Veronika Bartošová: The Roosevelt Island Universal Arts Center

Jury Evaluation: The jury appreciated the clean architectural form that well expresses the basic idea of the concept. The author sensitively assessed the potential of the site, which is exceptional. The work is excellently managed in the given scale and the material is very well utilized. The design addresses the immediate access of visitors to the water surface, which is integrated into the ground level. The jury also evaluates the possible reasonable economic feasibility of the proposal.

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The intention was to create an "art village" that lies along a path running through the island.
The path forms the main communication space, a guide for easy orientation.
The path is a connector of various experiences. A path through the park, a path through the ruins, a path through the monastery-art village, a path to the boat……And the boat? It continues that path…..

The entire addressed area is divided into three basic parts:
1. PARK - green carpet, hill covered with agricultural crops, botanical garden
2. RUIN - empty exhibition space, the entrance hall of the area
3. ART CENTER - concrete artificial end of the island, monastery, art village, monolith (theater, gallery, restaurant, café, event hall, studios)

ART CENTER
The art center and its program is a modern monastery, providing:
education
shelter
spreading art

The center consists of two bands of buildings that surround the path running through them. The buildings appear from the street as closed caves - concrete or glazed windows - glass. Some spaces try to communicate with each other ("across the street") (restaurant), while some are turned inward and darkened (theaters). The visitor walks through and observes the life of this microcosm. The intimacy of the space is variously graduated. It transitions from the public space of the street to private places (gardens, studios…).

The entire center lies on an artificial concrete surface - a carpet that extends to the shores of the river. Stairs that are on most of this platform allow a person to get directly to the water, to the East River.
The buildings and the terrain are closely related - materially (concrete), conceptually, structurally.
Together, they create a monolith, a sculpture, the artificial end of the island.

The concept of the entire area functions similarly to a pass-through village:
path - village square
riverside, gardens - yard
park - fields

I tried to create an environment that will be brought to life and inhabited by people, whether visitors or artists. The concrete structure will sometimes be abandoned, overgrown with moss, at other times shining brightly, living with theater, celebrations….