<V7_Underground>

We are finalizing the revitalization project of the underpasses at the Vltavská intersection in Prague. We study, observe, and live urban reality. Over the past 10 years, we have formulated and implemented projects with a broad foundation that have attractively modified the public space of the Czech capital. We always ride the "triple" connection of sports, music, and visual arts (Bajkazyl, Fuchs2, Holešovická shaft, Altenburg 1964, Bike 7, Bike Jesus, Dvojka, and more…).

In the fall of 2021, in collaboration with the Prague 7 municipal district, we transformed the neglected underpasses at Vltavská into a barrier-free (uniquely in Central Europe) sports spot. From a classic no-go zone, it quickly became a place that attracts hundreds of visitors daily even before its official opening.

The mayor of Prague 7 stated at a press presentation of the project that "the repulsive underpasses at Vltavská make sense for the first time in life." It is an exaggeration, but it can be taken seriously. The goal of the transformation was to reverse the chain – to attract a wide spectrum of residents and visitors to a place that no one wants to (or is even afraid to) go. The leitmotif of thoughts and processes was, is, and will be sharing. We did not intend to build another closed skate park. We mapped the needs of everyone – men and women across generations. At one moment they intersected: only open sharing (in this case, sharing a sports spot) stands a chance to awaken empathy and respect in people within the contours of contemporary urban stress. And that is what it is about: when you meet, you must find a way to get along. It is the leitmotif of every larger settlement and connects Mumbai, Berlin, Sao Paulo, and New York.

It was a challenge – neither we, nor the architects we approached, nor the authorities – no one had experience with a park combining skateboarding, bouldering, and basketball, functioning not behind a fence, but on an open transportation communication. In the labyrinth of rules, we sought together – and found – a solution that can be regarded as a "sample" for other similar projects.

We are fascinated by intersections as media of contemporary life in cities, whose form is fundamentally dictated by transportation. Vltavská is one of the largest nodes in Prague – exceptionally attractive due to its constant movement and exceptionally burdensome due to its externalities (noise, smog, and more). We want to support the positives and suppress the negatives.

Just as we are fascinated by traffic movement, we are also fascinated by sports – another medium of the present. We sought space for sports that does not require complex and expensive infrastructure but returns to the roots. We are building a "blink" back to childhood: sports practiced where we live. Not sports as a place with a coach that someone must "drop you off" at by car, but sports as a model that you can freely and easily find.

A key criterion was lightness. We discover dead spots in the city and seek their hidden potential. We never wanted to demolish and build new solutions. We bet on low costs and gentle tuning – we want to instill a "new flow of energy" into the concrete that has stood around us for decades. We designed the obstacles and elements to meet the needs of both novice and experienced riders (including professionals). The criterion was the assumption that the modifications would not suppress the transport character of the local communication. Emphasis is placed on the colorful execution that humanizes the mass of concrete.

We want to remove barriers: that is why we designed a park that is well-lit and open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. The experiences from the first days after the completion of the construction suggest that the intention has been successful.