BEGINNING OF CHANGE - BROWNFIELD SLOVENKA

Banská Bystrica had suddenly developed in the second half of the 20th century. The construction, influenced by modernism, did not consider public space to be advantageous for the city. Apart from the main SNP Square in the historical center, there is no other interesting and functional square in the city. The project aimed to initiate a change in public perception through an exemplary initiation intervention and to increase public demand on the quality of urban spaces. For this purpose, I have chosen longtime unused space on the edge of the center (brownfield) - an area with rich history, but with nothing left nowadays. The potential of the area is high. The core element of the project is the space around the river. A green living space will be created around the riverbed, a new promenade will return the contact with the river to city after years. The new structure consists of solitaires and block buildings. The area around the river is connected to the square and the historical part of the city by a pedestrian street. The irregular structure creates various possibilities of use and experiences. The streets are connected to the existing structure, they pay attention to vista of the area. The construction with green sloping roofs has a maximum of 5 floors. Transport solution for the whole area with preference of pedestrian, bicycle and public transport, was integral part. Static transport is located underground. The area of the new district is intentionally impassable due its nature. Mass addition to the current structure was part of the solution. The square has a quadrangular shape with side lengths of approximately 50 x 60 x 70 x 80 m. One of the most important change was the elimination of traffic only to the necessary one with the prioritization of pedestrians. In addition to the buildings themselves, their cantilevered parts helped to create its closed shape. Besides an energic parterre, functional usage also combines temporary housing and permanent housing: so the square is active throughout the day. The fountain dominantes the square, with design based on the history of the area. The city and its surroundings is attractive for tourists. Nevertheless, the city lacks a high standard hotel. The design hotel meets the standard of a 5 star hotel, including bar, restaurant, conference rooms, wellness and fitness center, which are also open to the public.