reward: 62,500 CZK proposal no. 25: NL Architects (Netherlands) author team: Pieter Bannenberg, Walter Van Dijk, Kamiel Klaasse, Gen Yamamoto, Barbara Luns, Qili Yang, Liping Lin, Katharina Riedel, Lorena Valero Minano, Ines Quinteiro Antolin
Capital of Culture Every task to build a cultural center is inspiring. However, Ostrava is extraordinary. Here, it is about the intention to insert "ordinary life" into the given equation. Ostrava's desire to become the capital of culture stems from the belief that culture is not limited to mere cultural facilities. Culture equals life as such.
Black Meadow The chosen location has enormous potential. The area of Black Meadow, located near the Ostravice River between the historic city center and places where massive urban construction is planned in the near future, will play a key role in enhancing the attractiveness of Ostrava.
Sex and the City Cities were considered dangerous and dirty for a certain period, simply devilish. The interest in living in cities is returning after a period of aversion that reflected in the mass migration of families to the suburbs in the 1970s and 1980s. According to research conducted by VU University, the main reason for the renewed interest in city living is the possibility of finding a partner.
Happy Family Although about half of the world's population currently lives in cities, it is not always a voluntary decision. Nevertheless, the interest in urban living shows a tendency to grow. One reason is the increasing number of so-called "symmetrical households." A symmetrical household means that both parents are employed and both also perform similar household tasks. In some regions, both parents currently work four days a week. And both take care of the children every day. This will have a significant impact on life in cities. Cities are no longer considered unsuitable environments for children and are becoming increasingly desirable habitats. Their popularity is enhanced by the offer of large apartments and beautiful playgrounds. Plus, their equipment with dining facilities. Mobile phones, and thus mobile food and beverage deliveries as a social network. Work and entertainment.
Aging Population and the City The aging population also likely increases interest in urban living. Spatial proximity can be the key to solving this problem. Cities offer the perfect base for an interesting and meaningful life - ensuring access to culture, education, and care.
Parks The significance of parks for life in cities is continuously growing. For example, in Amsterdam, there has been a huge increase in their usage. Currently, the number of park visitors has doubled compared to 1996, when data collection began.
Urban Park Black Meadow offers a unique opportunity to test a new type of park, namely an urban park that combines lush greenery with existing urban development. This location could serve as a model for the construction of new urban centers. For this reason, enhancing the natural elements of Black Meadow is a promising start.
Navigation System Update A good idea could be to move the road that runs along the river to the edge of the historic center. It seems that the intensity of road traffic does not pose a problem, but there is an emphasis on maintaining open space in the interest of balancing the relationship between the park and the river.
Access Road A one-sided parking lot parallel to the edge of the park forms a suitable access road. From it, branches leading into the park emerge, allowing for easier realization of its functions. The connection of the access road with the possibility of parking only on one side increases its clarity. The road is elegant, and parked cars do not feel intrusive. Are we even capable of achieving a peaceful coexistence of people and cars?
Summary The idea of not focusing attention solely on cultural facilities but also inserting "ordinary public objects" into the given equation is a good one. It offers a unique opportunity to verify new uses of possibilities provided by everyday used objects, such as schools and sports facilities. How can we enhance their cultural potential? How can we learn more? What role can architecture play? Schools could probably demand an expansion of their educational capacity through "the alchemy of programming." Are we capable of building "smart" schools?
Highlighting the Historic Center Today, the edge of the historic city center is unclear, blurred, and cannot be defined. This gives us the opportunity to delineate this center with new constructions, such as office buildings or shops, and thus "enhance" its peripheral parts. Strengthening the edge of the old town will highlight the differences between the twilight of its dense development and the "light" of the new urban park. Wouldn’t it be appropriate to relocate the existing parking lot under the roof of a new market hall?
Strategy The proposed strategy is simple: preserve as many existing plantings as possible, maintain quality buildings, remove or improve those that do not meet the required quality, complete unfinished constructions, and revive the park with new gems.
Cataloging The project includes a list of possible "ingredients" for the new urban park. The proposed strategy is flexible. It allows for easy modifications during the design process, introducing new elements into the project, exchanging individual structures, and making adjustments to plans without undermining the overall solution method.
Complications The fact that individual projects focus on achieving the most suitable coexistence of various functions and maximizing the satisfaction of the city's ecological requirements causes certain complications. However, our goal remains the simplicity of the solution
Gazebo City All new plans are space-saving. All bulky groupings must be excluded. To ensure the continuity of the park, some functions may sometimes be divided to limit their spatial demands. The entire park is interconnected internally. The structures contained within it will be modified as pavilions.
San Gimignano We propose to build a group of small tower-like structures. They will look pleasant and elegant, serving as studios for artists, residential buildings, and student accommodations. These slim and relatively tall structures will enliven the park. Each floor will have only one apartment with an absolutely incredible view. It might help you to imagine life in modern San Gimignano… Jury Evaluation: It is based on the felt strong potential of existing greenery and the phenomenon of the river. According to its own statement, it presents
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