Architects: RS+ Robert Skitek
Year: 2014
Photographs: Tomasz Zakrzewski
City: Tychy
Country: Poland
Paprocany Lake Shore Redevelopment, a project by RS + Robert Skitek in Tychy, Poland, revitalizes the lakefront with a wooden promenade and enhanced recreational facilities. The promenade meanders along the bank, offering diverse views and connecting with pedestrian and bicycle paths. Features include a net over the water, benches for viewing water sports, a sandy beach, and an outdoor gym. The project emphasizes natural materials and eco-friendly design, with softwood finishes and water-permeable surfaces. Covering 2 hectares along a 400-meter bank, the redevelopment has quickly become a popular public space for families and visitors.
Paprocany Lake is a popular spot for Tychy residents to spend their free time. Adjacent to the promenade, a recreation center offers numerous sports and recreational activities. The remodeling of the Paprocany Lake area aims to showcase the landscape’s natural beauty while enhancing recreational opportunities for the city’s residents.
The concept features a wooden promenade along the bank that alternately meanders over the lake and back onto the ground, offering varied spatial perspectives. It connects with a pedestrian and bicycle path at the back, descending to nearly touch the water. The promenade includes an opening with a net stretched over the water and specially designed benches that serve as tribunes for water sports competitions. Also, there is a new sandy beach and an outdoor gym.
The primary goal in material selection was to highlight the area’s natural character by predominantly using natural materials. Parts of the construction are covered with shaped land and planted grass. Softwood was used for the benches and railings to complete the promenade area. Hardened areas, such as bike parking and gym equipment spots, feature water-permeable surfaces made from mineral aggregates and EPDM granules. Promenade sections over the lake are supported by steel beams on reinforced concrete piles driven into the lake bed. The terrain is illuminated solely by energy-saving LED lights.
The land development covers approximately 2 hectares along a 400-meter bank. Previously, this area was merely a lawn by the road, largely unused except by fishermen, despite its scenic value. Within the first weeks of opening, despite unfavorable weather, the promenade quickly became a frequently visited public space and a new meeting place. During the day, it serves as a destination for families, while in the evening, it becomes a spot for dates and contemplation.
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Project Location
Address: Tychy, Poland
Location is for general reference and may represent a city or country, not necessarily a precise address.
