Nábřeží Loučné in Litomyšl - 1st place

Proposal Annotation: Non-conceptual adjustments in the past did not allow for the full potential of the area to be utilized. The solution is the restoration and connection of four different urban spaces (the riverbank, the banks of the Loučná River, the city park, and the Water Ramparts) into a unified whole within the broader structure of the city. The various strengths of the spaces complement each other. A promenade under the trees is created along the riverbank for relaxation, socializing, and play with a sculpturally designed musical playground. The natural character of the riverbanks is preserved and made accessible at selected points with light observation points and paths. The focal point of the park is moved to a recreational meadow above the river, and a garden restaurant with a pavilion is restored. The Water Ramparts street is paved and traffic-calmed. The spaces are connected by a new pedestrian bridge and a crossing over the river.

Jury Evaluation: The proposal was appreciated by the jury primarily for its conceptual clarity, reflecting in a simple concept the place and the demands for its future use. It clearly and modestly separates parts of the urban environment from the natural one, which it allows to evolve. Access to this civilization-unregulated environment of the biocorridor is enabled, but only modestly, sensitively, and almost shyly. The continuous line of the wall running through the entire area of the right bank of the Loučná River thus appears not as a barrier, but rather as a multifaceted element that can serve not only as a flood barrier, a place to sit, but also as a manifestation of the authors' respect for nature in general. The realization of this element will undoubtedly require sensitive work in the field, especially taking into account the root systems of the trees.