A tranquil spot in the countryside near the town. Shelter and a viewpoint above the water surface for any weather. The eye above the pond.
We were approached by representatives of the city of Litomyšl to carry out a small urban intervention in the accessible surroundings of the city center. While searching for a suitable plot to enhance the environment with a small project, the shore of Hluboký rybník caught our attention. This is a place where the city meets nature, and people spend their leisure time taking walks.
The rest area at Hluboký rybník (also known as Stará plovárna) is part of the ‘Cíle cest’ (Roadside Attractions) project, which focuses on building small architecture in the vicinity of the town. For this purpose, each year, one winner of the Czech Architecture Prize competition, organized by the Czech Chamber of Architects, is invited. The task, according to the specifications of the city of Litomyšl, is to design a small urban element, at the winner’s own discretion and within walking distance from the city center, with a budget of up to 0.5 million Czech crown.
We wanted to create a structure that would serve the people. We proposed a resting point and shelter that can be used in any weather. The rest area brings visitors closer to the pond and the natural landscape around it. From the outside, the shelter is a geometric artifact protruding from the crest of the pond dam. A circle frames views through the bench, creating a virtual frame for the vista of the natural surroundings of the pond. Two benches with a view invite visitors to spend some time inside, either in solitude or in the company of others. The wooden cladding and solid wall of the external metal shell protect the viewpoint from the road and immediate surroundings, highlighting the water surface surrounded by greenery. We believe that the ‘eye above the pond’ will faithfully serve the residents and visitors of Litomyšl.
