The award of the Chamber of Engineers will make technical constructions more visible – this year for the twentieth time

Until April 10, authorized persons of the Czech Chamber of Authorized Engineers and Technicians (ČKAIT) can submit constructions in which they were significantly involved in the prestigious Engineering Chamber Award 2023 competition. For the twenty-second time, its jury will award main prizes, honorable mentions and a special prize to both constructions, as well as projects completed between 1 January 2021 and 31 December 2023. The winner of the last category will then be decided by the public. The announcement of the results will take place in the autumn during the ceremonial announcement within the Assembly of ČKAIT delegates.

Every year, the competition draws attention to buildings that are exceptional in terms of their engineering or technical solution, aesthetics or innovative approach. It often combines all these attributes, which may not always be obvious at first glance – because it is often a purely utilitarian or technical implementation. “Thanks to the Prize of the Chamber of Engineers, we also invite the general public under the surface of seemingly invisible buildings, which, however, can be conceived in a novel and often revolutionary way. Many engineering works make it easier for all of us to live, move, work or spend our free time.” describes the contribution of the Prize of the Chamber of Engineers Ing. Robert Špalek, the chairman of ČKAIT, according to which the constructions are most often applied for by designers, technicians, construction managers and representatives of other professional professions.

All information about this year and the previous year is available on the website https://cik.ckait.cz/.

Last year, the judges awarded prizes to the reconstruction of the Negrelli viaduct in Prague, a new footbridge over the Elbe in Nymburk, the conversion of the Winternitz automatic mills in Pardubice, a new liquid hydrocarbon production plant in Litvínov and a wetland mine water treatment plant in the Mostecká coal basin. Among the recipients of honorable mentions were, for example, the conversion of the former slaughterhouse at Galeria Plato in Ostrava, the municipal swimming hall in Louny or the Vilemovsk railway viaduct on the Rumburk – Sebnitz line.

It is precisely in the range of types of buildings and creative approaches that the exceptionality of the Awards of the Chamber of Engineers lies: they faithfully reflect the quality of engineering buildings, technical procedures or technological solutions. Implementations or already approved plans that have the potential to enrich the entire domestic construction industry usually make it to the finals. And it doesn’t matter whether this happens at the level of project work, statics, construction supplies or used technologies – in the case of already functional buildings, the jury also evaluates their function with the declared intention. This is usually valued more at the Prize than design or, for example, urban planning criteria.

The competition also contributes to the appreciation of technical professions and construction skills, as well as to the support of technical education among the youngest generations.

Most of the applicants and almost all the finalists have one common feature. “Already in last year’s year, the Prize of the Chamber of Engineers to our great surprise, we discovered that even really large, complex and perhaps technologically demanding constructions did not have a problem with the length of the permit procedure. It also testifies to the excellent preparation at the level of designers, which is, after all, the necessary basis for a high-quality and convincing construction,” adds Ing. Renata Zdarilová, Ph.D., member of the board of ČKAIT and chairman of the jury for the Prize of the Chamber of Engineers; it also emphasizes the fact that many awarded (as well as non-awarded) buildings demonstrate an exemplary approach to public funds. And that both at the level of construction and operating costs.