Leisure complex Jammertal
Within the well-known Prague park Folimanka, which lies on the border of Vinohrady, Nusle, and New Town, the leisure complex Jammertal has been completed, offering its visitors facilities for a variety of activities and sports for year-round use. Together with the basketball hall of the USK Prague club and the Nusle Bridge, it becomes another landmark of this heavily visited park. The architectural design of the complex is by Jana Mastíková from the LOXIA studio, covering nearly 5,000 m², and it was completed in August 2022.
Folimanka Park, which features walking and cycling paths, has changed its appearance throughout history. In the 1970s, the historical vineyards and orchards were transformed into a park. In 2007, extensive renovations of the central part of the park took place. It was gradually supplemented with multifunctional children's playgrounds, water features, and refreshments with social facilities for visitors. However, the modification of approximately five thousand square meters of the eastern part of the park and the "small area" devoid of vegetation under the Nusle Bridge, which people primarily used as a shortcut, remained unresolved.
From a neglected space to a place full of life
"The goal of our design was to transform the little-used 'small area' under the Nusle Bridge into an attractive public space in the form of a leisure complex that will offer year-round use thanks to areas and facilities for a variety of activities and sports, and will become a place where all Prague residents, not just those living in the immediate vicinity, will enjoy spending their free time. Life will finally begin in this neglected area where there has been no reason to go for years," says the architect.
The new multifunctional complex is equipped with facilities for a range of activities and sports, thus offering year-round use for visitors. Here, they will find a multipurpose area that will serve mainly for roller sports from spring to autumn. In winter, the area will transform into an ice rink for public skating.
Hand-modeled oval
This element made of colored concrete was the most challenging for the architects. "It can be said that it was a sculptural work. The edges and curves of the oval were hand-modeled and polished by experts from Mystic Construction, and indeed these tasks took the longest. For skateboarding, it is essential that the surface is perfectly smooth," clarifies the architect.
What gave the project author freedom, and what restricted her? "The irregular structure of the park offered freedom; however, we had to ensure the preservation of the green slope with a cascade, which was previously a water fountain, now non-functional. It is a work of art that cannot be overshadowed by the design. The same applies to the brick slope or the pillars of the Nusle slope, which we also could not interfere with," explains Jana Mastíková.
Additionally, the complex features a pétanque court, exercise area, ping-pong tables, and a unique interactive water feature for children.
Practical and natural materials
An important role in the complex is played by materials and new plantings. "A special material in Jammertal is Parkdecor, or gravel surface, which is 100% natural. We chose it mainly for its water permeability, but also for its practicality. It is a functional area that is visited by many people, and thus it needs to be comfortable to walk on, or easily navigable with a stroller," explains the architect.
The return of the skateboarder to Folimanka
The complex also features new furniture. Sufficient seating capacity with benches, tables, and chairs, as well as special grilling areas, invites gatherings with friends or family. The revitalization also included landscaping, with hundreds of new trees and shrubs and thousands of plants added to the park. The original sculpture of the skateboarder also returned to the park, the first of its kind in the world. The legendary bronze skateboarder by sculptor Jaroslav Hladký was successfully reconstructed thanks to a public fundraising campaign.
Memento mori by Krištof Kintera
The architectural studio LOXIA, responsible for the design of the complex, also proposed a connection between the existing upper and lower paths of the park, which had previously been missing. It begins with a staircase with a viewpoint that will lead around the cascade and connect to the main line running through the entire complex. In addition to the view of the entire complex, visitors will also be presented with an artistic work in the form of the Memorial From Your Own Decisions – Memento mori by Krištof Kintera. This lamp was lightly relocated to a new spot during the construction of Jammertal and has finally been connected to electricity, allowing the artist's intention – to keep it lit all day long. The work is finally complete after years.
Dominant yellow staircase
The yellow metal staircase is an element that dominates the entire space. "That place was very bleak and sad; just imagine that there was only the Nusle Bridge, the dark hall of Folimanka, and next to it a blinking gas station, so it needed a little brightness. Not just figuratively, but literally, which is why we chose a striking yellow color that really illuminated the space. We believe it is noticeable to visitors for whom these colors are uplifting and joyful. Yellow generally supports activity, and we believe it belongs to activities like sports," says Jana Mastíková.
Why Jammertal?
The name "Jammertal" originated from the original German designation of the Nusle Valley "Jammer Tal" or the Valley of Wails from the time of devastation during the Thirty Years' War. The locals and long-time residents still refer to the Nusle Valley only by the Czech variant "Jamrtál." By completing the revitalization of the last part of the area under the Nusle Bridge, the overall concept of utilizing the valley has thus been fulfilled.
Folimanka Park, which features walking and cycling paths, has changed its appearance throughout history. In the 1970s, the historical vineyards and orchards were transformed into a park. In 2007, extensive renovations of the central part of the park took place. It was gradually supplemented with multifunctional children's playgrounds, water features, and refreshments with social facilities for visitors. However, the modification of approximately five thousand square meters of the eastern part of the park and the "small area" devoid of vegetation under the Nusle Bridge, which people primarily used as a shortcut, remained unresolved.
From a neglected space to a place full of life
"The goal of our design was to transform the little-used 'small area' under the Nusle Bridge into an attractive public space in the form of a leisure complex that will offer year-round use thanks to areas and facilities for a variety of activities and sports, and will become a place where all Prague residents, not just those living in the immediate vicinity, will enjoy spending their free time. Life will finally begin in this neglected area where there has been no reason to go for years," says the architect.
The new multifunctional complex is equipped with facilities for a range of activities and sports, thus offering year-round use for visitors. Here, they will find a multipurpose area that will serve mainly for roller sports from spring to autumn. In winter, the area will transform into an ice rink for public skating.
Hand-modeled oval
This element made of colored concrete was the most challenging for the architects. "It can be said that it was a sculptural work. The edges and curves of the oval were hand-modeled and polished by experts from Mystic Construction, and indeed these tasks took the longest. For skateboarding, it is essential that the surface is perfectly smooth," clarifies the architect.
What gave the project author freedom, and what restricted her? "The irregular structure of the park offered freedom; however, we had to ensure the preservation of the green slope with a cascade, which was previously a water fountain, now non-functional. It is a work of art that cannot be overshadowed by the design. The same applies to the brick slope or the pillars of the Nusle slope, which we also could not interfere with," explains Jana Mastíková.
Additionally, the complex features a pétanque court, exercise area, ping-pong tables, and a unique interactive water feature for children.
Practical and natural materials
An important role in the complex is played by materials and new plantings. "A special material in Jammertal is Parkdecor, or gravel surface, which is 100% natural. We chose it mainly for its water permeability, but also for its practicality. It is a functional area that is visited by many people, and thus it needs to be comfortable to walk on, or easily navigable with a stroller," explains the architect.
The return of the skateboarder to Folimanka
The complex also features new furniture. Sufficient seating capacity with benches, tables, and chairs, as well as special grilling areas, invites gatherings with friends or family. The revitalization also included landscaping, with hundreds of new trees and shrubs and thousands of plants added to the park. The original sculpture of the skateboarder also returned to the park, the first of its kind in the world. The legendary bronze skateboarder by sculptor Jaroslav Hladký was successfully reconstructed thanks to a public fundraising campaign.
Memento mori by Krištof Kintera
The architectural studio LOXIA, responsible for the design of the complex, also proposed a connection between the existing upper and lower paths of the park, which had previously been missing. It begins with a staircase with a viewpoint that will lead around the cascade and connect to the main line running through the entire complex. In addition to the view of the entire complex, visitors will also be presented with an artistic work in the form of the Memorial From Your Own Decisions – Memento mori by Krištof Kintera. This lamp was lightly relocated to a new spot during the construction of Jammertal and has finally been connected to electricity, allowing the artist's intention – to keep it lit all day long. The work is finally complete after years.
Dominant yellow staircase
The yellow metal staircase is an element that dominates the entire space. "That place was very bleak and sad; just imagine that there was only the Nusle Bridge, the dark hall of Folimanka, and next to it a blinking gas station, so it needed a little brightness. Not just figuratively, but literally, which is why we chose a striking yellow color that really illuminated the space. We believe it is noticeable to visitors for whom these colors are uplifting and joyful. Yellow generally supports activity, and we believe it belongs to activities like sports," says Jana Mastíková.
Why Jammertal?
The name "Jammertal" originated from the original German designation of the Nusle Valley "Jammer Tal" or the Valley of Wails from the time of devastation during the Thirty Years' War. The locals and long-time residents still refer to the Nusle Valley only by the Czech variant "Jamrtál." By completing the revitalization of the last part of the area under the Nusle Bridge, the overall concept of utilizing the valley has thus been fulfilled.
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Memento mori
Tail78
21.12.23 12:24
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