We appreciate water

Studio Seho – Poláček

Location
Prague 3 – Žižkov, Czech Republic
50°05’06.2″N 14°27’20.7″E

Completion date
2020

Authors
project management: Hana Seho, Jiří Poláček
student team: Jáchym Kopecký, Matěj Tomešek (authors of the proposal), Kateřina Grejtáková, Jakub Kozler, Alena Radchenko, Dominik Zvelebil

Consultants
Ing. František Denk (static solution)

Collaboration
Truhlářství Ing. Ivo Kraus, Zámečnictví Tomáš Beran

Investor
Architectura – FINEP

Authors of photos
Jan Kratochvíl, Jiří Ryszawy

 

The water level building was built as a temporary installation for the Landscape Festival, which took place in September 2020 in Prague 3 – Žižkov. It was designed for the newly built public space at the intersection of Rokycanova and Prokopova streets. The intention was to add the character of a full public space through a unique kinetic installation and to draw attention to the deflecting water cycle in natural ecosystems. The wooden structure of the podium and wall is embedded between the pilasters of the regularly articulated wall, becoming both part of it and part of the space of the square. The fountain has an integrated simple mechanism that keeps the water circulating from the lower reservoir, guides it to the upper nozzle, and then lets the water flow from the section above, formed by the oak box, to the section below at given intervals. The observer is thus surprised by the constant play of moving elements and sudden streams of water. The delicate balance of elements resonates over the current issues of Czech and global water management, the vulnerability of the water cycle and the need for a concept of sustainable circulation.

Blueprints

Finished construction