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Vltavská Underground in Prague, Czech Republic by U / U studio & Re_place

Project name:
Vltavská Underground
Architecture firm:
U / U studio [architecture]. Re_place [concept of the site revitalisation]
Location:
Hlávkův most, Vltavská, Prague 7, Czech Republic
Photography:
Jiří Kotal
Principal architect:
Design team:
Jiří Kotal, Martin Hrouda, Andrea Nováková, Marek Peřík, Lukáš Kalivoda, Jan Maleček [U / U studio]. Martin Kontra, Richard Preisler [Re_place]
Built area:
1810 m²
Site area:
Design year:
2021
Completion year:
2022
Collaborators:
Skatepark contractor: Bonidee Skateparks. Graphic: Jakub Karlík. Light design: Maxo Simko, Jan Poš. Lights contractor: TSK. Ollie the Pig sculpture: Mikoláš Zika + Jan Bejcha.
Landscape:
Civil engineer:
Structural engineer:
Environmental & MEP:
Lighting:
Construction:
Supervision:
Visualization:
Tools used:
Material:
Smoothened concrete – floor of the skatepark, obstacles, radiuses, Ollie the Pig. Steel – edges of the obstacles, pipe elements, urban furniture, poles. Plastic foil – mirrors. Larch wooded planks – podiums, urban furniture.
Client:
Prague 7 City District
Status:
Built
Typology:
Public Space

U / U studio & Re_place: We proudly invite you to the public space/night club on the river. We are injecting life into the Vltavska underpass, which lost its transit purpose between Hlavkuv bridge and became a place that citizens of Prague try to avoid while visiting the transport intersection at Vltavska. We replaced the vacancy and darkness with freestyle activities’ spots in two stages.

On the daily menu, you can find a streetball area, dance floor with mirrors, pole dance, obstacles for freestyle sports, workout, bouldering wall and public art gallery. Design is more focused on skateboard, BMX and freestyle scooter riders, for those in need of covered areas with artificial light. The water element, the linear stream of the Vltava River, became the key aspect of our design. Night spa is not dependent on the season, weather nor time of the day. Underpass is proposed to create safe shared space for its users, pedestrians and cyclists.

The whole underground space went through deep cleaning and surface improvement. The main materials of our design are steel and concrete for long durability and easy maintenance. The feeling of safety is enhanced with new linear lights in the whole area. For when you are tired, the club has a chill-out zone with a beautiful city view in front of you. The entrance area, which is closer to the public transport hub, is prepared for a pop-up bar and bistro. We also have a permanent guest: Ollie the Pig. He has a QR code that allows you to support the underprivileged sector of society, who lost their homes and accommodates in the area, through the transparent account of Prague 7. We are all neighbours. Have fun!



 

About studio

U / U studio

We are an architectural studio based in Prague, formed of architects, landscape architects and engineers, sharing the same passion for skateboarding. Our philosophy is to merge freestyle sports into urban planning, in a search for the most attractive social environment for riders, as well as for all public users. Our proposals bring innovative and professional solutions for each locality individually. Our goal is to design public spaces that support social interaction within the city.


By Liliana Alvarez

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