Lesopark V Zátiší

The main priority for the forest park is to establish a system of values and procedures leading to its increased use by the inhabitants of Vodňany. We are adding a forest square to the building structure of the forest as a new form of public space. The forest squares are connected by a supply road and a network of footpaths that link to the existing forest paths. The sightseeing trails in the area are also newly introduced to Zátiší.
The Forest Squares are the ceremonial rooms of the city lying outside its built structure. The spirit and history of Radcice Hill itself is encoded in the forest squares: orchards as well as meadows, formerly pastures. Natural public spaces are built into the forest to accommodate parties, weddings, lectures, performances, receptions, and private entertainments - life. We work with acupuncture in the landscape to make it accessible, enlivening and closer to people without necessarily having to forgo the comforts of urban life. Forest squares and footpaths are places of residence in nature that do not require the visitor to dress in trekking or sports clothes but welcome them in civilian clothes.

Green infrastructure
The jury responded to our concept with several recommendations, which we share, and we present a proposal where the original concept has been refined to a more detailed scale and with the jury's recommendations incorporated. In addition, we have focused on understanding the design as part of green infrastructure, which is a hot topic in the field of architecture today. We see green infrastructure as a tool to more thoroughly connect and understand the interrelationships between the built and unbuilt environment. We feel that the legislation has shifted our perception of nature into something that does not include homo sapiens, and on the other side of the barricades has placed the city (the built environment), which is seen as the counterpart of everything living except humans. In this context, we see Forest Park V Zátiší as an ideal place where we can exemplify the use of green infrastructure on a small scale and contribute to a renewed understanding of nature and the city as an overall ecological and economic system that includes everything, including humans.
Links with the city
To elaborate on the above ideas, we have prepared an analysis of the current state of the mature trees that occur in the urban ring of Vodňany. We propose the addition of these trees in order to create a green belt around the urban core, especially in places where oversized asphalt areas dominate today (the corner of Zeyerova and Elektrárenská streets near the bus station or Tylova Street). At the same time, we propose to continue the green axis running along Tyršova Street further through the centre to Holečka Street. This will emphasize the baroque axis from Lázně to Radčická Hill. Although this conceptual consideration takes place outside of the project area, given the theme of the competition - how to better connect the city and the landscape - it is important for the way we work with greenery as a tool. The result will be not only a stronger connection but also a more distinct and beautiful composition of the city and the landscape.

Entreé of the forest park
In the context of city-landscape communication, the green axis and the belt around the center are in the plane of recommendation and reflection. However, in the present proposal, the subject is dealt with in more detail. We fully respect the network of nature trails and in the plan area we link these trails to the restored or new paths in and around the forest park. The forest park can be entered from many places, but we consider the main entrance to be the axis from the city centre along Tyršova Street, which runs between Malá and Velká Podvinica. This main axis is compositionally the strongest entrance, it is also the most accessible point from the city, whether on foot, by bike, by car or by public transport.

We believe that the forest park will become an attractive place for the inhabitants of Vodňany and the wider area, especially by offering a unique combination of things that meet in Zátiší. Above all, it is the fishing school and the faculty that should step out of the school premises and be more active in their surroundings. This is facilitated by the new auditorium, where public lectures and classes can be held. In addition, we expect that the new information center with a café marking the main entrance will become an interesting point where the forest park and its program will be presented in situ, along with the fishing tradition of Vodňany. We know that the preparation of the brief for this competition was carried out in close cooperation between the city and the schools. We, therefore, assume that the exact program of the information center will be a matter of further negotiations and agreement between them. The still life should become a destination for more frequent visits and trips to learn about the traditions of the South Bohemian region. These inherently include both fish farming and the cultural landscape in its basic form: forest paths, footpaths, clearings, and viewpoints. These elements are the basis of our proposal. We are deliberately not resorting to the colorful attractions and multigenerational playgrounds that are now being sown by the handful. We rely on the unique power of nature.