CYPEL_2

Location: The Partner Towns’ Square and the cape

The square was created as part of the EU project “Enjoy Cieszyn – a garden of two river banks”, which was carried out from October 2006 to May 2007. Its goal was to improve the infrastructure of the Olza waterfront on the Polish and Czech sides. The idea was to create a recreation and sports base and a place of relaxation for the residents of both cities. The project had an additional, symbolicdimension – it served “to eliminate thenegative effects of the division of thecity in 1920 by creating a new center of both cities on the banks of the Olza river in Cieszyn and Czech Cieszyn.” The square was conceived as a place conducive to meetings and rest in the lush and diverse greenery near the river. On the green cape, where the Puńcówka river meets the Olza, a telescope was to be built, through which one could observe the other side of the river.

 

Because the square is a bit out of the way, cut off from the main
communication route, it is a favourite place for families with children. Both groups value the cape very much, where Puńcówka joins Olza. There, the main attraction is the possibility of entering the river (bathing for dogs). Dog owners use the square and the cape as a play and running area, where dogs can run without a leash – there are few such places in Cieszyn. The cape is also a place for sunbathing with the option of taking a dip in the river. Because this is a place off the beaten track, hidden among the greenery, not everyone knows about it – people sometimes visit the square, but they do not get to the cape. There are people who like this area because of the greenery – you can find interesting plant specimens here. Such users appreciate the possibility of communing with nature and peace, distance from the road, the sound of the river, the scent, views. There was also an opinion that it is one of the few places which is fully sun-lit (not many trees).

 

 

NEEDS

Users who value the peace of this place want to leave it without major
changes. They do not really see the need to put any elements on the
square – certainly not on the circle. Same goes for the cape, where its
“wildness” and secrecy (some people do not know about its existence) is perceive as a value. Families with children would like to see elements facilitating an interesting form of spending time. Among the proposals were: hammocks, benchswings, table with picnic benches, “something” for climbing, ice cream and drinks booths. There was also a suggestion to turn the square into a beach with lots of sand and shadeproviding sails. Dog owners would like to see some elements that would diversify their dogs’ walking routines, e.g. jumping obstacles. They also feel the lack of bins for dog waste.

FINAL RESULTS

A charming green cape on the edge of the Partner Town’s square by which the Puńcówka stream flows into Olza river was a location for participants led by the Czech architect Jan Veisser from ORA office. The main goal for the group, then, was to revive the whole place and attract more visitors. For that reason, the designers’ focus from the very beginning was to create an object which would be visible from both sides of the river.
The created wooden corridor, named by participants Eyescape, works like a megaphone of sorts, or an image which allows us to pause and just listen. Here, one can listen to the beautiful sound of nature, and the two lively rivers in the middle of the city.
The simple form of the furniture piece leaves the users a lot of freedom — walking straight ahead, we observe the city landscape on both sides of the border, whereas users wishing to cool down can sit on the edge of the furniture piece and dip their feet in the cool Olza water while observing and listening to the sounds of nature. Those looking for rest and solitude can stay inside and just watch the sky shine through the wooden structure.

 

Student participiants:

Mikołaj Cichocki, Damian Granosik, Kurmai Kristóf, Daniel Solovev, Lucie Koháková, Anna Sidlovska,Kseniia Nikitina, Amal Al-Shahar, Agnieszka Pluszczewicz
support: Maria Dondajewska

Tutor: ORA/ Jan Veisser

Architect from Czech Republic

Established in 2014 by Barbora Hora, Jan Hora and Jan Veisser,  Znojmo-based studio focuses on the revival of „Original Regional Achitecture.” Although the ORA studio operates throughout the territory of the Czech Republic, it specializes mostly in small towns and regions. That is why the most outstanding projects designed and complemented by this studio are the ones located in or somehow connected with their home region of South Moravia.