It wasn't so long ago that a regatta was held on the Dřínov water reservoir, and people from the surrounding area came here to relax, while flocks of birds lived in the surrounding marshes and peats. In 1981, not only this lake but also the railway line, the village of Dřínov, and some other villages had to give way to coal mining. It would be hard to find a place that has undergone a more fatal transformation and has such a troubled history. This is an area that was swallowed by the brown coal mine ČSA, which extends under Horní Jiřetín, thirty years ago. The diminishing coal reserves in the mentioned mine have caused this area to come under scrutiny from politicians and the media in recent times. The frequently discussed topic caught my interest and led me to ask how to handle the mine after mining has ceased. During my subsequent research, I came across a project for the technical reclamation of the affected landscape. I had the opportunity to see that these "masking" concepts do not work very well on the already reclaimed areas around the mine. Vaguely addressed land use plans can indeed become a breeding ground for inappropriate development projects. I believe that for an area with such significant development potential, considerable caution is necessary.
In solving my project, I chose a different approach. To preserve the authenticity and energy that this landscape possesses, I am leaving it to natural succession. I approach it as a clearly defined entity with a raw character, like an industrial footprint. I anticipate the natural gradual flooding of the entire mine, resulting in an extensive water surface.
I situate my project at the interface of the future lake and the villages of Černice and Horní Jiřetín. Here, I propose a nature reserve, while trying to accentuate the subtle elements of the landscape that it has gradually lost. I particularly mean restoring natural structures such as wetlands, reed beds, and especially the natural nesting sites of water birds that were typical for this area. These structures are enclosed and have a supporting platform created by an orthogonal grid of wooden walkways. The grid is defined by three main axes, which connect existing and extinct villages. It is designed as a "growing" structure, so it can expand and thus adapt to nature and new needs.
Along the main axis, I place three towers for different uses, which define the scale of any later interventions. The objects have a direct relationship with the development of the given locality. The first tower with an adjacent boat house is intended for a canoeing club, the second tower serves scientific purposes as a biologists' station, and the third tower can be used by tourists as an observation tower and a shelter.
Through this vision, I did not want to create replicas of what has vanished, but rather to evoke the original nature and character of the landscape.