HUA HUA ARCHITECTS won 2nd place! Slovak Skalica announced the results of the architectural-landscape competition for the City Park Under the Walls

Authors' annotation:
Our key idea is to respect the route of the culverted Zlatnický stream and transfer it to the main gravel path – the backbone of the park, which divides it into two zones: active and relaxation. We propose functional zones for everyone, a children's playground, multifunctional sports facilities, and relaxation areas. Included is an open area for skating and skateboarding, which also serves for hosting circuses and fairs.

At the center of the park is a café. Along the path for all passersby. The public space is culturally enriched by a number of artistic installations that can exist here permanently or temporarily. In the next phase, we present a new multifunctional building on Pod Městskou zdí street. We are creating Zlaté náměstí, a new social and cultural center. The area is defined by the new dance hall Zlatonka, a commercial ground floor, a shooting range, and the city walls. The structure of the dance hall is distinctly shaped from the existing regular development.

The connection of the site to Kollárova street and the monastery garden is addressed using corten steel towers. With respect for the historical context. The towers do not disrupt the city wall and add to its attractiveness. The wall is now accessible and offers unprecedented views. Pedestrian traffic has priority. We have interwoven the main pedestrian route with a network of complementary paths. We are restoring a safe underpass for children between the park and the primary school. Outside the park, we lead a separate bike path. Vehicle parking has been diverted with a row of trees around the perimeter of the park. We create an urban landscape rich in varied vegetation: solitary trees, perennial flower beds, and park lawns. In the proposal, we prioritize biodiversity and rainwater management. We support the quality of public space with shading and water features.

More visualizations and detailed descriptions can be found on the HUA HUA ARCHITECTS website:
https://www.huahua.cz/portfolio/2-misto-mestsky-park-pod-hradbami


Jury's assessment:
The central gravel pathway running through the area follows the course of the culverted stream, descending in the north and passing under Kráľovská street, which is perceived as a controversial level-separated transport solution. This central gravel path divides the area into an active zone near the city walls and a "relaxation" zone with dense tree planting along Mýtna street. Such separation of the active zone from the street is considered an advantage for the activities taking place in this zone (users are further away from noisy traffic, and when a ball goes over the goal line, a child can safely retrieve it...), but it is questionable whether the "relaxation" zone located solely closer to the street will fulfill its naming with its atmosphere and operation.

In addition to the main gravel path, the communication network of the area consists of a series of diagonal connections linking existing entrances to the area (logical links to surrounding streets), proposed entrances through the walls (in this proposal at three places), plus areas in the southern part of the area without crossings through the walls – there, the addition of diagonal routes is perceived as a somewhat less functionally justified continuation of the rhythm of routes established by the objective needs of the northern part of the area. The network works non-hierarchically, providing the possibility to cover distances with short routes, which is a positive aspect on one hand, but on the other hand, the necessity for such a multitude of routes, the details of their sharp intersections, and the functionality of spaces defined in this way between the routes are questionable. A parallel path adjacent to the walls has a questionable width - it is considered relatively narrow, and its tight proximity to the walls is seen as problematic regarding the potential to place it further away from the walls.

The proposed breaches of the walls would be a welcome urban and operational connection between the park and the center; their feasibility would be conditioned by the consent of the heritage preservation authority (KPÚ). They are not necessarily a prerequisite for the realization of the proposal, which would retain its qualities even without them.

Dealing with the theme of the walls - the proposed trio of towers at the breaches and the accessibility of the crown of the walls were perceived as too intense an intrusion into the heritage-protected site. On the other hand, the solution for the northern built-up part of the area was viewed very positively – the proposed dance hall object set back from the body of the walls combined with the edge of the newly proposed multifunctional building creates spaces of an adequate scale for the site. The connection form of the dance hall to the monastery building with the art school (ZUŠ) in the form of a neck was seen as a suitable solution, again needing further details to be worked out in dialogue with KPÚ Trnava.

The urban planning solution for the northern part of the area was perceived very positively by part of the jury. The decision to retreat from the continuous area of the parking lot and to relocate parking capacities into the form of perpendicular parking along the area from Mýtna street was also received positively. The proposal for a relatively massive new building was perceived mixedly.

The proposal is processed in a high degree of detail. It is likely that even in the case of cost optimization, it will retain its core conceptual qualities.

Regular jury members:
Ing. arch. Peter Lényi, chairman of the AA SKA jury
Ing. arch. Stašek Žerava, AA ČKA
Ing. arch. Radko Květ, AA ČKA
doc. Ing. Attila Tóth, PhD. AKA SKA
Ing. Anna Dobrucká, PhD. AKA SKA

Substitute jury members:
Ing. arch. Andrej Alexy, AA SKA

Jury expert:
Ing. Katarína Švorcová
Ing. arch. Gabriela Kvetanová

The evaluation meeting of the jury took place on April 15, 2025, at the City Hall in Skalica.