Zbraslav Square

The main goal of the design is to create a pleasant place to stay and clearly define the space of the square, expand the forecourt of existing houses on the square, design attractive places in the shade of trees and especially allow traditional cultural and social activities in the newly paved space. During the design, we identified with the guidelines and principles set out in the Manual for the Creation of Public Spaces, and we further follow up and coherently develop the suggestions and recommendations arising from the analysis and potential of the area. The public space of the square is perceived primarily as a paved area, so we emphasize its importance by the quality and form of the arrangement of the stone paving. Because, as IPR nicely defined, the square is a traditional public space. It represents the city, locality, community and is a meeting place, landmark, salon of the city.

In the proposal, the jury appreciates the overall balance and legible organization of the space, which allows a rich offer of use. The authors confirm what is unchanging in the square, divert transit traffic from the east side, connect it with the main area and thus give an opportunity for its development. At the same time, they set the size of the square appropriately, work with scale and proportion with the help of greenery and, in the opinion of the jury, achieve a harmonious impression: half of the square for "stay in nature", half for "stay in the city" offers double living. More open and closed spaces complement each other and coexist in a good relationship. From a landscape point of view, the proposal has a clear, strong structure that supports the character of the square for any use, whether in normal daily operation or for events with a program. The jury also praises the reverent integration of the monument into the greenery without unnecessary pathos. The design is flexible enough in its scheme and its further modifications within the completion of the study will not damage the authors' concept.

Authors: Luboš Klabík, Tomáš Klapka, Jitka Žambochová, Jaroslav Malina, Natálie Polesňáková, Kristýna Cmíralová, Jiří Koudelka /// The unique situation of the city upon the confluence of two important rivers. It is just as unique to have a huge ancient brewery in the square. The design organizes transport so that we can connect the brewery to the square, creating a quiet zone - a pleasant sitting under the trees overlooking the square, a fountain, people getting off the buses, a market, a monument and the adjacent hills. We then work with water on the square itself using various paving, rain beds, loose paving or a fountain. This creates a pleasant square to stay, which also allows a variety of uses across all seasons.

In the proposal, the jury praises the non-violent form of space organization, the good location of the water element and the concept of precipitation management, where the authors work with the characteristic element of Zbraslav, ie water. The landscaping solution treats selected existing woody plants sensitively and allows their incorporation into the new design. For the jury, the proposal represents a humble approach, where less is more, which has achieved a quiet and safe space in the central part. The authors confirm the brewery as the main building in the square, but at the same time complement it with events in the middle.

The proposed modifications to Zbraslav Square are based on the idea of creating a free city center - a forum that can be filled with almost any content according to the will and wishes of local people. They will complete the space with their activity, so the area is a platform or projection screen for these events, whether it is ordinary meetings, markets, an open-air concert or demonstrations. The main idea of the square is to allow free and unrestricted movement and residence of people who are equal, or even superior to movement in cars.

The use of trees and other greenery and their location makes the character of the facades stand out and appropriately divides and structures the space into a "small square in a large space". The jury appreciates the fact that the designed pavilion, from the user's point of view, replaces the liveliness of the otherwise empty facade of the brewery.

Authors: Vana Pavlić, Hrvoje Arbanas, Saša Košuta, Mario Kralj, Dora Lančarić /// In the period of the digital revolution we are living in, every public space bears the responsibility of generating physical meeting places as well as places for spending enjoyable time outdoors. By changing the existing traffic regime, the central space of the square is freed up, becoming the focal point of social interaction. With a simple gesture, several zones of layered public space are created. The central circular void is the focus of the square, a space that can be used for planned or spontaneous events. The outer perimeter of the square is an infrastructure zone with roads, parking spaces and space for terraces of public facilities. The space in between is a wooded buffer zone that becomes a space of everyday life, a space for living.

The jury awarded a proposal with an honorable mention, because it represents a very clear concept of a green square with a free central space, in which it appreciates the uncompromising gesture in accessing the space. It represents a strong opinion in the discussion about the form of the square in general, and in many respects a timeless concept, the handicap of which may be too much versatility and independence of its surroundings.

The concept of the proposed revitalization of Zbraslav Square is based on its historical development and current needs. The building of the former brewery and picturesque views of the green slope of Havlín with the church of St. Havel and the observation pavilion of Charles' stand became important points of our design. We place the main road along the perimeter of the square. The center of the square will thus remain free and offer the possibility of various activities. The alleys along the perimeter will be omitted in the place of the façade of immovable cultural monuments. These objects then optically enter the solved space.

The jury awarded the proposal an honorable mention, because it appreciates the generosity and representativeness of the solution. The strong space of the paved surface of the square makes the majestic building of the brewery stand out clearly and is a bold admission of a large urban area with a reference to interesting surroundings.