Competition project:

Bratislava Riverside: Danube depositions at the Novozamecke riverbed.

Authors: Prof. akad. arch. Imro Vaško, MgA. Shota Tsikoliya, MSc., MgA. Lenka Janušková

5.1.2016

Description of the conceptual design proposal

Authors of the competition entry propose a new universal terrain structure over the whole competition area, which architecturally integrates all the proposed urban, social, cultural and commercial activities. Urban and architectural structure of the “riverbed deposited terrain” (the riverside) generated by the contemporary digital design methods created artistic landscape of the Danube and gives to the capital of Slovakia – Bratislava new original recreational public space.

Bratislava riverside is inspired by the popular Prague rehabilitated public space on the banks of Vltava, which proved itself as a field of various activities of Prague inhabitants and an initiate a cultural exchange between the two former Czechoslovak capitals. Concept of the design refers to the historic topography of the competition area – former riverbed of the Danube. The development of Bratislava has always been connected to the river. The Danube had influenced the image of the city, contemporary street network reflects the former springs and channels of the Danube, which expanded from the Alpic-Karpatian Gates between Vienna and Bratislava towards the southern lowlands.

Dynamic and parametrically modeled terrain of Fajnorovo nabrezie, Safarkovo namestie (with the exception of the Duck Fountains) and a park creates architectural landscape of the river depositions, which are structured as a linear urban park – a floating public space, which with hits configuration of the meanders and waves differentiates the spaces for the passers-by, tourists, students, bicycles or sportsmen. The differences in height allow to propose the “river-deposited dunes”, which create specific architectural spaces under the surface of the universal terrain.

The landscape of the dunes waves and meanders is the only architectural tool of the design of the specific Bratislava Riverside, which reacts to the architectural program without creating any additional architectural noise. The proposal is supposed to bring the Bratislava public space qualities closer the contemporary and original urban design of the new generation, such as presented in Inssbruck (Hannes Stiefel), Yokohama (FOA), Santiago de Compostela (Peter Eisenman) and gardens in Venice or Edinburgh (Charles Jencks).

Prof. akad. arch. Imro Vaško