- Study: 2021
- Location: Žilina- Solinky, SK
The priority aim of the urban study is to create an attractive public space with a residential and transit function for the social and recreational activities of the residents, while respecting the existing functional and operational relationships, with the preservation of natural features, their emphasis and sensitive completion of the residential environment so that the environment of the center of the housing estate is functional and aesthetically balanced with an emphasis on safety and accessibility. The proposed space is located in the central part of the Solinky housing estate between Jaseňová, Borová, Gaštanová and Limbová streets. The eastern border is closed by the Billa department store with service premises, the northern border is made up of the parking lot on Borová Street, the western border is made up of apartment buildings and parking lots on Borová Street, and the southern border is the sports field of the elementary school on Gaštanová Street and the grounds of the elementary school on Limbova Street. The solution reflects the customer’s requirements to create a square with a high proportion of greenery in the center of Solinie – the so-called “Green Square”. The proposal therefore deals with the minimum amount of paved areas and focuses more on the creation of a “green oasis” – residential greenery providing residents with rest, relaxation, sitting and various leisure activities. A key element of the design was the creation of a functional pedestrian connection through the territory both in the S-S direction and in the E-W direction, with the creation of a smaller scattered gathering area, which is designed in the southern part of the territory and is the natural culmination of the pedestrian promenade with businesses. This paved area has a representative character, is lined with flower beds, has benches and a pergola object with free street seating and implemented bike racks. It should also serve as a space for holding occasional social events such as Christmas markets, fairs, town festivals… when it is possible to place 7 mobile market stalls on this area. The rest of the square is designed as a green leisure area with a water feature as the dominant feature of the space. The living space is optically separated from the waste management and supply of the Billy operation by a living green wall of Carpinus betulus. an interesting feature of the area is the presence of the Všivák stream, which is today drained and runs in a pipe under the treated area, but from the point of view of the historical memory of the area, it represents one of the motives of the proposed revitalization. The water element is analogous to the theme of the presence of the Všivák stream, i.e. the character of the flow of the upper parts of the watercourses in Slovakia. The dominant feature of the space is the water element, which we propose to solve as a wading site with an inflow of water. It is an approx. 150 mm deep swollen water level in a reinforced area lined with sitting walls continuing into moderate earthen embankments planted with multi-stemmed plants with an understory of decorative grasses and open grassy areas. The inflow of water is a few meters north of the so-called a spring with a spring. The water element flows under the side pedestrian road.
