Prague 3 – Kapslovna: New park near Parukářka
The proposal is ready, the questionnaire survey is currently underway and at the beginning of summer in June, participation is planned with the inhabitants of Prague 3 and passers-by on the spot. In this way, the public can comment on the planned intention. Although landscape architect Zdeněk Sendler works with his team in the new form of the park, the project is related to the broader intention of Olšanská Street, which employs the UNIT architects group on behalf of the Institute of Planning and Development in Prague (IPR).
These are both the street itself and the land areas of the Olšany cemeteries and the development on their southern side. “The whole area of Olšany Cemeteries, Parukářka and the future Kapslovna is the imaginary big green heart of Prague 3. It is potentially a recreational area, which has also acquired large proportions in Prague,“ I think Filip Tittl from UNIT Architects. At present, however, they allegedly lack a proper connection of all places into one large system.
Nature for all
Zdeněk Sendler’s architectural team is planning two gardens – the first will be made of stone to protect amphibians and reptiles, the second will be based on the principle of the playing area. On two hectares between Sauerova and Pitterova streets thus, a beautiful natural park divided into two parts and a forest nursery with three energy-efficient buildings will grow.
However, according to Zdeněk Sendler, the project is said to be extremely difficult to implement. There are too many different places, actors and interests. Both gardens have a pleasant natural character. For example, the typical agate is to be used today.
The garden should also function as an interesting natural element. There should be a minimum of artificial things. Lighting will be minimized. It is not a twenty-five to thirty meter light trigger. Not even the terrain is interfered with much.
The forest “steppe” nursery will be established in a place where people go for walks and otherwise it has no wider use. We will build three houses here – bedrooms, dining room and toilets. The kindergarten will have a capacity of 16 children, the houses will be lined with wood and will have green roofs. The toilets will be compostable. This is clean operation.
Problematic name
“Honestly, our team has a problem called Kapslovna,” team boss Zdeněk Sendler frowns. The architect liked the original name of the design far more Gardens under the Hill of the Holy Cross. The colleague, the famous architect Josef Pleskot, shares the same opinion. “The name irritates me. I just can’t accept something so brutal, unethical and terrible. “I give up the authorship of this proposal,” he says. The new name is now awaiting formal approval by the local authority.
Why Kapslovna?
The name was chosen from five other proposals by 1,122 people who voted on it through a survey. The preferred name did not come from any whim, as evidenced by the proximity of U Kapslovny Street. The refers to the well-known Žižkov factory for the production of matches and capsules for ammunition, on behalf of Sellior and Bellot. They founded it in the 19th century two French businessmen and a chemisti, of which Nocolas Bellot once owned a castle in Prague’s Petrovice, where he also lived.
Although the company still exists, the factory on the other side of the hill from the planned park has not survived. 463 people voted for Kapslovna, 337 people chose the second place in Jaroslav Foglar Park.
A model of the possible future of the Žižkov Freight Station Eva Fornálová
The expected appearance of Kapslovna Park in the spring of 2022 under Parukářka. The team is led by landscape architect Zdeněk Sendler
Author: Web planujtrojku.cz