Modifications to the banks of the River Loučná I

From the 19th century, the River Embankments (Vodní vale), originally part of the town fortifications, had the appearance of a park through which the River Loučná and a mill race serving Panský Mill flowed (02-22). Its poetic beauty was ruined during the early 20th century when the mill race was encased in concrete. However, the greatest damage was caused with the construction of the new road through the centre of the town nearby. The river was somewhat isolated from everyday life. The state of the “Bernardka” section was redressed thanks to modifications carried out according to designs by Josef Pleskot's AP design studio between 2001 and 2002 (02-VP3). The remaining section parallel to Smetana Square was revitalized in 2017, as a result of cooperation between Litomyšl town council and the Karel Komárek Proměny Foundation.

The architectonic design by the Rusina Frei architekti design studio was the result of an architectural design competition, the 2013 Proměny Foundation Award, and linked the hitherto separated areas of the embankment, river banks, the park at Smetana House and Vodní Valy Street together. The competition requirements reflected the wishes and needs of the townspeople who use the embankment most often. The participation of the inhabitants is directly visible in the material itself: the low, red wall, zigzagging along the entire length of the revitalized area of the river bank has become the leitmotiv of the whole transformation and is “tattooed” with inscribed memories of the people who grew up along the Vodní Valy embankment, and who share an emotional attachment to it. However, it is not just through this level of public participation that the embankment is exceptional. It is also through its architectonic and artistic concept which focuses on the embankment promenade and its playground with creatively executed playground equipment designed by the sculptors Dušan Zahoranský and Pavla Sceranková. These items, designated Ear, Crystal, Mountain, Loch Ness Monster and Zigzag, all carry the mutual motifs of sound and music, a direct reference to the locally-born composer Bedřich Smetana. The promenade includes a terrace for the nearby café and various types of seating.

The designers retained the wild character of the river banks and, in several places, provided simple hides for watching birds and fish. The designers included new places for crossing the river itself, either by means of stepping stones or via a suspension bridge which, similarly to the incorporated hide, features a transparent steel structure which has minimal impact on the surrounding environment. The intrusive building of the waterworks above the river was utilized in the construction of the hide. The park at Smetana House and the activity meadow features a steel pavilion with a living roof, where cultural events are held. Paving part of Vodní Valy Street was also an integral part of the design project by Rusina and Frei. The street level was unified; instead of horizontal markings and bollards, the various functions of the street surface are indicated by the layout of the stone sets; the cycle-path is marked with an artistic metal outline of a bicycle.