International Competition: Landscape-Urban Competition The Mill Race Revitalization in Košice, Slovakia
The city of Košice in cooperation with the civic association Mlynský náhon is preparing a landscape-urban competition Revitalization of the Mill Race in Košice.
Information on the competition:
Type of competition:
public, non-anonymous, project, announced for an unspecified numberof participants, as a competitive dialogue with three workshops
Area to be solved: the wider center of Košice, 1.7 kilometers long, an area of 14 hectares
Main objectives:
transformation of the area into an important urban component for relax and recreation with a watercourse, which creates conditions for the development and maintenance of biodiversity in urban conditions.
Members of the jury:
Ing. Anna Dobrucká, landscape architect
Ing. arch. Jana Koreňová, architect
Ing. Jana Pyšková, landscape architect
Dipl. Ing. Peter Gero, urban planner, architect
Ing. Robert Gregorek, PhD., landscape designer, botanist
Ing. arch. Martin Jerguš, architect, urban planner
Mgr. art. Tomáš Labanc, architect, urban planner
RNDr. Andrej Mock, PhD., biologist
The Mill Race (Slovak: Mlynskýnáhon) is one of the natural branches of the River Hornád,which used to flow through the wider centre of Košice. Until the last century, the Mill Race was an important urban element and source of energy for three mills,one of which was rebuilt into a hydroelectric power plant.In the 1960s, a decision was made to abolish the watercourse in the central part of the city and to place a four-lane road in its original riverbed, which had solved the traffic problems of the dynamically developing city. The northern and southern parts of the stream were preserved, but due to problematic traffic and lack of interest of the city management, both sections gradually degraded.At the end of the millennium, the northern part underwent a partial restoration of the backdrop type,but this was carried out extremely insensitively in relation to the mode of operation of the Mill Race,resulting in liquidation of the distressed habitat in water and on its banks.
Objectives of revitalization and landscape-urban competition
The analysis of present state and potential of the locality, consultations with the professional and lay public, and also the opinion of citizens on the future of the Mill Race, defined the goals we want to achieve by revitalizing the neglected watercourse and its surroundings:
1.Biology -Creating a living watercourse that will provide adequate conditions for the development and maintenance of biodiversity in urban conditions.-Ensuring safe nesting of birds, safe access to water for local animals and enabling the migration of animals between water structures and the environment.-Creating conditions for the development of aquatic vegetation, especially in water, as well as in water and surrounding terrain interface. Design of structural modifications in accordance with the above goals, detailing the species representation of aquatic macrophytes.
2. Urbanism - Transformation of the area into an important urban leisure and recreational element.-Creating the concept of pedestrian and bicycle connections along and across the watercourse.-Creating a concept of public spaces with various functions.-Involvement of the Millstream in the concept of urban green infrastructure.
3. Architecture - Solution of elements of small architecture along the stream: piers, access to water, playgrounds,furniture.-Design of bridges.-Architectural solution of public space in direct contact with water.-Proposal for the solution of unused interblock spaces in the affected area.6/31
4. Its operation - The proposed solutions must take into account rational and economical maintenance and operation of the watercourse, its banks and adjacent areas.-When designing, it is necessary to respect that the maintenance must not adversely affect the habitat especially during the growing season, e.g. by manipulating the water level and water flow in the riverbed.-Technical elements of the solution need to be integrated into the space so that not to interfere,however, at the same time guarantee the full functionality of devices, the safety of the operator,people and pets
Additional information can be found here: https://mlynskynahon.sk/competition-planning/
Basic information on landscape-urban competition The Mill Race Revitalization in Košice
Document about the competition in preparation
Recording of a meeting with public on 11 February 2020
Survey results on the future shape of The Mill Race
Drone-captured video and photo images of the area to be solved
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