What’s new in Nová Paka?

Nová Paka, a small town located between the tourist areas of the Bohemian Paradise and the Krkonoš mountains, is a symbolic gateway to the Bohemian Paradise. Since this year, it can also boast a very successful reconstruction of the bus station. For the first time in the history of the town, travelers will experience a modern terminal with a covered hall, which will provide them with facilities in glass waiting rooms, including social facilities and a bike storage area. The area around the new bus station has also changed beyond recognition. The statue of Mercury by Vojtěch Sucharda has been newly renovated and relocated to a dignified place. The individual covered platforms and the unsightly green railings have disappeared, and even prehistoric amphibians have found their place here.

The transport terminal was created according to the winning project by the Loca Plan studio. In a survey, the residents of the town decided on it, as well as on the proposal itself: to reconstruct the existing station, build a new terminal, or keep the existing one. 62% of respondents chose reconstruction.

A distinctive feature of the green roof of the new check-in hall is a round opening through which a tree will one day peek above the town. This is Ginkgo biloba, and its selection alludes to the Bohemian Paradise, the first European UNESCO Geopark in the Czech Republic. The new bus terminal plays a significant role not only in terms of transportation but also in the overall urbanism of the town. The shape and angle of the roof are not accidental. “Our goal was to bring a new urban-forming element,” explains Ing. arch. Ondřej Duchan, adding: “We modeled the building to preserve views of the surrounding monuments, and from the opposite perspective of the monastery, we softened the roof area with vegetation.” Compared to the original station, which occupied the entire area, the new building has successfully re-involved Biskupská Street in the lives of the people.

The thoughtful building is complemented by modern furnishings. The Czech company mmcité provided not only benches but also bike racks, trash bins, tree guards, barrier posts, and stop signs. The concrete building is softened by the three-armed Woody bench. The outdoor bench, inspired by the aesthetics of piled timber, consists of a massive slatted structure made of wooden boards firmly secured by six stainless steel screws. The hefty block rests on optically slender steel legs, as if hovering over the pavement in all its heaviness. The bench is completely maintenance-free, the wood is left without any coating, only impregnated against pests, and ages beautifully and naturally. You might also know it from the top of the highest mountain in Europe, Mont Blanc. In contrast, the seating in the indoor waiting area features irregularly placed black metal Radium benches connecting to the iron columns of the structure.

With the modern terminal, the number of parking spaces will also significantly increase. More have been added to the opposite renovated parking lot Na Tržišti, which features an unusual water element. The fountain resembles the imaginary confluence of Rokytka and Brdský creek, guarded by bronze statues of trilobites. A representative of the extinct ancient amphibian, living from the Late Devonian to the Early Jurassic, was created by local sculptor Albert Králíček. Each of the “crumbs” measures over two meters, is half a meter wide, and weighs around eighty kilograms.

The cost of the new bus terminal has risen to 65 million crowns. “The grant from the European Union through the Integrated Regional Operational Programme and the Ministry for Regional Development covered most of the costs. A total of 48.5 million crowns,” confirmed Nová Paka mayor Josef Cogan. According to the city hall, this is the largest investment project in the last five years.

INFORMATION
Project author: architectural studio Loca Plan s.r.o.
Contractor: Gardenline s.r.o.
Subcontractor for urban furnishings: mmcité a.s.
The cost of the construction was 65 million CZK.
The EU grant through the Integrated Regional Operational Programme (IROP) and the Ministry for Regional Development amounts to 48.5 million CZK.

Products by mmcité: Arbottura tree guards, Radium benches, Sinus benches, Woody benches, Velo bike racks, Bistrot tables, Sinus benches, stop signs, Lotlimit barrier posts, Crystal trash bins.