The Náplavka of the Lužická Nisa in Liberec will be adorned with works by sculptor Magdalena Jetelová

naplavka

Liberec - The newly built Náplavka of the Lužická Nisa in Liberec will be adorned with works by sculptor Magdalena Jetelová, a native of Semily. The glass company Preciosa will take care of the decoration of the new entrance to the Liberec Region headquarters, which is part of the project. The glass elements will reference not only the history but also the present of the region, as well as the production of glass, jewelry, and costume jewelry. This was stated today by the Liberec governor Martin Půta (Mayors for the Liberec Region).

Jetelová's works are not unknown to the residents of Liberec; her chairs adorned the corner of the Liberec Town Hall for an entire year 20 years ago, being the first artistic work placed there. In 2021, the native of Semily also presented herself at the Regional Gallery. For the pool hall space, which is the main exhibition area of the gallery, she created a specific moving installation reminiscent of a water surface. The exhibition titled Transformations of Place and Space also showcased other works by the world-renowned Czech-German sculptor.

Not only due to the unplanned placement of the artworks, the Náplavka project has become more expensive. According to Půta, the cost has so far increased by about five million crowns to 147 million after four amendments, and the region still has ten million crowns in reserve. "The largest amount, 1.34 million crowns, is for the entrance, which, according to the structural engineer's opinion, was fine. It was discovered that there are corroded iron structures in those reinforced concrete elements, and all those beams on which the staircase is suspended had to be re-cast," the governor added.

The Náplavka is part of a billion-crown project to cultivate the lower center of Liberec. The project began in 2014 when the Liberec Region purchased buildings and land adjacent to its headquarters from VÚTS (formerly the Research Institute of Textile Machines) for 125 million crowns for an area of more than 11,000 square meters. The region has already invested hundreds of millions into the renovation of the buildings. The construction of the Náplavka began last September, following the first phase, which included a parking garage, and is expected to be completed by the end of October. There will also be another phase financed by Liberec.

The surroundings of the regional headquarters have mainly served as a parking lot in the past; builders are now working on transforming it into a place that should serve for relaxation and socializing in the future, and a neglected park has been revitalized. There is also bustling activity around the Lužická Nisa, with a new direct entrance to the regional office planned via a footbridge, which was already included in the original project by architect Zdeněk Plesník from the late 1960s. Work is also ongoing on a staircase that will allow visitors to descend to the river and dip their feet in the water.