Embankment of the river Svratka

The Svratka River does not captivate our gaze with a view of a wide reflecting body of water. Instead, its attraction lies in its intimate spaces, which the passing visitor can experience as a continuous succession of ever-changing images of a riparian park. The design is oriented towards an open society: a society that is not hierarchic, and is tolerant of the differences of others. It is this idea that determines the competition design of spaces open on an egalitarian basis to all, without fenced areas accessible only to a few.

The formulation of public space on the left bank as a colonade with free access to the water opens an opportunity for leisure time activities in the city. The jury would recommend to complement this opportunity by a few concrete options like bathing, sauna or cultural activities. The fact that one can cross the river at a few places on foot is highly appreciated by the jury. On the other hand, the jury would like to see the articulation of the left bank in a less “architectural” manner and recommends leaning towards a more natural non-agressive character that would change gradually into public space. The continual permeabilty of both banks for pedestrians, cyclists and inliners was regarded very positively.

The foremost principle of the design is more space for water and more space for people. This is achieved by re-profiling both riversides. The project aims to create a new atmosphere by highlighting the pre-existing distinctive character of both riverbanks in the course of the technical anti flood upgrade. The intervention strengthens the urban character of the North Bank, whereas the South Bank acts as its complementary scenic counterpart.

The jury appreciates in this design the clarity of the concept – a clear distinction between the characters of the left and the right bank. The design is easy to remember, logical and reinforces the identity of the locality. The connection to the city surroundings takes place in the second plan by using other interventions and by formulating new public spaces. The jury would recommend, however, to develop the right bank further to a space that would offer more shadow and to formulate certain places into more detail that would ccommodate leisure time of the public.

The project is about acknowledging the presence of the Svratka River as an asset, a dynamic driver to regenerate the area and potentially transform it into an economic, cultural and social hub as well as an ecological and leisure park. Two typologies of banks are identified: the left bank as an urban waterfront, the Urban Promenade; and the right bank as a softer and greener river bank, dominated by the presence of a River Park, large open space at the city scale also providing local parks for its adjacent districts.

The design solves the flood protection to a great detial, it looks for new connections in the area and tries to find a way of their intertwining in the place of the river. Such a complex work with analytics and city patterns was greatly appreciated by the jury. The design contains quite interesting proposals for new public spaces. However, the amount and level of the proposed interventions is somehow inappropriate and in case of implementation it would be needed to see which interventions could be omitted. The new bridge at Vídeňská interferes with the Q100 profile and the jury doubts if the public space gained thanks to it would function properly.

River connecting city and nature, river as a space for moving and meeting, river as a symbiosis of water and life. Brno of river and River of Brno – two different worlds reaching out to each other. Forests penetrate the city centre carrying natural softness. Historical city approaches the river and cultivates it. Wedge creates four basic parts: cove – natural sport and recreational areas; island – natural and resting areas; ford – city cultural and recreational areas; estuary – city and resting areas.

The jury appreciates in this proposal very good and detailed analysis of the locality, be it geographical, historical or urban. And even though the design was not regarded as sufficient mainly in regards of the treatment of the left bank for city activities, from the landscape point of view – creating islands, means used for flood protection and coming back to the natural character – it is regarded by the jury as unique amongst other proposals in the competition

“Riverfronts” suggests to expend water domain and to multiply design strategies in order to increase the city resilience and adapt the city to the risk. “Riverfronts” takes the creation of a flood management system as an opportunity to link the city and its river.

The proposal was excluded from the competition for breaching its conditions. The jury awarded it with an honourable mention for partial outstanding solutions: Even though the design is somewhat schematic and lacks the needed depth of development, it comes up with inspirational motives, solving problems with grace and with wider connections to the city in mind. Critical and conceptual approach to the topic is visible in this project. Intertwining of the city and the river has a curatorial character, when the neighbouring city parts are programmatically involved in the life connected with the river. The original graphics is not only of a high quality, but also communicates the chosen strategies in a very suitable manner.