Excerpt: The Visitor Facilities “U Prutu,” designed by Prokš Přikryl Architekti, is a flexible, floating structure located by the City Reservoir. Its adaptable design accommodates multiple functions, with the space divided into three equal sections: a kiosk, a covered seating area, and public restrooms. Thoughtfully integrated into its natural environment, the facility enhances the diverse ecosystem of the reservoir’s various areas.
Project Description
[Text as submitted by architect] The current situation on the banks of the reservoir known as the “Jablonec sea”, one of ever-increasing stands without proper facilities, became unbearable; hence the town decided in 2020 to launch a competition for public facilities at three different locations.
‘U Prutu’ (= by the fishing rod) is clearly the most urban locality, due to the nearby housing estate, the playground, the promenade, the cycle path, and the beach. Further, it is the first one of the proposed facilities built.
The kiosk floats freely in the new self-binding gravel area, making use of the multiple access directions and the existing trees thus become integrated into the whole. It will be the only one of the proposed facilities to operate all year round. The facility is divided into equal thirds: the kiosk, the covered seating and the public toilets.
Like the other proposed buildings, it draws on shared principles:
– all buildings are linear, longitudinally oriented, adjacent to existing roads
– they face the water surface, which is the defining element of the whole
– they have a comprehensible wooden structure with a covered porch
– they create a counterpoint to the mature trees through their horizontal mass.
In its entirety, the kiosk can be completely closed by a folding door, which is located on the outer line of the porch. This covered corridor not only links the internal functions into a single whole but additionally unifies all the proposed buildings around the dam. The black paint of the façade relates neutrally to the facades of the block of flats behind and reinforces the interior/exterior duality.
If a new facility is needed in the vicinity of the reservoir, it should be conceptually identical to those already proposed. The individual layout, in turn, can be adapted to the site and needs. Similarity of design for the objects would, as a result, support the natural diversity of the different corners of the reservoir.
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