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More than ten years ago, when Tomáš Págo, Milan Joja and Karel Kubza were studying together at the Faculty of Architecture of Brno University of Technology, none of them could have imagined that one day they would design a building capable of reshaping how Czech society thinks about care for the most vulnerable. Their project, House for Julia – the first children’s hospice in the Czech Republic – has become the winner of the Czech Architecture Award 2025, the country’s most prestigious professional recognition.Faculty of Architecture Graduates Receive the Most Prestigious Czech Award | Author: Alex Shoots BuildingsThe idea of creating a place that offers families facing the most difficult moments of their lives peace, support and human dignity had been developing for many years. The hospice building works with natural light, intimate spatial scale and natural materials to create not only a functional environment but, above all, a place that provides support in the most challenging situations. The jury’s recognition confirms that architecture can be not only aesthetically valuable but also deeply humane.
The Czech Architecture Award 2025 and the Jury’s Evaluation
The Czech Architecture Award is the leading national recognition in the field. Since 2016, it has been awarded by the Czech Chamber of Architects. The competition has no categories — any built project completed within the last five years on Czech territory may be submitted. This year’s edition received 271 projects, of which 25 advanced to the nominations and six to the final. Jury members traditionally visit all nominated buildings in person and evaluate not only architectural and technical quality but also atmosphere, concept, functionality, sustainability and the broader social impact of each project.
The international jury was chaired by German architect, urban planner and academic Roger Riewe. Other members included Boris Bežan (Slovenia/Spain), Andrea Klimko (Slovakia/UK), Yael Moria Klain (Israel) and Jeroen van Schooten (Netherlands). The jury reached its decision unanimously, describing it as “highly consensual,” which, in their view, reflects the exceptional quality of the winning project.
The jurors praised above all the project’s remarkable ability to address a sensitive topic with both human empathy and architectural precision. In their verdict, they noted: “House for Julia offers an environment filled with empathy, calmness and light — architecture that heals.”
They also highlighted the thoughtful use of materials: “The use of natural materials, especially wood combined with concrete, gives the building gentleness, lightness and visual unity.” The jury additionally appreciated the architects’ ability to translate a highly emotional and sensitive theme into a spatial experience: “The architects have created a place that respects privacy, pain and hope. It is a building that can accompany and support.”
The project’s significance lies not only in its architectural quality but also in its ability to help — to create an environment that supports the emotional and psychological well-being of those who need it most.
Brno University of Technology congratulates its successful graduates and believes that many of our current and future students will follow in their footsteps.