City Park - Városliget

Dunajská Streda

The go-kart track is a historically significant structure whose glory as once the best racing circuit has come to an end. Our goal was to look for values and potential to transform or integrate the racing circuit into the design of the city park - Városliget Dunajská Streda. The form, shape and material of the racing circuit defines our urban park plan, which follows the existing roads and paved areas of the track. The original road on which racing was held is now a road where we play sports, relax, walk. The road has become a destination, a catalyst for activities in the park. We divide the track into an outer loop around the park where athletes, rides (cyclists, skaters) and pedestrians are concentrated. It is the circuit of movement and race that refers to the original function. The inner circuit is not for transit but for recreation, sport and play, these three elements alternate between each other to create a dynamic structure of functions. In terms of material, the track adapts to its users or to the function performed on it - for the playground we need a softer tartan, for table tennis we need concrete, for cyclists we will use asphalt, for recreation we will use clay. Recycling of materials is part of the design, for example, when creating a horizontal-vertical U-ramp we use the excavated soil (1.5m) for a "mole" playground for children. Life in the city park is also stimulated by the entrance pavilion, where there are facilities and a café that is oriented towards the children's playground. Smaller pavilions located on the runway are designed for relaxation or as a meeting point in the park. The area of the go-kart track itself is enlarged in the city park by a second part, which is a secondary field. Here we have created an urban garden where one can lie, walk, eat and explore the meadow and orchard. This part of the park contributes to species diversity and habitat rotation, which also enriches the environment practically and aesthetically. Our intention was to create an urban park that is well-connected to the city, offers users a variety of activities and sensitively adapts the genius loci of the race circuit to its new path.

studio: ORA architects + Mooods

team: Patrik Domanický, Bohdan Hollý, Zoran Samol

scope: Competition proposal

area: 4,1 ha

client: City - Dunajská Streda

locality: Dunajská Streda

Axonometry

Wider relations XL

The town of Dunajská Streda has a number of relaxation, sports, industrial and agricultural sub-centres on its perimeter. At the same time, meanders of dead arms of rivers flank the city on its periphery. By linking these centres through blue-green corridors, we have an urban green circuit that makes the current periphery of the city more attractive. The proposed urban park is an extension of this green circle.

Wider relations L

The site of the go-kart track is outside the built-up area of the town. Connection with the city is only by road. To increase the visitation and awareness of the city park for citizens, we connect it with new sidewalks and bike paths to the existing development. We propose to build a new public transport stop to make the park accessible from the centre or nearby villages.

Masterplan

Old / New

The race track becomes the skeleton of the proposed park, which is a new layer of a living organism. Removing, adding and reconstructing the race track does not increase the ratio of paved areas. Such a system provides an economical and sustainable solution for adapting a go-kart track to an urban park. We are relocating the power lines underground.

Public space

The new programme transforms an existing race track into a path of play, sport and relaxation. The path is the backbone, life and destination of the urban park, which divides the go-kart track into an outdoor circuit and an indoor track that is a catalyst for activity.

Transportation

We are retaining the entrance, the main entrance to the site, where we are locating parking just beyond the property line. The supply is provided by a passable pavement. We are proposing a cycle and running circuit around the perimeter of the park, which refers to the original function of the race track. In the centre of the park we propose a skate park together with a traffic playground for children.

Vegetation composition

The proposed greenery is a continuation of the existing vegetation of the woodland park, which will become an extension of the park in the future. We are forming a group planting of trees and vegetation around the rest areas, creating a 'green parasol'. In turn, we are creating open sunny spaces where vegetation can grow.

Water management

Blue infrastructure and water retention in the area is proposed as localised water catchment throughout the park. Rain gardens are located along the right-of-way. A retention pond is in place around the paved areas. Water from the roof of the main pavilion is stored and reused in the public restrooms.

Between the spaces

The next layer of the design is to define the spaces that the runway defines. We are locating the main entrance pavilion here and also using the existing paved areas, which are transformed into playgrounds. By various modifications to the grass surfaces, we create a living or playing environment amidst the greenery.

View of the park