer for the future better conditions for sustainable urban development and a more exciting space for human relationships and a good living environment for its inhabitants, than the dissipative diffuse sprawl model. But what does it mean to design a contemporary urban structure as a compact built up area? Which component could be the aggregative element for the urban structure? New nodes of condensation of the urban structure, the need of sustainable development in terms of renewable resources and the need to preserve the environment would be very important to understand new strategies for urban design.

The workshop focuses on these iusses and intends to understand new infrastructure role in the new urban structure - in European context, urban sprawl is stretching daily commutes - in order to focus on the design challenge represented by the relation between transport infrastructures and the contemporary town.The city Ústí nad Labem is an interesting study case, especially the development of a central sector which offers important opportunities with a lot of open questions. It is therefore not a question of occupying unbuilt land but on the contrary to develop an urban sector that is partially built but with important role as open designed space linked with mobility infrastructures.

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n architecture and urban design.metropolis ‘09 International workshop i

Workshop topic

The topic for 2009 will be urban and architectural design project for the city Ústí nad Labem (Czech Republic - 90 km northwest of Prague). Ústí nad Labem has approx. 100 000 inhabitants and lies on the main route Prague - Dresden. Important international highway, railway as well as waterway (river Labe - Elbe) pass through the city.

Particularly, attention will be focused on the design challenge represented by the situation of the western part of the city which is considered a periphery due to critical areas which appear here (shunting freight station Ústí nad Labem - West, river Bílina, brownfield Predlice and the reclamation area with the lake Milada).

The workshop will provide a proposal, which will illustrate and reveal the inherent qualities and the development potentials of the site. The project should stimulate and engage the process of transformation of the urban area linked with the shunting freight station Usti nad Labem - West and its neighbourhoods, as well as promote new investments opportunity for the city of Ústí nad Labem.

The projects should take a dynamic stand on the existing situation and actual development in order to propose strategies to improve the urban qualities bringing together transformation and protection of cultural identities and urban heritage. The project should make illustrative proposals on the status, the type and the quality of public spaces.

The site is well connected to local, national and international transportation network, so the project could be a vision of the new Ústí nad Labem gateway . The workshop topic is a question of redesigning an important part of this city and to propose an urban image and a new life style for Ústí for the next future. All together these elements speak of enormous potential of this area, the transformation of which will engage the urban future of the greater area of the city.

The stakes are considerable: - to conceive a contemporary urban living and working environment.- to reveal and to exploit the natural, cultural and urban characteristic of the site.- to represent and formalize quality public spaces for contemporary lifestyle.- to propose solutions and strategies for the role of the mobility infrastructure both present and to come.

The aim of the workshop is the emergence of a convincing proposal, which in the form of a urban and architectural project, is capable to highlight potentials, choices and hierarchies of a long term planning for the site in particular and the city of Ústí in general.

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CZECH REPUBLIC

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CZECH REPUBLIC - GEOGRAPHY

The Czech Republic is located approximately in the middle of the European Continent. Its neighboring states are Germany (to the west), Poland (to the north), Slovakia (to the east, which together with the Czech Republic constituted Czechoslovakia until 1992) and Austria (to the south). Czech Republic consists of three parts - Bohemia (biggest city Prague), Moravia to the east (halfsize of Bohemia, biggest city Brno) and Silesia to the northeast (biggest city Ostrava).

The Czech landscape is quite varied. Waters and mountains are the dominant elements that constitute the uniqueness and variety of the Czech Republic's terrain. Mountain ranges surround the country on almost all sides and have served as a natural border in the past. Some of Europe's largest rivers, e. g. the Elbe (Labe), have their origins in the Czech Republic. Bohemia to the west consists of a basin, drained by the Elbe (Czech: Labe - 370 km) and Vltava (433 km) rivers, surrounded by mostly low mountains such as Šumava or Krkonoše, where one also finds the highest point in the country, the Sněžka at 1,602 metres (5,256 ft). The area of the Krkonoše Mountains is one of the most sought-after regions for winter sports in the Czech Republic as a result of its snow conditions and steep slopes. Eastwards Bohemia is then separated from Moravia by the lower Czech-Moravian highlands. Moravia, the eastern part, is also quite hilly and is drained predominantly by the Morava river (246 km), but also contains the source of the Oder (Czech: Odra - 135 km) river. Water from the landlocked Czech Republic flows to three different seas: the North Sea, Baltic Sea and Black Sea.

Water reservoirs are of great importance for the purposes of water management in the Czech Republic. The most important of these are artificial lakes, which were mostly built in enclosed river valleys. There are 150 artificial lakes in the Czech Republic. The job of these artificial lakes is to influence the flow of Czech rivers – as support in times of drought and as protection against floods. They are currently used for energy and recreational purposes, and some are drinking water reservoirs. There is of course a higher number (approximately 21,000) of fishponds, which form an inherent part of the Czech countryside. One of the reasons for the establishment of these was the lack of natural lakes.If we speak of the Czech Republic's waters, we must not forget to mention the mineral springs and spas. There is such a large number of these in the Czech lands that the standard definition of a mineral spring is much stricter here than in other European countries. Here we can find springs with various mineral ingredients, acidulous spring water containing carbon dioxide, hot and even radioactive springs. It is above all the West Bohemian spas that for centuries have been a hot spot for visitors from all over Europe and further afield.

WEATHER AND CLIMATE

The Czech Republic has a temperate continental climate, with relatively hot summers and cold, cloudy and snowy winters. Most rain falls during the summer. The temperature difference between summer and winter is relatively high, due to the landlocked geographical position.

Czech Republic - general info (CIA World factbook 2009)

Country name:conventional form: Czech Republiclocal long form: Česká republikalocal short form: Česko

Location:Central Europe, between Germany, Poland, Slovakia, and Austria

Capital:Prague (1 237 893 inh., 1 964 750 with metropolitan area )

Area:total: 78,867 sq kmwater: 1,620 sq km

Land boundaries:total: 1,989 kmborder countries: Austria 362 km, Germany 815 km, Poland 615 km, Slovakia 197 km

Climate:temperate; cool summers; cold, cloudy, humid winters

Terrain:Bohemia in the west consists of rolling plains, hills, and plateaus surrounded by low mountains; Moravia in the east consists of very hilly country

Elevation extremes:lowest point: Elbe River 115 mhighest point: Snezka 1,602 m

Natural resources:hard coal, soft coal, kaolin, clay, graphite, timber

Land use:arable land: 38.82%permanent crops: 3%other: 58.18% (2005)

Natural hazards:Flooding

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Within the Czech Republic, temperatures vary greatly, depending on the elevation. In general, at higher altitudes, the temperatures decrease and precipitation increases. Another important factor is the distribution of the mountains; therefore, the climate is quite varied.

At the highest peak of Sněžka (1,602 m/5,260 ft), the average temperature is only - 0.4 °C (31 °F), whereas in the lowlands of the South Moravian Region, the average temperature is as high as 10 °C (50 °F). The country's capital, Prague, has a similar average temperature, although this is influenced by urban factors.

The coldest month is usually January, followed by February and December. During these months, there is usually snow in the mountains and sometimes in the major cities and lowlands. During March, April and May, the temperature usually increases rapidly, especially during April, when the temperature and weather tends to vary widely during the day. Spring is also characterized by high water levels in the rivers, due to melting snow with occasional flooding.The warmest month of the year is July, followed by August and June. On average, summer temperatures are about 20 degrees higher than during winter. Especially in the last decade,[citation needed] temperatures above 30 °C (86 °F) are not unusual. Summer is also characterized by rain and storms.Autumn generally begins in September, which is still relatively warm and dry. During October, temperatures usually fall below 15° or 10°C (59° or 50°F) and deciduous trees begin to shed their leaves. By the end of November, temperatures usually range around the freezing point.

DEMOGRAPHICS

The majority of the 10.3 million inhabitants of the Czech Republic are ethnically and linguistically Czech (94 %). Other ethnic groups include Slovaks, Ukrainians, Russians, Germans, Roma, Vietnamese and Poles. Laws establishing religious freedom were passed shortly after the revolution of 1989, lifting oppressive regulations enacted by the former communist regime. Major denominations and their estimated percentage populations are Roman Catholic (27%) and Protestant (3%). A large percentage of the Czech population claim to be atheist (43%) or describe themselves as uncertain (16%). The Jewish community numbers a few thousand today; a synagogue in Prague memorializes the names of more than 80,000 Czechoslovak Jews who perished in World War II.The fertility rate is very low - just 1.3 children per woman. Immigration increased the population by almost 1% in 2007. Most of immigrants are Ukrainian, Slovak and Vietnamese. Vietnamese immigrants began settling in the Czech Republic during the Communist period, when they were invited as guest workers by the Czechoslovak government. Today, there are an estimated 120,000 Vietnamese in the Czech Republic.

At the turn of the 20th century, Chicago was the city with the third largest Czech population (around 250 000) , after Prague (400 000) and Vienna (300 000). According to the 2006 US census, there are 1,637,218 Americans of full or partial Czech descent.

Environment - current issues:air and water pollution in areas of northwest Bohemia and in northern Moravia around Ostrava present health risks; acid rain damaging forests; efforts to bring industry up to EU code should improve domestic pollution

Geography - note:landlocked; strategically located astride some of oldest and most significant land routes in Europe; Moravian Gate is a traditional military corridor between the North European Plain and the Danube in central Europe

Population:10,211,904 (July 2009 est.)country comparison to the world: 81

Age structure:0-14 years: 13.6% (male 712,045/female 673,657)15-64 years: 71% (male 3,641,887/female 3,604,044)65 years and over: 15.5% (male 623,882/female 956,389)

Median age:total: 40.1 yearsmale: 38.6 yearsfemale: 41.9 years (2009 est.)

Population growth rate:-0.094% (2009 est.)

Birth rate:8.83 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Death rate:10.74 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)

Net migration rate:0.97 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Urbanization:urban population: 73% of total population (2008)rate of urbanization: 0% annual rate of change (2005-10)

Infant mortality rate:Total: 3.79 deaths/1,000 live births

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HISTORY

Following the First World War, the closely related Czechs and Slovaks of the former Austro-Hungarian Empire merged to form Czechoslovakia. During the interwar years, the new country's leaders were frequently preoccupied with meeting the demands of other ethnic minorities within the republic, most notably the Sudeten Germans and the Ruthenians (Ukrainians). After World War II, a truncated Czechoslovakia fell within the Soviet sphere of influence. In 1968, an invasion by Warsaw Pact troops ended the efforts of the country's leaders to liberalize Communist party rule and create "socialism with a human face." Anti-Soviet demonstrations the following year ushered in a period of harsh repression. With the collapse of Soviet authority in 1989, Czechoslovakia regained its freedom through a peaceful "Velvet Revolution." On 1 January 1993, the country underwent a "velvet divorce" into its two national components, the Czech Republic and Slovakia. The Czech Republic joined NATO in 1999 and the European Union in 2004.

The Bohemian or Czech state emerged in the late 9-th century, when it was unified by the Přemyslid dynasty. The kingdom of Bohemia with capital Prague was a significant regional power during the Middle Ages. It was part of the Holy Roman Empire during the entire existence of that confederation. The 13-th century was a period of large-scale German immigration. The Germans populated towns and mining districts on the Bohemian periphery and, in some cases, formed German colonies in the interior of the Czech lands. The 14-th century, particularly the reign of Charles IV (1342–1378), is considered the Golden Age of Czech history. Of particular significance was the founding of Charles University in Prague in 1348 - Prague also grew into one of the largest cities in Europe. The Black Death, which had raged in Europe from 1347 to 1352, decimated the Kingdom of Bohemia in 1380.In the 15-th century the religious and social reformer Jan Hus formed a movement, later named after him. Although Hus was named a heretic and burnt in Constanz in 1415, his followers seceded from the Catholic Church and in the Hussite Wars (1419–1434) defeated five crusades organized against them by the Holy Roman Emperor Sigismund. Petr Chelčickż continued with Czech Hussite Reformation movement. During the next two centuries, 90% of the inhabitants converted to the Hussite form of Protestantism. After 1526 Bohemia came increasingly under Habsburg control as the Habsburgs became first the elected and then the hereditary rulers of Bohemia. The Czechs lost their national independence to the Habsburgs Empire in 1620 at the Battle of White Mountain and for the next 300 years were ruled by the Austrian Monarchy. The Habsburgs banned all religions other than Catholicism. The people were given the choice either to convert to Catholicism or leave the country. Czechs call the following period, from 1620 to the late 18th century, the "Dark Age". The population of the Czech lands declined by a third due to war, disease, famine and the expulsion of the Protestant Czechs.

Creation of Czechoslovakia, 1918With the collapse of the Austro-hungarian monarchy at the end of World War I, the independent country of Czechoslovakia was formed. Despite cultural differences, the Slovaks shared with the Czechs similar

Sex ratio:at birth: 1.06 male(s)/femaleunder 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female65 years and over: 0.65 male(s)/femaletotal population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:total population: 76.81 yearsmale: 73.54 yearsfemale: 80.28 years (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate:1.24 children born/woman (2009 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:1,500 (2007 est.)

Nationality:noun: Czech(s)adjective: Czech

Ethnic groups:Czech 90.4%, Moravian 3.7%, Slovak 1.9%, other 4% (2001 census)

Religions:Roman Catholic 26.8%, Protestant 2.1%, other 3.3%, unspecified 8.8%, unaffiliated 59% (2001 census)

Languages:Czech 94.9%, Slovak 2%, other 2.3%, unidentified 0.8%

Literacy:total population: 99%

Suffrage:18 years of age; universal

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aspirations for independence from the Habsburg state and voluntarily united with the Czechs. For historical reasons, Slovaks were not at the same level of economic and technological development as the Czechs, but the freedom and opportunity found in Czechoslovakia enabled them to make strides toward overcoming these inequalities. However, the gap never was fully bridged, and the discrepancy played a continuing role throughout the 75 years of the union.

Although Czechoslovakia was the only east European country to remain a parliamentary democracy from 1918 to 1938, it was plagued with minority problems, the most important of which concerned the country's large German population. Constituting more than 22% of the interwar state's population and largely concentrated in the Bohemian and Moravian border regions (the Sudetenland with its capital Reichenberg / Liberec), members of this minority, including some who were sympathetic to Nazi Germany, undermined the new Czechoslovak state. Internal and external pressures culminated in September 1938, when France and the United Kingdom yielded to Nazi pressures at Munich and agreed to force Czechoslovakia to cede the Sudetenland to Germany.

World War IIFulfilling Hitler's aggressive designs on all of Czechoslovakia, Germany invaded what remained of Bohemia and Moravia in March 1939, establishing a German "protectorate." By this time, Slovakia had already declared independence and had become a puppet state of the Germans. Hitler's occupation of the Czech lands was a clear betrayal of the Munich Pact and still stirs passions in modern-day Czech society, but at the time it was met by muted resistance; the brunt of Nazi aggression was felt by Czech Jews and other minorities who were rounded up and deported to concentration camps in systematic waves. Approximately 390,000 Czechoslovak citizens, including 83,000 Jews, were killed or executed, while hundreds of thousands of others were sent to prisons and concentration camps or used as forced labour.

At the close of World War II, Soviet troops overran all of Slovakia, Moravia, and much of Bohemia, including Prague. In May 1945, U.S. forces liberated the city of Plzen and most of western Bohemia. A civilian uprising against the German garrison took place in Prague in May 1945. Following Germany's surrender, some 2.9 million ethnic Germans were expelled from Czechoslovakia with Allied approval under the president Benes Decrees.

Reunited after the war, the Czechs and Slovaks set national elections for the spring of 1946. The democratic elements, led by President Eduard Benes, hoped the Soviet Union would allow Czechoslovakia the freedom to choose its own form of government and aspired to a Czechoslovakia that would act as a bridge between East and West. The Czechoslovak Communist Party, which won 38% of the vote, held most of the key positions in the government and gradually managed to neutralize or silence the anti-communist forces. Although the communist-led government initially intended to participate in the Marshall Plan, it was forced by Moscow to back out. Under the cover of superficial legality, the Communist Party seized power in February 1948.

Government type:parliamentary democracy

National holiday:Czech Founding Day, 28 October (1918)Independence:1 January 1993 (Czechoslovakia split into the Czech Republic and Slovakia)

Constitution:ratified 16 December 1992, effective 1 January 1993; amended 1997, 2000, 2001 (twice), 2002

Legal system:civil law system based on Austro-Hungarian codes; legal code modified to bring it in line with Organization on Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) obligations and to expunge Marxist-Leninist legal theory

Executive branch:chief of state: President Vaclav KLAUS (since 7 March 2003)head of government: Prime Minister Jan FISCHER

Legislative branch:bicameral Parliament or Parlament consists of the Senate or Senat (81 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve six-year terms; one-third elected every two years) and the Chamber of Deputies or Poslanecka Snemovna (200 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)

Judicial branch:Supreme Court; Constitutional Court; chairman and deputy chairmen are appointed by the president for a 10-year term

Administrative divisions:13 regions (kraje, singular - kraj) and 1 capital city* (hlavni mesto); Jihocesky (South Bohemia), Jihomoravsky (South Moravia), Karlovarsky, Kralovehradecky, Liberecky, Moravskoslezsky (Moravia-Silesia), Olomoucky, Pardubicky, Plzensky (Pilsen), Praha (Prague)*, Stredocesky (Central Bohemia), Ustecky, Vysocina, Zlinsky

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For the next 41 years, Czechoslovakia was a Communist state within the Eastern Bloc. This period was marked by a variety of social developments. The Communist government completely nationalized the means of production and established a command economy. The economy grew rapidly during the 1950s and 1960s, but slowed down in the 1970s, with increasing problems during the 1980s. The political climate was highly repressive during the 1950s, including numerous show trials, but became more open and tolerant in the 1960s, culminating in Alexander Dubček's leadership in the 1968 Prague Spring, which tried to create "socialism with a human face" and set guidelines for a modern, humanistic socialist democracy that would guarantee, among other things, freedom of religion, press, assembly, speech, and travel.

Soviet Invasion 1968This was forcibly ended by the 21 August 1968 Warsaw Pact invasion. On the night of August 20, 1968, Soviet, Hungarian, Bulgarian, East German, and Polish troops invaded and occupied Czechoslovakia. The Czechoslovak Government immediately declared that the troops had not been invited into the country and that their invasion was a violation of socialist principles, international law, and the UN Charter.The invasion was followed by a harsh program of "Normalization" in the late 1960s and the 1970s. Until 1989, the political establishment relied on censorship of the opposition, though using more "carrot" than "whip" to secure the populace's passivity. Dissidents published Charter 77 in 1977 and the first of a new wave of protests were seen in 1988. Between 1948 and 1989 more than 250,000 Czechs and Slovaks were sent to prison for "anti-state activities", and over 400,000 emigrated.

The Velvet Revolution, 1989In November 1989, Czechoslovakia returned to a liberal democracy through the peaceful "Velvet Revolution". On November 17, 1989, the communist police violently broke up a peaceful pro-democracy demonstration and brutally beat many student participants. In the days that followed, Charter 77 and other groups united to become the Civic Forum, an umbrella group championing bureaucratic reform and civil liberties. Its leader was the dissident playwright Vaclav Havel.Faced with an overwhelming popular repudiation, the Communist Party all but collapsed. Its leaders, Husak and party chief Milos Jakes, resigned in December 1989, and Havel was elected President of Czechoslovakia on December 29. A coalition government, in which the Communist Party had a minority of ministerial positions, was formed in December 1989. The first free elections in Czechoslovakia since 1946 took place in June 1990 without incident and with more than 95% of the population voting. As anticipated, Civic Forum won and gained a comfortable majority in the federal parliament. The parliament undertook substantial steps toward securing the democratic evolution of Czechoslovakia. It successfully moved toward fair local elections in November 1990, ensuring fundamental change at the county and town level.

Czechoslovakia split, 1993By 1992, Slovak calls for greater autonomy effectively blocked the daily functioning of the federal government. On January 1, 1993, the country peacefully split into the independent Czech Republic and

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GDP (purchasing power parity):$266.3 billion (2008 est.)$257.3 billion (2007)$242.7 billion (2006)

GDP (official exchange rate):$217.2 billion (2008 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:3.9% (2008 est.)6% (2007 est.)6.8% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):$26,100 (2008 est.)$25,200 (2007 est.)$23,700 (2006 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:agriculture: 2.6%industry: 38.7%services: 58.7% (2008 est.)

Labor force:5.37 million (2008 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:agriculture: 3.6%industry: 40.2%services: 56.2% (2007)

Unemployment rate:6% (2008)6.6% (2007 est.)

Population below poverty line:NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:lowest 10%: 4.3%highest 10%: 22.4% (1996)

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Investment (gross fixed):27.8% of GDP (2008 est.)

Budget:revenues: $94.96 billionexpenditures: $99.46 billion (2008 est.)

Public debt:29.4% of GDP (2008 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):3.6% (2008)2.9% (2007 est.)

Stock of money:$86.55 billion (31 December 2008)$84.43 billion (31 December 2007)

Agriculture - products:wheat, potatoes, sugar beets, hops, fruit; pigs, poultry

Industries:motor vehicles, metallurgy, machinery and equipment, glass, armaments

Industrial production growth rate:7% (2008 est.)

Electricity - production:82.88 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Electricity - consumption:61.52 billion kWh (2006 est.)

Electricity - exports:26.36 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Electricity - imports:10.2 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Oil - production:13,530 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Oil - consumption:207,400 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Slovakia. Both states attained immediate recognition from the U.S. and their European neighbors. Both countries went through economic reforms and privatizations, with the intention of creating a capitalist economy.

From 1991, the Czech Republic, originally as part of Czechoslovakia and now in its own right, has been a member of the Visegrád Group and from 1995, the OECD. The Czech Republic joined NATO on 12 March 1999 and the European Union on 1 May 2004 and held the Presidency of the Council of the European Union from January 1 to June 30, 2009.

Of the former communist countries in Central and Eastern Europe, the Czech Republic has one of the most developed and industrialized economies. Its strong industrial tradition dates to the 19th century, when Bohemia and Moravia were the industrial heartland of the Austro-Hungarian Empire.At the time of the 1948 communist takeover, Czechoslovakia had a balanced economy and one of the higher levels of industrialization on the continent. In 1948, however, the government began to stress heavy industry over agricultural and consumer goods and services. Many basic industries and foreign trade, as well as domestic wholesale trade, had been nationalized before the communists took power. Nationalization of most of the retail trade was completed in 1950-51.

In the early 1990s most state-owned industries were privatized through a voucher privatization system. Every citizen was given the opportunity to buy, for a moderate price, a book of vouchers that he or she could exchange for shares in state-owned companies. State ownership of businesses was estimated to be about 97% under communism. The non-private sector is less than 20% today. The most important change, since 1989, has been the return of the right to own property and shift of exports from former communist economic bloc markets to Western Europe.

ECONOMY

The Czech Republic is one of the most stable and prosperous of the post-Communist states of Central and Eastern Europe. Maintaining an open investment climate has been a key element of the Czech Republic's transition from a communist, centrally planned economy to a functioning market economy. As a member of the European Union, with an advantageous location in the center of Europe, a relatively low cost structure, and a well-qualified labor force, the Czech Republic is an attractive destination for foreign investment. Prior to its EU accession in 2004, the Czech government harmonized its laws and regulations with those of the European Union. The government plans to meet the criteria for joining the euro area around 2012. The small, open, export-driven Czech economy grew by over 6% annually from 2005-2007 and the strong growth continued throughout the first three quarters of 2008. Despite the global financial crisis, the conservative Czech financial system has remained relatively healthy. The rate of Czech economic growth, however, began to fall in the fourth quarter of 2008, mainly due to a significant drop in demand for Czech exports in Western Europe. This trend is expected to continue, with many analysts predicting the Czech economy to contract slightly in 2009.


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Oil - exports:27,360 bbl/day (2005)

Oil - imports:224,600 bbl/day (2005)

Natural gas - production:172 million cu m (2007 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:8.622 billion cu m (2007 est.)

Natural gas - exports:402 million cu m (2007 est.)

Natural gas - imports:8.628 billion cu m (2007 est.)

Exports:$145.8 billion f.o.b. (2008 est.)

Exports - commodities:machinery and transport equipment 52%, raw materials and fuel 9%, chemicals 5% (2003)

Exports - partners:Germany 30.7%, Slovakia 8.7%, Poland 5.9%, France 5.4%, UK 5.1%, Italy 4.9%, Austria 4.6% (2007)

Imports:$141.4 billion f.o.b. (2008 est.)

Imports - commodities:machinery and transport equipment 46%, raw materials and fuels 15%, chemicals 10% (2003)

Imports - partners:Germany 31.8%, Netherlands 6.7%, Slovakia 6.4%, Poland 6.3%, Austria 5.1%, China 5.1%, Russia 4.5%, Italy 4.4%, France 4.1% (2007)

Exchange rates:koruny (CZK) per US dollar - 17.064 (2008), 20.53 (2007), 22.596 (2006), 23.957 (2005), 25.7 (2004)

The principal industries are motor vehicles, machine-building, iron and steel production, metalworking, chemicals, electronics, transportation equipment, textiles, glass, brewing, china, ceramics, and pharmaceuticals. The main agricultural products are sugar beets, fodder roots, potatoes, wheat, and hops.

As a small, open economy in the heart of Europe, economic growth is strongly influenced by demand for Czech exports and flows of foreign direct investment. The Czech Republic has a well-educated population and a well-developed infrastructure. The country's strategic location in Europe, low-cost structure, and skilled work force have attracted strong inflows of foreign direct investment (FDI). This investment is rapidly modernizing its industrial base and increasing productivity.

The Czech Republic is gradually reducing its dependence on highly polluting low-grade brown coal as a source of energy, in part because of European Union (EU) environmental requirements. In 2007, according to the Czech Statistical Office, 67.3% of electricity was produced in coal-driven steam, combined, and combustion power plants; 29.7% in nuclear plants; and slightly over 3% from renewable sources, including hydropower. Russia (via pipelines through Ukraine) and, to a lesser extent, Norway (via pipelines through Germany) supply the Czech Republic with natural gas.

Unemployment declined to 5.0% in May 2008, but increased to 8% by the end of June 2009, according to the International Labor Organization’s methodology (6.1% when measured using Eurostat’s methodology). Rates of unemployment are higher in the coal and steel producing regions of Northern Moravia and Northern Bohemia, and among less-skilled and older workers.

The economy grew 3.2% in 2008 after growing 6.0% in 2007, 6.8% in 2006, and 6.3% in 2005. Although the Czech financial system has remained relatively healthy--the Czech Republic is one of only four Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) countries not to have had to recapitalize its banks - the small, open, export-oriented Czech economy has been struggling with a significant drop in external demand for Czech exports starting in the fourth quarter of 2008. As a result, industrial output fell 21% in the first quarter of 2009 and real GDP fell 3.4%, as compared to the first quarter of 2008. According to the IMF, the Czech economy is expected to contract by 3.5% for all of 2009. The Czech Government had brought its budget deficit well within the 3% Maastricht criteria for euro adoption, reaching 0.6% of GDP in 2007 and 1.4% in 2008. Due to the current economic slowdown, however, and the resulting significant drop in tax revenues, the budget deficit is now expected to exceed 4% of GDP in both 2009 and 2010. The Czech Government has yet to set a target date for euro adoption. The earliest the Czechs could begin using the euro is 2013.

The Czech koruna (crown) became fully convertible for most business purposes in late 1995. Recently, strong capital inflows have resulted in a steady increase in the value of the crown against the euro and the dollar. The strong crown has helped to keep inflation low. In 2004, inflation was about 2.8%, mainly due to increases in value added tax rates and higher fuel costs, and dropped to 1.9% in 2005. It hovered around 2.5% in 2006. The Ministry of Finance reported an inflation rate of 2.8% for 2007. Inflation


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Transportation:

Airports:122 (2008)

Airports - with paved runways:total: 45over 3,047 m: 22,438 to 3,047 m: 101,524 to 2,437 m: 13914 to 1,523 m: 2under 914 m: 18 (2008)

Airports - with unpaved runways:total: 771,524 to 2,437 m: 1914 to 1,523 m: 26under 914 m: 50 (2008)

Pipelines:gas 7,010 km; oil 547 km; refined products 94 km (2008)

Railways:total: 9,620 kmstandard gauge: 9,521 km 1.435-m gauge (3,013 km electrified)narrow gauge: 99 km 0.750-m gauge (2008)

Roadways:total: 128,512 kmpaved: 128,512 km (includes 657 km of expressways) (2007)

Waterways:664 km (principally on Elbe, Vltava, Oder, and other navigable rivers, lakes, and canals) (2008)

Ports and terminals:Decin, Prague, Usti nad Labem

increased to an average of 6.3% for all of 2008, due to one-off tax changes and an increase in energy and food prices, but had fallen to 1.8% by the end of the first quarter of 2009 and continued to trend downward.

The Czech Republic's economic transformation is not yet complete. The government still faces serious challenges in completing industrial restructuring, increasing transparency in capital market transactions, transforming the housing sector, reforming the pension and health care systems, and solving serious environmental problems.


The city of Ústí nad Labem

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ÚSTÍ NAD LABEM

City Area: 94 km2

City population: 95 374

Geographical Coordinates:

50°35´ of northern longitude

14°41´ of eastern latitude

?ST? REGION

The Czech Republic is divided into 13 regional government units, i.e. Regions. Regions are governed by regional governments elected in direct elections by the residents. The Regional Assembly is elected for 4 years, appointing the Regional Council headed by the Regional Council President. Regional institutions have their seats in regional towns.

The City of ?st? nad Labem is both the actual and formal administrative centre of the ?st? nad Labem Region, as well as the seat of all regional institutions and a number of regional branches of state administration. ?st? nad Labem is one of the most important cities of the Czech Republic. It represents the administrative, industrial and cultural center of the ?st? Region, which is one of the thirteen regional government units within the country. It has a population of over 800 thousand inhabitants.

The ?st? region lies in the northwest part of the Czech Republic along the German border. The largest city, with a population of nearly 100,000 is the administrative centre, ?st? nad Labem; Most, D?č?n, Teplice and Chomutov in the Ore Mountains each have populations of over 50,000. Litom??ice and Louny are the main towns in sparsely populated areas. ?st? leads among the Czech regions in terms of urbanization and the number of cities with a population of more than fifty thousand. Thanks to the position along the German border, municipalities are involved in cross-border-cooperation within the following Euroregions: Krušnoho?? (Louny, Most, Chomutov and part of Teplice districts), Labe (Litom??ice, ?st? nad Labem and parts of Teplice and D?č?n districts) and Nisa created by a part of D?č?n district.

Transport with the EU links is rather important for the region; it includes road, railway and water routes. The region can be quickly accessed by transport from the neighbouring regional cities and from Prague.

The ?st? region is one of the most industrialized areas in Central Europe.Heavy industries with high material and power demand prevail - power generation (thermal plants), chemical, engineering, metallurgical and glass industries. Brown coal extraction is still significant although its importance keeps decreasing. The main raw material is lignite, while glass sand and kaolin are also exploited.

As for agriculture, the region is an important hops production area. Fruit and vegetables growing are developed mainly in Litom??ice area along the Oh?e and Elbe rivers.

In recent years the region has been experiencing an enormous influx of foreign investment in various branches, namely in the automotive, chemical, engineering, electrical engineering and food industries. The focus is shifting towards light industry and is becoming more environmentally friendly. The region offers investors a dense network of high-quality industrial zones on both greenfields and brownfields. An example of these is the Triangle industrial zone in Þatec, on the site of a former military airport. Local companies can boost their economic growth, know-how and competitiveness by founding clusters.

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Fundamental Data Regarding the Ústí nad Labem Region:

Area: 5,335 km2 (6,8 % of the territory of the Czech Republic)

Population: 827,000 (8 % of the population of the Czech Republic)

Population Density: 131 inhabitants per km2

Administrative division of the Czech Republic - 13 regions and the Capital Prague


Businesses involved in hydro-engineering have created the Aquarius cluster, and the firms in the chemical industry have established the BIOplast cluster.

The Ústí region is enjoying a revival of tourism. The region offers a wide range of interesting places, beautiful landscapes and industrial monuments. The volcanic Ceské Stredohorí, interesting rock formations in Ceské Švýcarsko, the legendary Ríp Hill, castles and chateaux including Lovosice and the fortified town of Terezín are often visited. The region's modern cities are resplendent with cultural opportunities. Litomerice is famous for its exhibition grounds and historical centre, Teplice for its spas and cultural attractions, Most for horse racing, and Ústí nad Labem for its surroundings and beautiful landscape. Sports enthusiasts can enjoy skiing, hiking and golf in the Ore Mountains, swimming in water parks and various other water sports.

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Schematic maps of Ústí region


CITY OF ÚSTÍ NAD LABEM

GEOGRAPHY

Ústí nad Labem is located in the picturesque hilly landscape where three geographical units meet – Krušné Hory (the Ore Mountains), Podkrušnohorská pánev (the Ore Mountain Basin) and České Støedohoøí (Bohemian Uplands). These areas differ one from the other in terms of shape, geological origin, height, as well as the overall natural character. The city is surrounded by the hills and lies at the con?uence of the River Labe and River Bílina. To the south, it neighbours the Bohemian Uplands, and the Krušné Mountains to the north. The boundary of the Podkrušnohorská Basin is located west of the city. The city is situated in a deep valley (up to 400 m) of the River Labe and the surrounding slopes. Two rocks mark the border of the basin the Mariánská Rock in the north, Castle Střekov Rock in the south-east and Sedlo Hill in the east.

The city boasts a unique strategic position on the “crossroads” of the so called European Development Axis (Copenhagen – Berlin – Dresden – Ústí nad Labem – Prague – Vienna) as well as on an axis of regional importance, which runs along the German border beneath the Krušné hory mountains, from Cheb to Dìèín. The city has a population 95 374 inhabitants (by 4th April 2007), which makes Ústí nad Labem the ninth largest city in the Czech Republic. It is the seat of regional institutions, as well as of important regional branches of state administration.

It is 98 km north-west of Prague. The border of the Federal Republic of Germany is 25 km from the city, Dresden is 75 km far. The total area of the city is 94 km2. Despite its busy industrial character, Ústí offers its residents attractive surroundings with numerous nature reserves well suited to tourism and a variety of leisure activities.

CLIMATE

Just as with the rest of the Czech Republic, Ústí nad Labem lies in a moderate climatic zone. Czech weather may be characterized by the mixed impact of the ocean climate (primarily in the north and west of the country) and of the continental climate (more common in the east). The position of the city at the northwest of the country strengthens the influence of the western oceanic currents.

The weather is typically characterized by a moderate, warm climate without significant extremes. Rains are common throughout the year. Western and northwestern winds predominate while eastern and northeaster winds become more frequent during the winter.

With respect to the landscape within the city and its surroundings, average as well as extreme temperatures may differ significantly at different locations within the city limits depending on the height above sea level. Similarly, it is possible to say that the weather may differ significantly in the course of a single period of the year as well as in the comparison of different years. Listed averages may thus be regarded as merely illustrative.

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Climatological characteristics 1997 - 2006

Station: ?st? nad Labem – Kočkov (375 m. a.s.l.)?st? nad Labem – Va?ov (150 m. a.s.l.)

itemKočkovVa?ov

Average January air temperature-1.6?C-0.3?C

Average July air temperature18.4?C19.7?C

Max. air temperature measured×36.5?C (13.8.2003)38.5?C (1.8.2004)

Min. air temperature measured×-22.1?C (9.1.1985)-23.0?C (29.12.1996)

Average annual rainfall606.6 mm555.5 mm

Average annual number of days with rainfall××181.4158.2

Average annual number of foggy days45.350.4

Average annual wind speed3.3 m/s1.1 m/s

× period 1975-2006 Kočkov and 1961-2006 Va?ov××number of days with rainfall ? 0.1mm


ENVIRONMENT

During the second half of the last century, Ústí nad Labem surroundings, just as the rest of the northwestern Bohemia, have been tragically devastated by lignite extraction and by years of no environmental protection in industrial plants operated by the totalitarian regime.

In setting right the environmental damage, Ústí nad Labem has been amongst the most successful cities in eastern Europe. Stopping many non-sustainable plants, constructing countless waste water purification plants, desulphurization of fossil fuel power plants and land reclamation programs, all of the above allowed for rapid improvements of the environment in the city as well as in its surroundings to reach European standards. These efforts were repeatedly awarded by the European Commission in 1999, 2000 and 2001- Usti nad Labem was granted awards for environmental improvements "City Towards EU Compliance Award".

The quality of air and water is regularly monitored and the findings are freely accessible.

LABE RIVER

The River Labe (Elbe in German) is one of the largest and longest European rivers and waterways. Its length in the Czech Republic reaches 358.3 km, the catchment area being 51,394 km2.

The long-term water surface ?uctuation in Ústí nad Labem ranges between 1.21 m and 11.96 m. The average water ?ow rate (for the period 1941 2006) amounts to 294 m3/s. Maximum ?ow rate measured was 4,700 m3/s (16.8.2002). Minimum ?ow measured was 33.3 m3/s (27.8.1947).

A map of ?ood risk zones and the emergency ?ood plan of the city of Ústí nad Labem can be found on www.usti-nad-labem.cz/dpp.

CITY HISTORY

The history of Ústí nad Labem dates back to the 11th Century - it was mentioned as a trading centre as early as 1056. Its development has been greatly influenced by its advantageous location, being as it is a natural transportation and trade centre. As early as the 13th century, Ústí had become a royal town and property of the King Premysl Otakar II of Bohemia. In 1423 it was pledged by Emperor Sigismund to Elector Frederick I of Meißen, who occupied it with a Saxon garrison. In 1426 it was besieged by the Hussites, who on June 16, 1426, though only 25,000 strong, defeated with great slaughter a German army of 70,000 which had been sent to its relief; the town was stormed and sacked the next day. After lying waste for three years, it was rebuilt in 1429. It suffered much during the Thirty Years' War and Seven Years' War.

Not far from Ústí is the village of Chlumec, where, on August 29-August 30, 1813, a battle took place between the French Empire under Vandamme and an allied army of Austrians, Prussians, and Russians. The French were defeated and Vandamme surrendered with his army of 10,000 men.

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View of the Elbe Valley (”Porta Bohemica” - The gate of Bohemia) close to Usti

During the 19th century the city became heavily industrialized. Originally a town of craftsmen and merchants, the city became an industrial center and one the most important transportation nodes of Bohemia during the second half of the 19th century. Although neighbouring Litomerice and the nearby spa town of Teplice used to be bigger and more important towns until the 19th century, the prosperity of Ústí nad Labem was encouraged by its rapidly developing industries and modern ship and railway transport.

Due to the large-scale immigration (mainly German) the number of inhabitants grew from 2,000 to over 40,000 between 1840 - 1900, making Ústí one of the biggest cities in Bohemia. Mining, chemical industry and river transport were its most important assets. The local river port became the busiest one in the whole Austro-Hungarian Empire surpassing the seaport in Trieste. Nowadays it is the industrial city with chemical establishments, metallurgy manufacture, machinetool industries, textiles and nutriment industry.

Ústí was a center of early German National Socialism. On November 15, 1903, the Deutsche Arbeiterpartei in Österreich ("German Workers' Party in Austria") was formed; it would become the basis for the Sudeten German National Socialist Party and Austrian National Socialism. Much of their literature and books were printed in Ústí.

From April 17 to April 19, 1945 the city was bombed by the Allied Forces (RAF and USAF) and over 500 people lost their lives. On July 31, 1945, the Ústí Massacre against German civilians occurred. In 1945 and 1946, over 53,000 ethnic Germans were expelled from the area. Immigrants from other parts of Czech Republic but also the Soviet Union, Slovakia, and Romania settled in the city, among them many Roma and Sinti.

Most extensive post-war development was intensively accelerated by massive coal mining. Economic interests brought industrial and building activity to the city again. From our today's point of view their start was reckless and violent. Unfortunately, rapid development was inhibited as a result of WWII and as a consequence of totalitarian rule. From the 60s large single-purpose and monotonous residential areas were constructed and the development was extensive and one-sided.

CITY DISTRICTS

The long history of the city records considerable administrative changes.

In 1900 Klise and Krasne Brezno were joined with the historical center. The first significant integration of suburban communities occurred in 1939 to create the so called "Big Usti". Usti was extended by Bukov, the industrial community of Predlice (over 5 thousand inhabitants) and Trmice. The city was extended by Strekov on the right bank of Elbe (10 thousand inhabitants).

After 1976 other communities joined the city – Stribrniky and Dobetice (intensive civil construction at present). In 1980 the second significant integration occurred. Usti was extended by Brna nad Labem, Cirkvice, Sebuzin and Svadov on the right bank of Elbe, and also by Vanov, Kostov, Hostomice and

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Population development in Usti

Year inhabitants1840 20001900 430001930 580001945 670001946 250001948 36000 1955 590001965 720001980 870001990 1040002000 95000

Note: until 1945 majority of population was German. During 1945 and 1946 over 50 000 of original German inhabitants were expelled from the city and country. Since 1946 vast majority of inhabitants is Czech. See very rapid afterwar population growth (migrants from other parts of the country or other eastern bloc countries).


Habrovice.

In 1986 Nestemice (with the status of a town since 1970), Chabarovice (town since 1523) and Chlumec became part of Usti. Usti nad Labem reached its maximum territorial size and maximum population in the history (105 thousand inhabitants). Next years see the disintegration of Usti—Chlumec, Chabarovice, Ryjice become independent in 1993 and later Trmice is also granted the status of a town in 1996.

Today, Ústí nad Labem has the background for diverse entrepreneurial activities, and its environs offer superb opportunities for tourism. Its unique location on business route junctions predetermines the city to its speci?c position among European cities. Its exceptional transport connections contribute to its business growth as well as its cultural links.

CITY PLANNING - ZONING

Functional zones are territories that are mainly focused on certain basic types of functions and activities or their combination (e.g. residential area, production, recreation):

1. The historical center includes the zone inside former city walls,

2. The mixed central zone consists of the city center and its periphery with the accumulation of housing and services,

3. The mixed residential zone combining universal area with living and shopping functions (e.g. the center of Klise),

4. The residential zone with exclusively living function (e.g. housing estate Dobetice or Severni Terasa),

5. The production and commercial zone mainly includes areas of production activities (e.g. Predlice)

6. The zone for recreation and free time activities includes sports centers, holiday resorts and cultural centers,

7. Woods and green areas represent a territory of natural character (city skirts in the Elbe valley)

8. The rural zone includes areas of natural character with partial living function.

However, present day town planning processes are more comprehensive. In the course of the last decade, the city has been reviving many of its old traditions and gradually regaining some its former importance. After the fall of communism in Czechoslovakia in the Velvet Revolution of 1989, the city's heavy industry suffered economic troubles. Having gone through modernization, the traditional chemicals industry has conformed to the new requirements, thus becoming a more signi?cant development factor for the city.

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Current urban plan of Usti - shows the land use zones

HOUSING FACILITIES

The city was devastated by WWII and insensitive post-war building works. However, the development of industries in the 1970´s and 1980´s brought extensive housing development. There are relatively sufficient housing facilities, mostly in neighbourhoods built over the last thirty years.

The market price of a standard apartment in Ústí nad Labem (note: cooperative or private ownership with a ?oor area of 68 m2, wear and tear approx. 40%) amounts to CZK 809,000.- (as of 29.2.2008, the monthly apartment price modi?cation index was 9.22 %). The market rent paid for a standard apartment per 1 square meter is CZK 78.- (as of 29.2.2008).

TRANSPORTATION

Ústí nad Labem is an important transport junction where important Czech and international road, railway and water routes cross. The two Elbe river banks are connected by a total of three bridges in the city. One is speci?ed for railway transport. Both the older Benešuv Bridge built in the 1930´s and the Mariánský Bridge from 1998 are used as road bridges. All bridges can be used by pedestrians.

The external transport links of Ústí nad Labem are very good in terms of its geographical position, with the prospect of being even better once the D8 motorway has been completed.

Road Transportation

The city is connected to the international E 442 road (Liberec, Decín, Ústí, Dresden) and 1st class roads (I/8, I/30, I/13). It is also directly linked to the D8 Berlin - Prague motorway running through the western part of the city. At the moment, the last section between Lovosice and Rehlovice, 16.4 km in length, is missing. Its completion is anticipated in 2010. In 2006, the motorway section between Trmice and Germany (23 km) was completed. It runs through the Krušné Mountains and its southern part links to the section near Ústí nad Labem completed in 1990, and ends with the motorway connecting to the German A17 Motorway near Petrovice.

Railway Transportation

With four railway stations, the city is an important railway junction situated on the main railway corridor connecting Istanbul - Sofia - Vienna - Prague - Berlin and Hamburg (Baltic-Orient). The corridor within the Czech Republic has been fully redeveloped to meet European standards - it is the I. transit railway corridor State frontier Decin – Usti nad Labem – Prague – Breclav – state frontier, which is part of the IV. Trans-European Multimodal Corridor. On the line section that intersects the city center interregional railway transportation, suburban transportation and the backbone city mass transportation will come together. The Eurocity (EC) and Intercity (IC) trains connected to the European railway network stop regularly in Usti nad Labem Main Station which serves the public in Ústí Region with approximately 15 000 travellers daily.

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Ústí nad Labem - distances from selected European and Czech Cities:European Cities km Czech Cities km

Berlin 260 Brno 291Budapest 640 Ceské Budejovice 236London 1290 Hradec Králové 184Moscow 2000 Liberec 99Paris 1500 Ostrava 454Vienna 390 Plzen 142Warsaw 670 Praha 87Bratislava 490 Olomouc 341Dresden 75 Karlovy Vary 117

Travel time by train from Ústí

Prague 60 minutesDresden 60 minutes Berlin 4 hours 20 minutesHamburg 7 hours 20 minutesVienna 5 hours 50 minutesBratislava 5 hours 30 minutesBudapest 8 hours

Driving times from Ústí

Prague 1 h 10 min 87 km Liberec 1 h 49 min 97 km Karlovy Vary 1 h 56 min 119 km Plzen 2 h 16 min 191 km Ostrava 5 h 41 min 476 km Brno 3 h 16 min 293 km Pardubice 2 h 15 min 182 km Ceské Budejovice 3 h 7 min 236 km Olomouc 4 h 6 min 368 km Dresden 50 min 66 km Berlin 3 h 270 km Munich 5 h 8 min 423 km Bratislava 4 h 43 min 490 km Warsaw 8 h 21 min 626 km Vienna 4 h 45 min 378 kmBudapest 6 h 39 min 714 km London 12 h 4 min 1148 km Paris 9 h 39 min 1087 km


River Transportation

Ústí nad Labem is situated on one of the most important European waterways the River Labe. The city is one of the biggest river ports nationwide. The river links to the waterway network, making Germany, Benelux, northern France and important coastal harbours like Hamburg easily accessible. The Elbe River Line is a part of the IV. Trans-European Multimodal Corridor. The section between Pardubice - Chvaletice - Ústí nad Labem - Hřensko and Hamburg is used for freight shipping and recreational transport of the public.

City Public Transport

An extensive network of municipal public transport features bus and trolleybus routes. The beginnings of regular municipal transport in Ústí nad Labem date back to 1899, when an electric tram system was put into operation.

Environmental impacts in the city centre and the parts of the city situated at lower altitudes were considerably reduced by introducing trolleybuses in 1988. Since that year, trolleybuses have dominatedthe municipal transport system. The total length of the trolleybus network is 45 km. On average around 90 000 passengers are transferred daily by the Public Transport Company.

Air Transportation

Ústí nad Labem has an air?eld in operation for small sport aircrafts. The nearest airport for passenger aircraft is in Prague (92 km) and Dresden, Germany (75 km).

ECONOMY

Throughout its history, the City of Ústí nad Labem has always linked its developments with production and trade. In the course of the last two centuries, Ústí nad Labem has been amongst the economically and industrially most attractive cities of the Czech Republic. Traditional industries include chemical, food and engineering productions.

Most important companies are following -

Spolek pro chemickou and hutní výrobu a.s. (Spolchemie – the Association for Chemical and Metallurgical Production, joined-stock company) has been the largest company in town since 1856, ranking among the most important chemical plants in the Czech Republic and with respect to several products among top European producers. It focuses predominantly on production of inorganic chemical substances, synthetic resins and organic pigments.

The second largest industrial company is entitled SETUZA a.s.. It is the largest Czech processing plant for vegetable oils and margarines. It has been in operation from 1848, forming together with Spolchemie

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Map of Pan - European corridors - corridor No.4 passes via Usti

an integral part of the city’s history.

Engineering and metallurgy has been developing over the recent years also thanks to the influx of foreign capital. Thus, traditional local plants and firm were complemented by important industrial companies, such as METAL a.s. – member of the Kolbenschmidt Piergurg AG, a producer of engine pistons and as of 2002 by Black&Decker (Czech) s.r.o., a producer of electrical appliances and tools. Matthey, a manufacturer of exhaust pipes, is based in the industrial zone of the city, as well as KONE, the lift and escalator manufacturer.

However, there are many other interesting companies and service providers that operate in the city and its surroundings. ČETRANS, a. s. is the most important road freight forwarder. The tertiary and hypermarket network has also been developing. Masarykova Hospital in Ústí nad Labem is another important employer.

The most important feature of economic development of the city has always been its exclusive location on an intersection of trading routes. This advantage has been recently gaining significance in relation with the rapid development of trading between European countries and regions. This also relates to the outstanding access to all transportation routes as well as services. Ústí nad Labem seats the District Chamber of Commerce as well as the Commercial and Social Council, and the Euroregion Labe Of?ce with the European Information Centre. You would also ?nd a CzechInvest office here. Ústí nad Labem also features the Customs Authority headquarters for the North Bohemian Region, the Revenue Authority, District Social Security Insurance Authority and Labour Office.

Ústí nad Labem and its industrial zones have well developed infrastructure of energy supplies and waste treatment, while prices of key commodities (power, gas) have been stable in the recent period or have even been even decreasing. Financial services are provided by a network of reputable and strong financial institutions. All important banks have their branches in the city.

Unemployment

The Region may be characterized by increasing unemployment which has long-term rank below the Czech Republic’s average. However, when new job are available, placement of the unemployed is rather successful, as job retraining programs function very well. In searching for and training of staff, cooperation with both the local University and with a great number of high schools and specialized schools is available.

High unemployment rates have had a significant impact on the overall economic and social climate of the region, at the same time providing a basis to starting up the economic development for the region offers sufficient work force, even though primarily in lower education categories. Low mobility of residents and the unwillingness to move for work reasons has presented a chronic problem of the Czech labor market, paradoxically making regions with high unemployment more attractive for investments.

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Following time line shows changes of unemployment rate in the city of Ústí nad Labem :

1993 - 3,1%,

1997 - 7,2 %,

1998 - 10,5%, 1999 - 13,5%,

2001 - 14,1%,

2002 - 15,3%,

2003 - 14,9%,

2004 - 13,3%,

2005 - 12,9%,

2006 - 12,5%,

2007 - 12,1%


New Forum shopping mall in Usti - will open in 11/2009- including funicular to Větruše hill(By TT design, Gouda, Netherlands)

UNIVERSITY IN USTI

The University of Jan Evangelista Purkyně - www.ujep.cz - (UJEP) was established on 28 September 1991. It features the following faculties: Faculty of Pedagogy, Social and Economic Studies and Faculty of the Environment. The following faculties and Institutes have been established over the last years: the Faculty of Art and Design, Faculty of Science, Faculty of Philosophy, Faculty of Production Technology, Management and the Faculty of Health Studies and Institute of Slavonic and Germanic Studies.

TWIN TOWNS

Today, Ústí nad Labem has three twin cities. The idea behind the twinning is, ?rst of all, to provide a mutual exchange of information and expertise in economy, the environment, science, education, social affairs and culture.

CHEMNITZ www.chemnitz.de

Chemnitz called Karl-Marx-Stadt between 1953 and 1990, with a population of 260 thousand, it is the fourth biggest city in East Germany. Traditional industries are textiles, automobiles and mechanical engineering. The local businesses export to the whole world due to new technologies and restructuring.

HALTON www.halton.gov.uk

With a population of 118 thousand, Halton is located in the northwest of England, between Liverpool and Manchester. Industries are dominated by particularly chemicals, textiles, food processing and furniture industries.

VLADIMIR www.vladimir-russia.net

The City of Vladimir is one of the oldest Russian cities, situated east of Moscow. The current population of Vladimir is 336 thousand. The city features textile companies, plastics processing and chemicals companies.

USTI DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY

The strategy of the development of the City of Ústí nad Labem until 2015 is a general document of the city and was elaborated by a large team of experts working together with an external consulting company, as well as public discussions. The process lasted 1 year. The city has set up its vision expressed by the slogan „Ústí nad Labem a prosperous, healthy and safe town“.

The strategy comprises a comprehensive current analytical pro?le of the city (including SWOT analysis). The implementation part, which de?nes ?ve key intervention areas of development, comes from the analytical pro?le.

Since the city faces a lack of patriotism from the inhabitants, a number of activities will be implemented to encourage the development of a civic society which is the background for the management of the city and which should increase the pride Ústí inhabitants take in their city.

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Proposal of the terrace on Elbe embankment (should be built in 2010) - connected by the pedestrian bridge with the Main train station

Study of the refurbishment of the University Campus - formerly hospital(By SIAL architects Liberec)

Strengths of the city

- advantageous geographical position between Prague and Saxony;

- located on the main Central European transport route;

- traditions of industrial manufacturing;

- possibility to use old industrial premises (so-called brown?elds),

- established mining, energy and chemicals industry (companies of nationwide importance);

- relatively low labour cost;

- favourable age structure of the population compared to other regional capitals;

- university and vocational schools;

- support of investors;

Five key intervention areas:

1. City economics

- Develop entrepreneurial environment

- Develop tourism

2. Human resources and social area

- Modernize educational system

- Develop community care and strengthen social integration of disadvantaged individuals

- Develop civic society

- Extend and enhance the quality of leisure time activity opportunities

- Reduce crime rate in the city

3. Physical environment of the city

- Create urban added value to the area

- Improve environmental components

- Develop and improve the quality of environmental education and enlightenment

4. Transport

- Develop public transport and its links to other transport modes

- Develop transport infrastructure

5. City management and administration

- Improve effectiveness and quality of public administration

- strengthten cooperation of the city with foreign entities

- prevent emergencies and remove their consequences

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Masterplan for Neštěmice and Krásné Březno districts - eastern direction from the city centre, along Elbe river(By Sia Design, Prague)

Programme Consolidation of the dismissed areas of the city

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An Overall Vision for Ústí nad Labem

Programme

The attention will be focused on the design challenge represented by the situation of the western part of the city which is considered a periphery due to critical areas which appear here (shunting freight station Ústí nad Labem - West, river Bílina, brownfield Predlice and the reclamation area with the lake Milada).

Starting from the city centre, project should deal with the banks of river Labe (Elbe) and Bílina and their accesibility. Rivers have big potential to become strong natural/recreational elements of the city but this potential is not used at the moment. It is necessary to consider also infrastructural relations in the city center - there are primary city roads along both rivers creating an infrastructural bottleneck at their confluence.

Most important possible development area of the city is located towards west from the centre (along Bílina river). It is the territory of existing shunting freight station (length 2500m, width 240 - 800m) which is no more effectively used. Almost whole area could be substituted with a different (urban) function. This area has best premises for development due to its proximity to the city centre as well as direct connection to international highway D8 (Prague - Dresden). Part of the freight station is also passenger train station Ústí nad Labem - West, which should be then relocated. Project will deal with the design of possible new Central train station (also with relation to the bus station) which should substitute both West and Main stations (now both located in the vicinity of a city centre and quite close to each other).

Development area of the freight station has further continuity in western direction. Towards northwest it is the brownfield area Predlice (former glassworks and concrete reinforcement factory) which should be a subject of redevelopment as well. Towards southwest it is the town Trmice and further west the reclamation area of former brown coal mine which is currently being remodelled - creating the new recreational district with lake Milada.

Connecting all above mentioned areas we get the Center - River - Lake development axis, where significant issues are relations between the city and natural elements and the city and transport infrastructures - also considering the process of refocusing on international relations.

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Contributions of the City for the planned Workshop

Workshop - Ústí nad Labem Západní nádraží - West Railway Station

Locations

- Embakments - City „has“ the river, but it lives without it.

Deepening of the river potential for the city and its inhabitants.

- West Railway Station and surrounding area possible ideas to unfold

Brownfields & New Concepts

Libretto:

“ The city has an unique industrial history. In its splendid era at the beginning of the 20th century had the local enterpreneurs developed the functional industry and beautiful mansions and appartment houses standing side by side. The past is in this point challenge for the future.”

Old railway station and industrial heritage surrounding portrays on the one hand burdens for the city and its inhabitants on the other hand opportunities for production, commerce, investments. The vicinity of the city centre provides this quarter with an appeal for future projects. This area represents mixed usage from small to large business in mainly old industrial premises and housing. The biggest enterprises here are Ceské dráhy, a.s., Spolchemie, a.s., METALLPLAST-RECYKLING, spol. s r.o. and small business in former Glassworks. There are also situated some appartment houses to gain new face new purpose.

Area with quite no broad concern of city authorities has a vast potential for future development. Natural elements river and cultural components architecture, brown_fields, short ways to city centre could be an interesting ideal matter for re-urbanising, re-socializing and re-using.

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Scheme by Usti Municipality to show areas of their interest to be elaborated at the Workshop

DEVELOPMENT AREAS - to be elaborated in the workshop

Railway Station West

The Ústí n.L. West Railway Station is situated in the lowlands, featuring a distinct longitudinal, nearly spindle shaped form with a total length of approximately 2,500 metres and a width ?uctuating between 240 and 800 metres. The area is clearly bordered by the Bílina River and Tovární Street. One of the options to make the city centre healthy is to change the functions of the territory. The proximity of these premises to the city centre and their link to the motorway slip road (Žižkova Street) makes the premises very interesting, not to mention the links to the road network as well as human resources.

Severní Předlice (Northern Předlice)

The Severní Předlice industrial zone in Ústí nad Labem is an important locality thanks to its strategic position by the Prague - Dresden transport junction (direct connection to the D8 Motorway) and Karlovy Vary-Liberec, in road and railway transport. The transport junction is also important for its relationship to the strategic position of Dresden in Germany and its transport links to other EU areas. The zone has been nearly fully occupied.

Jižní Předlice (Southern Předlice)

This industrial zone with development in progress is situated on the South West boundary of Ústí nad Labem (the municipal part of Předlice) and the municipality of Trmice. The total area of the land identi?ed by the Master Plan for the industrial zone of Southern Předlice amounts to 31.86 ha. The locality shows a moderate gradient (inclining from the South East), its relief is quite indented. The locality has not been occupied for a number of years.

The locality of Southern Předlice is quite attractive as a result of versatile possibilities for use i.e. public services, administration, retail, not to mention warehouse, fair and exhibition opportunities. It features indisputable advantages resulting from prominent transport conditions (the D8 Motorway in close proximity) and the presence of the business district of the railway station, which might be essential for an investor's decision to implement his/her project here.

Lake Milada - "Recreational and sports area which is being developed from an old brown coal mine"

In 1998, brown coal mining was brought to an end in the Chabařovice mine immediately followed by reclamation works. At the present time, some parts of the area are prepared for development and are being gradually opened to the public. The area offers huge potential for the development of tourism in close proximity to the D8 Motorway (Dresden being 30 minutes and Prague 45 minutes by car once the highway is completed) and in the foothills of the Krušné Mountains offering opportunities for winter sports. Ústí nad Labem strives to encourage investment in the area. Www.jezeromilada.cz

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Areal schemes


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Areal schemes


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Areal schemes - Districts

To understand better the whole Workshop territory, it has been divided into four districts. Each of them has typical features -

District 01 - Labe - Elbe RiverbankDistrict 02 - CentralDistrict 03 - River BílinaDistrict 04 - Lake


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District 01 - Labe - Elbe Riverbank

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District 01 - Labe - Elbe Riverbank


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District 02 - Central

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Scheme showing possible arrangement of the railway tracks of the new Usti Central Station



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District 03 - River Bílina

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District 03 - River Bílina


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District 04 - Lake

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District 04 - Lake

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Annexes - Historic MapsMaps were kindly provided by the Department of Informatics and Geoinformatics of the

Faculty of Environment of Jan Evangelista University, Usti nad Labem (FŽP UJEP)

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17-th century -

Drawing of the southern section of the city wall with the bridge over Bilina river and fortifications.

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Plan of Usti from 1843

Plan shows the entire area of the city in that time - the city more or less remained in its medieval extent - note the city walls still standing.Map shows very detailed building groundplans as well as parks and other green areas, location of the churches as well as land use (vineyards, orchards...).

Important object in the map is the proposal of the railway (built in 1849) drawn in red - shows very precise the track lines and the final shape of the rai lway junct ion in Ust i (including the bridge and relocation of the confluence point of the river Bilina into Elbe)

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Plan of Usti from 1887

Plan shows the part of the city on the left Elbe bank (Střekov on the right bank was an independent municipality)

Railway infrastructure is already completed, city walls r e m o v e d . S i g n i f i c a n t development in the western direction - regular block structure emerging in the new representation zone of the city (with the theatre and large park). Further west chemical factory is built.

See also development on the Ostrov/ Oster area (”Island”) - peninsula in between the rivers - is becoming densely built.

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Overall plan of the city districts - 1901

Plan shows almost the whole area of a contemporary city - though in that time mostly unbuilt. Important is the city block structure shown - built (pink) and planned - dotted.

Also the infrastructural system is shown well - main and also secondary railway lines and roads.

Brown colored buildings are civic and institutional.

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Military map of Usti and surroundings - 1908 - shows very well the size of the city and the terrain morphology

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Detailed cadastral map from 1910 - Shows the area of riverbanks with Ostrov - “the Island” - and partially the area of the western railway station, parcels are numbered and very exactly drawn - including infrastructures

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Plan of industrial areas of Usti city - 1908

Shows the chemical plants and glassworks in the industrial zone Předlice.

Lower part includes the railway transport scheme

- black are regular railways- red are electrical tram lines of the city

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Left - development plan for new planned quarters Klíše and Predlice - 1900

Right - expansion and regulation plan for the northern area of the city - 1908 (including Klíše quarter)

Down - Klíše construction in 1930’s

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Plan of the development of the city quarter Klíše - 1927

Partially executed

Grey building already existing i n 1927 , red bu i l d ings proposed.

Villas should occupy higher located plots, residential blocks in lower elevations and close to chemical plant.

The quarter should have had the two “central” squares - one circular and other with park.The quarter should have been connected to other ci ty quarters by a huge park (with cemetery)

Also schools, hospital and other civic services were included in the plan.


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P l a n o f i n f r a s t r u c t u r a l development from 1981

The final transportation system as proposed for 2000

- the proposal shows 2 bridges for road traffic - one in the centre (built in the 30’s) and the other on southern edge of the city - continuing through tunnel below Větruše hill. Due to economic reasons the tunnel option has been changed and the second bridge has been built in 1996 on north-western edge of the city center connecting that way 3 main city parts - centre, Střekov and Krásné Březno.

Disadvantage of this solution is the distance of both bridges from the highway, so vehicles have to pass thorugh the city center if they want to cross from left Elbe bank to right (from the center to Střekov)

- with slight changes, this proposal was implemented


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Current valid urban plan-Land use designation

Centre - purple

Collective housing (flats)Red, dark pink

Individual housing (family houses, villas), light pink

Weekend houses/cabinsPink hatch

Civic amenities Yellow to dark yellow

administration university schools sport Healthcare commercial

Commercial - industrial zoneorange

Transport infrastructure areasDark purple

Industrial areasDark grey

City park, Forest park, Alleysgreen

Water surfacesblue

Public open spacesLight grey


AnnexesPhotos

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View of the city in 1560 by Gustav Doerell -

Shows medieval town and Bilina river with the bridge

(The bridge is still existing, has been covered with concrete deck and is a part of primary transport infrastructure of the city)

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Baloon bird eye photos of the city - around 1890

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Baloon bird eye photos of the city - around 1890

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Main square in 1725 , around 1905 and today

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Main square around turn of 19th and 20th cent. and today

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Main square around turn of 19th and 20th cent. and today

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Masarykova street around 1910 and today

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City theatre around 1905 and today - also view of the opposite side

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View of Bilina bridge and former Ostrov / Oster (Island) neighborhood - around 1910 and today - the whole quarter disappeared

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Elbe riverbank around 1910 - river was an integral part of the city life - Elbe harbor and Prague street along the river

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Communist architecture of the 1970’s built in the city centre was very often insensitive towards its urban surroundings and historical values

Contacts

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Contacts

Head of Metropolis:

Prof. Massimo Tadi

Politecnico di MilanoFaculty of Building Engineering and ArchitecturePiazza Leonardo da Vinci, 2620133 Milano, Italy

E-mail: [email protected]. +39 02 2399 8734 or +39 335 201 503


Heads of Studies:

Prof. Jirí Suchomel

Technical University of LiberecFaculty of Art and ArchitectureStudentská 246117 Liberec 1, Czech Republic

E-mail: [email protected] Tel: + 420 48 535 3595

Prof. Danilo Palazzo

Politecnico di MilanoPolo regionale di LeccoFacoltà di Ingegneria Edile-ArchitetturaVia Marco d’Oggiono 18/a,23900 Lecco, Italy

E-mail: [email protected]: + 39 03 4148 8711

Workshop coordinator:

Petr Janoš

E-mail: [email protected]: +420 608 568 604

In case you have any questions or to request information, please contact the Workshop coordinator.

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