Pilsen – Anglické nábřeží (English embankment)

We have prepared the project for the ideas contest for the development of the Radbůza river embankment in the centre of Pilsen between Wilsonova Street and Kopeckého park. 

Authors:  Pavel Hnilička, Marek Řehoř, Ondřej Císler
Competition entry:  2009

The current arrangement of the location is confused and unreadable. It certainly does not make use of the locality's potential and or contribute to the urban structure. The place is missing something. Although it is neat and built of stone, only few people spend time there. Something about the place is unpleasant; it lacks stimuli that would attract visitors.

We are convinced that the place should be used for a new building that would help to define and join up the public urban spaces. Nonetheless, the main part of the work invested in this project consisted of reflections on the regulation lines and on the determination of public spaces. Thus we have delimited a construction area of 2 876 m2, on which various kinds of architecture can be built.

We have determined the construction lines of a new city block with the intent to create a 27m wide embankment boulevard with a broad promenade with outdoor seating of restaurants, a low-speed carriageway on the pavement level, a bicycle lane and a river-side pavement.

We propose to plant two rows of plane trees (chosen for their broad treetops) along the boulevard. The proposed modifications of the embankment further include renovation of the existing pedestrian bridge and opening access to the riverside walk to enable a closer contact with the water. The new construction may consist of a single distinct building, or – alternately – the property may be subdivided and separate architectonic contests may be organized for the individual building lots.