Smetana Gardens and the Extension of the Josef Kajetán Tyl Theatre in Pilsen

In 2008, the city entrusted the authors with the complete reconstruction of the area surrounding the Theater of Josef Kajetán Tyl. This area has undergone significant changes throughout its history; the original city walls were replaced by a circular park, which, however, was subsequently burdened by a traffic artery and insensitive, unclear interventions in the ground level during the 1980s. The area is part of the protected historical reserve of Plzeň. The requirements for the modification of this part of the landscaped corridor included technical aspects related to heritage preservation, the relocation of utility networks in the adjacent road, and operational aspects such as maintaining the modern part of the theater, dismantling the heavy fuel oil boiler and chimney, and enlarging the storage spaces. The assignment also included the placement of the DJKT ticket pre-sale office, the construction of a city café, and an overall cultivation of the space that would positively conclude the gradual reconstruction of this protected cultural monument. The authors primarily aimed to calm the space, “clean it up,” simplify it, and clarify it. The goal was to confidently connect with the already reconstructed parts of the park while allowing the neo-Renaissance building of the theater and its planned modifications to stand out. Ultimately, the city withdrew from the construction of the oval café with a direct view of the most important monuments; the terrace is still waiting for its use. The last intervention was the placement of the memorial to General Patton, a design that emerged from a competition and responded to the planned overall modifications of the area. The authors added a number of trees to the two-colored granite ground level, and the planting of flowers in the new green oval is regularly updated.