People meet in Petržalka | The requalification of a public space in a post-socialist neighborhood

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POLITECNICO DI MILANO Facoltà di Architettura e Società Corso di Laurea specialistica in in Progettazione Architettonica Urbana

PEOPLE MEET IN PETRŽALKA the requalification of a public space in a post-socialist neighborhood

Relatore: Prof.ssa Corinna Morandi Correlatori: Prof. Alessandro De Magistris Prof.ssa Lubica Vitkova (Slovak Slovak University of Technology in Bratislava) Tesi di Laurea di: FABRIZIA COSIMELLI Matr. 725035 NICOLA PETACCIA Matr. 725071 A.A. 2009/2010 2

TABLE OF CONTENTS INTRODUCTION 1. THE CITY OF BRATISLAVA: THE URBAN EVOLUTION 1.1 The urban history of the city 1.2 The years of Socialism: the public policies for the housing: the Panelàk buildings 1.3 The post-socialist age: the urban transformation of the city

2. THE PETRŽALKA DISTRICT AND ITS HISTORY 2.1 The history of Petržalka from the past to the present 2.2 Genesis of the different parts of Petržalka 2.3 The district today: inhabitants, housing, connection with the Old city 2.4 Petržalka: past, present and forecasts for the next ten years 2.5 Images Gallery

3. THE SOCIALIST CITIES AS URBAN REFERENCE FOR PETRŽALKA 3.1 The idea of “Socialist city” and “Socialist housing” 3.1.1 Programs and Politics in the socialist city: urban shape, territory, public 3.1.2 The socialist idea of house and the Panelàk buildings 3.2 Petržalka’s past and contemporary references for socialist age residential areas: 3.2.1 The case of Kracow: Nowa Huta 3.2.1 The case of Warsaw: Bielany 3.2.3 The case of Moscow: Kimki-Khovrino

4. THE INTERNATIONAL DESIGN COMPETITION FOR PETRŽALKA, 1966 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4

The course of the competition The construction program The contents of the competition design The evaluation criteria of the competition designs 4.4.1 The experts’observations 4.4.2 The conclusions and recommendations of the jury 4.5 Selection of the competition projects 4.5.1 Projects remained for final selection 4.5.2 Projects with honorable mention 4.6 The project finally realized

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5. URBAN ANALISYS OF PETRŽALKA DISTRICT 5.1 Petržalka and the Old city 5.2 Streets and Public transports at local and city scale 5.3 Housing and Building typologies 5.4 Green areas, water and environment 5.5 Functions

6. URBAN STRATEGIES AND CONCEPT GOALS FOR THE AREA 6.1 The project for out flowing the river Danube 6.2 The creation of new strategic axes/poles and the empowerment of the existing ones 6.3 The empowerment of public transport, cycle and pedestrian routes at local and city scale 6.4 The reintegration of the central environmental/functional axis increasing the quality of the existing green areas and landscape

7. THE PROJECT for the REQUALIFICATION 7.1 Identification of visual axes in the area 7.2 Identification of spontaneous pedestrian routes near the channel 7.3 Creation of a grid defining the public space 7.4 Definition of the different types and uses of green spaces 7.5 Localization of the buildings in the strategic points

8. THE MASTER PLAN DESIGN 8.1 The project for Petržalka into the new water/landscape system 8.2 General Masterplan of Petržalka 8.3 Zoom 1: The new bridge and the new commercial pole 8.4 Zoom 2: The new cultural centre 8.5 Zoom 3: The new sport area 8.6 Zoom 4: The area near Kutlikova street 8.7 Zoom 5: The new tram terminal and the surrounding area

9. NEW PERSPECTIVES FOR PETRŽALKA WITH THE NEW INTERVENTION 9.1 The re-appropriation of the public space 9.2 Chronological program of the intervention 9.3 Conclusion

10. IMAGES INDEX 11. BIBLIOGRAPHY

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Introduction

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What will be the future of Petržalka? Today this issue represents a debate still open.

The construction of Petržalka in the 70s,under the socialist regimen, completely cancelled a part of Bratislava’s history, imposing a completely different urban character; Petržalka therefore still stands as a strong symbol for both the city and the citizens.

After 40 years of urban changes, transformations and despite the new millennium advent, it is straightforward how the utopist urban experiment of those years miserably failed in that district, as well as in many other European ones. Today the area is obsolete, connected to the rest of the city only through highways and full of massive and out of scale buildings, without reference points or public spaces able to offer a qualified living. Beyond the serious technological problems and weaknesses shown by the buildings, the area misses a lot of services for the inhabitants, as well as aggregation spaces; existing green areas are indeed designed only in the buildings’ courtyards and not at the district scale.

Up to now, the planning about Petržalka has always involved design strategies willing to “fill up” the unplanned voids resulting from the concepts of the 70s, according to the idea of adding new buildings and new functions in a big scale. Our research work for the urban requalification of Petržalka focuses on the human scale, based on the value of the existing landscape and on the recovery of the district identity.

Opposite to the plans of developers, we believe that Petržalka’s historical identity and future lies in its green heritage, in its park, in its wood, so beloved by its inhabitants and so full of potential for the whole city of Bratislava. In relation to that, our willingness to add functions to the area aims at proposing a silent but relevant intervention, by creating a hierarchy of scale between the district and the city, at the same time channeling flows into the area and marking Petržalka’s watercourse through a sequence of small and big polarities.

Our research does not offer an absolute solution, but rather provides a point of view, a new approach to a still open debate, as it stems from the idea that the quality arises around the people and can be generated by a scale reduction which could foster a new urban identity.

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THE CITY OF BRATISLAVA: THE URBAN EVOLUTION 9

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1.1 The urban history of the city German troops in 1944 and eventually taken by the Soviet Red Army on April 4, 1945. At the end of World War II, most Bratislava Germans were evacuated by German authorities. Following World War II the situation in Bratislava changed fundamentally. Most of its former Jewish population did not return from the concentration camps and, after the city's liberation, most of its German and Hungarian population was displaced. Bratislava thus lost much of its unique multicultural atmosphere. The Communist coup in February 1948 marked a turning point in Bratislava's postwar development. Czechoslovakia became part of the Soviet bloc and the buffer zone between East and West. Europe was divided by the Iron Curtain. For Bratislava, which immediately after the war was still linked to Vienna by a tramway, this meant the construction of sealed borders with the West. Parts of the city were cut off by the barbed wire used for border fortification and residents there had to move. The late 1940s and early 1950s were a period of new construction, and the rebuilding of war-damaged parts of the city, especially industrial enterprises, which were nationalized after 1948. The lives of Bratislava residents were affected

by Communist Party repression in the 1950s. The city annexed new land, and the population rose significantly, becoming 90% Slovak.

Bratislava is the cultural and economical capital of Slovakia.

The city is crossed by the river Danube, one of the most important European rivers. The city has amazing conditions for the development, due to the massive presence of the industrial production, a positive geographical position and a privileged position in communication with the Northern Europe, including the close distance with Vienna(64km) and Budapest. Bratislava has quickly increased especially after the Second world war1. Before World War I, the city had 42% German, 41% Hungarian and 15% Slovak population. World War I represented a key milestone in the history of the city. Bratislava was not directly affected by the fighting, but its consequences were born by the people of the city in their everyday lives. The end of World War I in November 1918 brought major changes to the map of Europe. The Austro-Hungarian Empire dissolved and the Czechoslovak Republic was created on October 19182. After the city was incorporated into the new state in January 1919 despite its representatives' reluctance, on March 27 1919, the name Bratislava was officially adopted for the first time and Bratislava appeared on the map of Europe. Left without any protection after the retreat of the Hungarian army, many Hungarians were expelled or fled and Czechs and Slovaks took their houses and moved to Bratislava. In 1938, Nazi Germany annexed neighbouring Austria in the Anschluss; later that year it also annexed the still-independent Petržalka and Devín boroughs on ethnic grounds. Bratislava was declared the capital of the first independent Slovak Republic on March 14, 1939, but the new state quickly fell under Nazi influence. In 1941–1942 and 1944–1945, the new Slovak government expelled most of Bratislava's inhabitants, approximately 15,000 Jews, with most of them being sent into concentration camps.

Bratislava was bombarded by the Allies, occupied by 1 2

1.1 Historical view of Bratislava, 1800 1.2 Satellite view of Bratislava

Source: http://www.wikipedia.com Source: http://visit.bratislava.sk 11

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1.3 View of Bratislava, 2010 1.4 View of Bratislava, 1905 1.5 The bridge Nòvy Most

The Slovak part of Czechoslovakia industrialized rapidly in the 1950s and 1960s, villagers migrated in droves to the cities. The cheapest and quickest way to accommodate them was to construct towering blocks of flats, clumped together densely so that essential services could be delivered to them as efficiently as possible.

Large residential areas consisting of high-rise prefabricated panel buildings, such as those in the Petržalka borough, were built. The Communist government also built several new grandiose buildings, such as the Nový Most bridge and the Slovak Radio headquarters, sometimes at the expense of the historical cityscape3. In 1968, after the unsuccessful Czechoslovak attempt to liberalize the Communist regime, the city was occupied by Warsaw Pact troops. Shortly thereafter, it became capital of the Slovak Socialist Republic, one of the two states of the federalized Czechoslovakia. Bratislava's dissidents anticipated the fall of Communism with the Bratislava candle demonstration in 1988, and the city became one of the foremost centers of the anti-Communist Velvet Revolution in 1989. In the 1990s and the early 21st century, the foreign investments brought a big boom in the city development.

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Source: http://www.livingspectator.sk 13

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1.2 The years of Socialism: the public policy for the housing: the Panelák buildings In 1968 the Prague Spring started in Czechoslovakia4: it was a period of political liberalization during the era of domination by the Soviet Union after World War II. When Soviet Bloc soldiers entered the country, started a period of increased oppression called “normalization”.

Normalization returned the card-carrying apparatchiks to their offices, the overwhelming majority of competent architects were pushed out of work, many emigrated (particularly the young generation) and a dark time set in for architecture Historical sections of the city were demolished to make way for paneláks and massive panelák neighborhoods arose5.

Concrete was the easiest and the fastest path for massive building and it helped to sustain the stability of the regime.

Five-year plans dictated how many apartments had to be built, and production poured on. There were five large architecture firms such as the one he worked for in Bratislava. Five-hundred people produce a lot of projects, and these were state contracts. The system had to work in order for it to hold together.

Communist-era rulers, to an even greater degree than post-war city planners in the West, embraced a kind of anti-aesthetic theory, with utility and thrift as the supreme values. A pure form of functionalism held sway: the basic shape for organizing human life became the rectangular block: the conquest of the functional architecture was rejected in order to realize urban complexes characterized by big monumentalism6. This turn caused a regression in the methodologies, worsening in the new buildings the general condition of insulation, aeration, green availability, safeness in the communication. Therefore, bad solution have been brought to life either in the locational aspect.

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The historical background for this paragraph has been taken from the book La Storia dal 1900 ad oggi (A. Giardina, G. Sabbatucci, V. Vidotto; Editori Laterza,2001) pp. 503-505 5 Source: http://travel.spectator.sme.sk/articles/1213/sight_unseen_slova k_socialist_architecture

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Source: http//: www.wikipedia.com

The main mistake of this trend was the misunderstanding of the fact that the duties of architecture are to improve the living conditions7. This mistake was amplified by the investments. Facing the problems of building as many houses as possible, and having a reduced budget, the first victims of the cuts have been the facilities which accompanied the houses, the creation of residential areas, and small interventions like playgrounds and the finish of the buildings. Therefore a contrast between the didactic role of the architect and the real image of urban landscapes. Equally stark was the break from the vernacular styles favoured by village-dwelling peasants for centuries. The panelák, pointing to a picture of one of the first concrete apartment blocks in Bratislava, together with the later period of the 60s, 70s, 80s, culminates in Petržalka. The panelák was the spark that started what became today’s problem and will still be a problem for generations. And it’s not just Petržalka, but also for many panelák neighborhoods. After 40 years, the buildings show heavy technological and insulation problems. Petržalka, which houses 125,000 people, also still lacks centers, squares and infrastructure needed to make it a functioning community. Architects built storefronts into the buildings’ second floors, which they linked from building to building with elevated walkways. Today many of these storefronts are empty. That urbanism had its own idea but reality and the people‘s life went differently. The community on its on its own has been never able to use the space as the architects imagined8.

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L' urbanistica dei paesi socialisti : città, territorio e struttura sociale / Edmund Goldzamt ; with the contribution of Paolo Santacroce, Ed. Mazzotta, Milano, 1977 pp. 258 8 Source: http://travel.spectator.sme.sk/articles/1213/sight_unseen_slova k_socialist_architecture 16

1.3 The post-socialist age: the urban transformation of the city highlights the elements considered essential to the identity of the city. Analyzing a couple of large development plans, it illustrates the processes and phenomena having impact on this very identity. With regards to the changes at the turn of the millennia that the post-communist cities were or still are grappling with, there are two lines of thought: On the one hand, there is the rejection of the development and its condemnation as being barbaric or uncontrolled, dissolving the unique urban identity and image. In this context, the need for planning and regulation is usually emphasized. On the other hand, there are opinions appreciating these processes as an affirmation of actual transformation theories or as a random development generator where traditional master planning tools are out of place. These seem contradictory positions, however, are but complementary perspectives on the same process that – in the context of postcommunist Central European cities – is not even historically unique, as Bratislava has been virtually in a state of constant transformation throughout the 20th century: from the political changes of the state and the city in 1918-1939,the two waves of swift modernization prior and after World War II; beyond this, in the second half of the 20th century happened the biggest rapid territorial and population growth9.

In the first half of the 1990s, Bratislava has been obscured by booming capitals of neighboring post-communist countries. The situation though has started to change rapidly after the parliamentary elections of 1998.

Launching a number of social and economic reforms, it culminated in the accession of Slovakia to the European Union in 2004 and subsequently to the Shengen Area in 2007. Expected general improvements in economic and social condition of the country, and above all the entry of foreign investment as well as the economic recovery very soon yielded payoffs in Bratislava. As the largest city and the capital of the country situated on the western state border and possessing the most advanced infrastructure, on the onset Bratislava has benefited the most from the newly formed situation. In the first decade of the 21st century, the city has undergone a tremendous construction boom. Dozens of new residential and commercial districts emerged and further investments were in the making, unprecedented within this environment. All of these circumstances formed jointly a sort of a lab environment, testing the viability of the economy and the country as such. And so, as it is often the case in a lab environment, no one was really sure about the results of this ongoing experiment. This state of uncertainty was partially perceived by the locals as a positive sign of progress and a promise of a better future, although there were also skeptical voices pointing out to the loss of unique character and identity of the city. The study outlines Bratislava and its recent construction development in the broader context of the 20th century. It

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Source: Article “Bratislava: a city with no character?” author MORAVČÍKOVÁ Henrieta, extract from Architektura a urbanizmus n. 1-2 / 201, pp: 34 – 51

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1.9 View of Petrzalka 1.10 View of Bratislava 1.11 The shopping centre Eurovea

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THE PETRŽALKA DISTRICT AND ITS HISTORY 20

2.1 The history of Petržalka: from the past to the present At the territory of today’s Petržalka, city district of the Bratislava, there was located a ford of international importance already in Middle Ages. The beginning of settlements in this territory dates back to 13th century.

According to the oldest description of settlement of today’s Petržalka, there was established village Flezyndorf.

The same territory is mentioned in the document of Ladislav Kuzmánsky dating back to 1278, by which the emperor gifted the referred land deserted probably as a result of Tatar invasion and permanent border commotions to Bratislava chapter.

The territory, on which Petržalka is being located, is of rich culture and has been marked by periods of bloom as well as decline. Year 1672 is connected with the first, so far known mentioned sacral building on the raised bank of Pečenské branch of the Danube River. The fundamentals for terrain adjustments were laid by Maria Theresa with her order to build dams against floods. Behind the newly built inshore dam there arose Petržalka´s park called Sternallee in 177310.

During the period of Napoleon’s wars Petržalka experienced destructiveness of military siege which meant a crucible for its citizens. In peaceful times Petržalka was increasingly becoming place of recreation of Bratislava 10

citizens, at that time stylish café Au-caffé and summer theatre – amphitheatre Aréna were being built on Petržalka´s bank of the Danube River in neighborhood of former propeller station. In 1866 there lived 594 inhabitants in 103 houses in Petržalka. Fires in Petržalka caused great damage which consequences significantly affected all district inhabitants; therefore they decided to create a voluntary fire brigade. Petržalka was indefinitely connected to Bratislava through the first railway bridge, constructed in 1891. Previous bridges were wooden and were often impaired by ice or floods.Although Petržalka was the biggest village of the Czechoslovak Republic during 1920s, it contained only one folk school. Gradually, over the next years, there were established more state folk schools, one civic as well as evangelic folk school.

Economic development did not excluded even Petržalka, there were established several bigger and smaller industrial businesses which turned city district into important traffic crossroads. At that time most of village inhabitants were significantly poor, which fascism and tragic accidents resulting from the Munich Treaty which affected the Czechoslovak Republic, drastically influenced Petržalka´s development. In 1938 the village was joined to

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Petzalka 21

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2.1 View to the castle from Petr탑alka, Petr탑alka 1890 2.2 The town of Petr탑alka, 1890 0 2.3 The he park, historical view to the castle 2.4 View of the mein street of the old Petr탑alka, 1905 2.5 Postcard with view to the old city, 1910 22

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reason was extended at the right side of the Danube, area of Petržalka that in the past was completely ignored. In order to obtain an excellent designed solution for this part of the city, named Petržalka, an International Competition was open in june 15th 1955.

A huge increase in the number of houses, apartments as well as citizens influenced not only appearance but also character of Petržalka. For improving and dulcifying life, a lot has been done in the last years, though the benefits can be viable only nowadays. Constructing more bridges, which allow the citizens to travel to all Bratislava districts, building the first Petržalka hospital but also the reconstruction of buildings which were of great importance in the past, leads toward still better Petržalka.

fascist Germany. After being liberated by Soviet army, Petržalka fell upon to Czechoslovakia again. In 1946 Petržalka became the part of Great Bratislava. Since 1973 when the decision of liquidating old Petržalka was made, current appearance of this housing estate has been formed. From 1950 and 1965 the number of inhabitants increased from 190.000 to 271.000. An intense production of apartments and residential buildings for all the inhabitants increased slowly in the left side of the city. The requirements of the project were defined in a way to predict a raise of the population up to 350.00 inhabitants.

Up to 1973 the areas on the left hand which are more convenient for a concentrated group of buildings according to the plans should have been completely end. For this

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2.2 Genesis of the different areas of Petržalka Petržalka is divided into seven parts: most of them were part of the island created by the two channels of water have been created in different phases: Dvory, Luky, Haje, Ovsiste, Janikov dvor, Kopcany, ,Kapitulsky dvor. The area of Dvory is in north-west part of Petržalka: this part was the last one to be occupied by the panelak buildings: from the beginning of the century till the 1908s in this part there have been fields and farms of burgesses. The area of Ovsiste, in the north-east part of Petržalka: the first this village of Ovsiste was created in 1921,and there were only 12 houses; in 1946 there were 340 houses; at that time Ovsiste was an island, property of Palfy family (important burgesses in Slovak history); there were fields, bottom land and gardens11. Its first name was Insula Haberm, and after it got a Hungarian name Zabos. Until the second half of eighteen century, Ovsiste was in land register of closer village Prievoz, which today is part of Bratislava. in 1975 the demolition work for Landscape sanitation started and lasted until 1982. The area of Haje is divided into Stary haj, Zrkadlovy haj, Haje, and before the demolition work there were areas with forest, groves, bottom land, forest park, today small build-up area with horce-race. Zrkadlovy haj is in the middle part of Haje in Petržalka: prior to the 1970s it was part of the island and there was a forest park; from 1930 a big Hippodrome in that area helds several horse

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2.6 Historical map of Petržalka 2.7 Bathing in the river Danube, 1940 2.8 Fairy in Petržalka, 1939 2.9 View of the panelàks, Petržalka, 1995 2.10 The cafès in the old park, 1900 2.11 Old farms in Petržalka

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Source: Bratislava -mesto na mieru- Urban landscapes of Bratislava(Illah van Olijen ,K.Print, Bratislava,2002) 26

races. The area of Janikov dvor ,(in German “Antonienhof” is in southern part of Petržalka; it was also an island until the Panelàk building time, with a small village of few family houses and farms, which were demolished. In years 194547 of first Czech- Slovak republic, Janikov dvor was in border territory, and to enter this area was requested special permission. Today this area ( hunting ground, and state area, also non-finished building of station) was mentioned to be served by the subway in Bratislava before 1989, but this project has never been defined. Nowadays there is a plan to build a stop here for high speed tram from old city through Petržalka. Also there are several urban studies which suppose new district with living and public spaces. The area of Kopcany is situated near borders with Austria. In the past this was part of the village Kittsee, which is located in Austria, just near the border with Slovakia. After the First World war this area became part of Czechoslovakia. From 1928 is in land register as a colony called Kopcany, between two railways. After the first world war there was an important factory for dishes, today in another city. Now the Kopcany district is famous for people who do not pay taxes and have problems with laws. Luky , instead, is in the southest part of Petržalka: it was built after the area of Ovsiste; before, there were fields and farms also here. The area of Kapitulsky dvor (sometimes named Kapitulske) is in western part of Petržalka. Before the demolition of the 1970s there was the village of Flantschendorf with wide fields and farms. In the late XX th century there was built the first cemetery in Petržalka, the only one still today12.

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2.12 Historical view of the park 2.13 Some panelàks in Petržalka

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Source: Bratislava -mesto na mieru- Urban landscapes of Bratislava(Illah van Olijen ,K.Print, Bratislava,2002) 27

2.3 The district today: inhabitants, housing, connection with the Old city railway station is located in the western part and is primarily used for international traffic and for trains to and from Vienna. There are only buses which connect Petržalka with the other boroughs. In 1989, construction of a subway began, but it was stopped shortly after the Velvet Revolution broke out. Instead, a high-speed tram (light rail) line is planned, and its construction began in 2008. There is an incredibly high amount of schools, in the area, in accordance with the ideas of the project: 11 primary schools, 19 kindergartens, 20 school canteens and kitchens at kindergartens as well as Centre of School Services.

Gymnasium high schools include the state-administered Albert Einstein and Pankúchova 6 gymnasiums and the private Mercury Gymnasium. The Seat of the University of Economics is also located therein. The social facilities in Petržalka include: the Facility of Day Care at Mlynarovičova street and Facility with Day Care at Medveďova street, both of them managed by the city district; Daily Psychiatric Sanatorium at Haanova street, Sanatorium AT, the House of Nurses of Mother Teresa, crises centre Gate to Life (Brána do života), centre Hope (Nádej), Silesian centre at Mamateyova street. In Petržalka there are also several sport facilities: the State Race-ground in the southern part,

The area of Petržalka occupies 28,7 km², where 117.227 inhabitants live in 18.000 apartments. The area is characterized by blocks of flats called paneláks, a neologism for buildings made of concrete panels joined together to form the structure, widely deployed throughout the Eastern Bloc during the communist era. As the borough was built primarily as a residential area, it has no clearly defined centre. Petržalka is divided into three official parts, Dvory, Lúky and Háje, and further into unofficial parts, Ovsište, Janíkov dvor, Kopčany, Zrkadlový háj, Starý háj, and Kapitulský dvor. Petržalka is connected to the rest of Bratislava by five bridges, three of which are used by local traffic (Nový Most, Starý most and Most Apollo) and two by international traffic (Lafranconi Bridge and Prístavný most). Starý most, from the first of January 2009, is closed to all traffic except for public transport, bicycles and pedestrians. Petržalka is located near a major international motorway junction (between D1 and D2).

There is border-crossing road into Austria along Viedenska cesta, near the abovementioned intersection of D1 and D2.

The Austrian crossing “Berg” is named after the nearby town. There are no more border checks from December 21, 2007 after Slovakia joined the Schengen Area. The only 28

where important horse-races regularly take place, and the Fc Art Media Bratislava stadium in the northern part.

Petržalka has been recently also enriched by newly-built shopping centers such as Carrefour, Tesco and Aupark .

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2.14 Aereal view of the panelàk, Petržalka 2.15 Aereal view of Petržalka 2.16 View of the Eurovea shopping centre and the fairy from Nòvy Most bridge 2.17 Satellite view of Petržalka

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2.4 Petržalka: past, present and forecasts for the next ten years improved because there is a strong lack of that kind of facilities. The numbers of commerce in Petržalka are quite high but actually these results are given by the presence of Eurovea and the other big shopping centers in the area, even though in reality there is a big lack of small, effective commerce facilities in the area. The area of Petržalka, instead, has a very big sport heritage compared to the Old City, because of the wide green areas, the wood, the hippodrome, and the lake, with a proliferation of water sports. In conclusion, after examining data and statistics, it is possible to say that the area of Petržalka has a huge potential in terms of resources and green heritage. This should be valued and improved in order to bring more urban quality to the living and to create attractiveness for this big part of the city. The scope would be to have this area enjoyed by all citizens of Bratislava and not only by those living in Petržalka.

The area of Petržalka, thanks to its extension and density, hosts a population almost three times larger than the one resident in the old city centre. From the statistics it is evident that in the last decade the number of inhabitants in the area decreased by almost 13 thousand inhabitants, a considerable number compared to the reduction of 5 thousand inhabitants registered by the city centre.

Compared to the Old city, in addition, the density of the area has increased less; though, it is estimated that in twenty years the number of people in the area will increase again and will overcome the amount reached in 1991. At the same time, it is clear how the standard of living conditions has increased through the years: the number of apartments since 1961 up to 2001 increased by three times, while the number of inhabitants in apartments concurrently keeps on decreasing, and in thirty years this value shrinked considerably from 3,7 to 2,54 inhabitants for each apartment. Therefore, also the average area of the apartments increased by ten square meters in comparison with the 70s. Concerning the services in the area, according to the statistics in Petržalka the square meters devoted to health services are much more than those of the Old city. Besides, the number of students in selected schools in Petržalka is much higher than in the city centre (with education level ranging from kindergarten to gymnasium), something that reflects the original concept of the district, that is providing the right amount of primary education services for the people living in the area. The fields of culture in Petržalka needs to be 31

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2.18 Data of Petr탑alka and previsions for the next ten years 32

2.5 Images Gallery

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2.19 View from Petržalka to the Old City 2.20 View from the Old City to Petržalka 2.21 Panelàks in northern part of Petržalka, view 1 2.22 Panelàks in the northern part of Petržalka, view 2 2.23 One school, the panelàks and the channel 2.24 Green and the panelàks in Petržalka, view 1 2.25 Green and the panelàks in Petržalka, view 2

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THE URBANISM OF SOCIALIST CITIES AS REFERENCE FOR SHAPING PETRZALKA 40

3.1 The idea of “Socialist city” and “Socialist housing”

In the socialist countries the urban solutions are found in the Marxist ideas of executive power deriving from a planned economy. The socialist principles of organizing the housing have been inspired by ideas of reconstructing the social network, , starting from the family relationships, towards a total women emancipation, consequently to an high request of new houses for the inhabitants; this was done through a strict control of urbanization from the government13 . The main goals for socialist urban architects was primarily a quality in the life environment which could satisfy the needs of the inhabitants. According to the socialist theories, the definition of the urban areas of the city presented differences from a case to another. In most of the countries the cities were defined as “urban” – gradova (Bulgaria), varos (Ungheria), miasta (Polonia), orase (Romania)- and were comparable to the sovietic “gorod”, though there has never been a rigid application of population of functional criteria in order to determine the urban areas on a statistic point of view. The main problems to solve in the socialist post war cities were: improving the

street grid, preserving the buildings which had historical and national value, reducing the problem of pollution caused by the industries, having less crowded district, the lack of green. In Poland and Slovakia the priority was given to the reconstruction of the old city centers14. The compromise between the historical heritage, the economic development and the socialist transformation was done thanks to the introduction in the city of socialist symbols and substituting the name of the street and of new functions like cinema, with socialist names. The urban life was always seen as the highest form of socialist life, and the city was the place where to realize a deeply socialist society. In the 70s the local authorities started to pay more attention to citizens (instead of thinking only to the industrial development) through surveys and political debates. Socialism in the USSR proposed the model of “Agrorod”, an administrative unit composed of an amalgamation of collective farms. For every urban agglomeration, there is a spatial and rational lay out of the different functions: industry (separated from the houses by green belts), services (at local scale for everyday use or

13

Source: La città socialista. Struttura spaziale e politica urbana/ J.H.Bater ; with the contribution of J. H. Bater, A. D. Burnett, F. W. Carter, G. Church, P. A. Compton, A. H. Dawson, R. Anthony French, E. Giese, H. Heineberg, J. A. Matthews, T. A. Reiner, D. J. Shaw, G. Weclawowicz, A. Werwicki, R. H. Wilson; Franco Angeli Edizioni, Milano,1983 p. 21

14

Source: L' urbanistica dei paesi socialisti : città, territorio e struttura sociale / Edmund Goldzamt ; with the contribution of Paolo Santacroce, Ed. Mazzotta, Milano, 1977 pp.53-54

41

weekly use, and less frequently used services in the city centre); all citizens must have the same possibility of access with a minimum economic effort, and time for all the material, cultural and social services. The socialist cities tend to uniform themselves: in a first moment some public buildings and housing of the same are the same in Moscow, Berlin, Varsaw. Very popular in the 60s are the six stories buildings and the high towers in the 70s. The uniforming criteria comprehend also the aesthetic aspect of the street: statues of heroes, white writings on a red background, and the central square as place of cerimonies.

The national culture express itself in the architectural aspect, in the traditional behavior and in the national theatre. Though in the European socialist Country there is less availability of services and goods, some services like cinema, sport facilities, means of transport are superior in the socialist cities compared to the capitalistic cities. The industrial areas are more uniformed and always accompanied by green areas which separate industry and housing. The social segregation for fields of interest is almost inconsistent, in the socialistic city, while a certain trend to characterize the class of the different type of buildings. For some aspects, the homogeneity of the labor force in the industrial cities facilitates this architectural homogeneity. Above all, in every city the low price of the lease produce the effect that every part of the city is accessible to every inhabitant or immigrant in relation to all kinds of income, social condition and race15

3.2

3.3

3.1 The district PKWN in Lublin, Poland 3.2 The district of Gheorghiu Dei, Romania 3.3 The district of Eisenhuttenstadt, Romania

15

Source: L' urbanistica dei paesi socialisti : cittĂ , territorio e struttura sociale / Edmund Goldzamt ; with the contribution of Paolo Santacroce, Ed. Mazzotta, Milano, 1977 pp. 98-102 42

3.1.1 Programs and Politics in the socialist city: urban shape, territory, public population17. The decentralization would have been obtained through the development of the satellite towns or urban areas next to the big cities.

The suburban zones should have worked as oxygen tank for the cities, and they would have supplied recreational areas for the population. The satellite towns near Moscow, for example, turned into be a sort of big dormitories: in fact, these socialist cities, differently from the American ones, have all a specialized function, and can be compared to the green belts of the English cities: there find place only sports, recreational and agricultural facilities and the residential areas, with the industrial districts placed beyond the green belt.

For what concerns the Socialist program for the cities, the idea of organizing the social life went towards two different trends: a concentrated one and a scattered one18.

The need of providing accommodation for all the people in one big building facilitated the organization of a life system based on the principle of minimizing the single apartment and maximizing the use of common services. The theorical

In the development of the housing and urbanism in the socialist countries phases and different levels of exploitation are mirror of the socialist economical system.

Socialism has created an incredible increase in the housing need, related to the demographical growth. The free housing was conceived as a social service to the workers: the idea of organizing the residential areas was expressed in different goals : “the neighborhood unity”, as a try to build an integrated society, the “social insediative point”, and the “social organization of everyday life”16 (in the capitalistic system, on the contrary, the destination of the areas and the urban shape are determined by the market which sometimes is imperfect and corrected by several different interventions). In the case of Soviet Union, for example, the market does not exists: the areas and their organization have always to be fixed with other criteria.

Traditionally Marxism has always considered the bourgeois city as a battlefield for the class struggle.

Another typical aspect of Socialism is the abolishment of the traditional contradictions between city and country: this is one of the reasons why industrialization increased after the advent of the Soviet power, which tried to create wide areas with an intense development and very similar to the occidental concept of metropolitan region.

As consequence, the main goals were: the decentralization of the productive activities and the reduction of the residential densities trough the redistribution of the

17

La città socialista. Struttura spaziale e politica urbana/ J.H.Bater ; with the contribution of J. H. Bater, A. D. Burnett, F. W. Carter, G. Church, P. A. Compton, A. H. Dawson, R. Anthony French, E. Giese, H. Heineberg, J. A. Matthews, T. A. Reiner, D. J. Shaw, G. Weclawowicz, A. Werwicki, R. H. Wilson; Franco Angeli Edizioni, Milano,1983 pp.75-83 18 Source: La città socialista. Struttura spaziale e politica urbana/ J.H.Bater ; with the contribution of J. H. Bater, A. D. Burnett, F. W. Carter, G. Church, P. A. Compton, A. H. Dawson, R. Anthony French, E. Giese, H. Heineberg, J. A. Matthews, T. A. Reiner, D. J. Shaw, G. Weclawowicz, A. Werwicki, R. H. Wilson; Franco Angeli Edizioni, Milano,1983

16

L' urbanistica dei paesi socialisti : città, territorio e struttura sociale / Edmund Goldzamt ; with the contribution of Paolo Santacroce, Ed. Mazzotta, Milano, 1977 pp. 248-252 43

basis was given in the 30s by a special committee, devoted to define the activity of soviet urban planning and the utopist ideas which tried to socialize all the aspects and all the phases of human activities. The work of the committee was therefore to define different levels of urban organization with parts interacting from the small to the big scale, defining the role of each part and giving priorities in determining the structure of the residential complex, at the functional internal array19.

In fact, this urban concept was based on the concept of “Microrejon�(formalized in the 50s and following postwar years according to the Strumlin theory) as the ideal of a residential community: a little self sufficient district considered as the base unit of the residential development.

Each one of these districts was in fact supposed to comprehend a population between 10 thousand and 20 thousand inhabitants in an area of 30-50 hectares, with houses and services like shops, laundries, restaurants, schools and services for children , and every district should have been linked to the workplace of the inhabitants.

Therefore, the aggregation of many little districts should have generated a residential district with a major range of services for the inhabitants, within a distance of 10001200meters. An aggregation of many residential districts creates a third level called Urban District (100-300.000 inhabitants).

3.4

3.5

3.4 View of Pulawy 3.5 General plan of Pulawy

19

Source: La cittĂ socialista. Struttura spaziale e politica urbana/ J.H.Bater ; with the contribution of J. H. Bater, A. D. Burnett, F. W. Carter, G. Church, P. A. Compton, A. H. Dawson, R. Anthony French, E. Giese, H. Heineberg, J. A. Matthews, T. A. Reiner, D. J. Shaw, G. Weclawowicz, A. Werwicki, R. H. Wilson; Franco Angeli Edizioni, Milano,1983 44

In the big cities is also considered a forth level, the so called “Urban Zone” (more less a million of inhabitants).

Though, an aspect which characterizes the socialist development at the different urban levels is that once the houses and the residential areas have been built the construction of services and public facilities go slower or it stops completely20 (on the contrary of what happens in the United States, where the profit pushes for buildin g more services than the ones needed). For this reason the same problematic lack of services which characterizes the area of Petržalka is typical of almost all the socialist areas, where the lack of money does not allow to complete the urban layout providing the necessary functions to the inhabitants.

3.6

3.7

3.6 The “Young People district” in Gdànsk-Gdynia 3.7 The industrial buildings in Khar’kov 3.8 Fragment of the district PKWN in Lublin, Poland 3.9 Scheme of the spatial structure of four industrial districts: Khar’kov, Volgrad, Gor’kij, Min’sk 3.10 General scheme of Lublin 3.11Economical/spatial scheme of the region Gdansk for the year 1980 3.12General scheme of Georghiu Dej (Onesti, Romania)

3.8

20

La città socialista. Struttura spaziale e politica urbana/ J.H.Bater ; with the contribution of J. H. Bater, A. D. Burnett, F. W. Carter, G. Church, P. A. Compton, A. H. Dawson, R. Anthony French, E. Giese, H. Heineberg, J. A. Matthews, T. A. Reiner, D. J. Shaw, G. Weclawowicz, A. Werwicki, R. H. Wilson; Franco Angeli Edizioni, Milano,1983 pp.90-91 45

3.9

3.10

3.12 3.11

46

3.1.2 The socialist idea of house and the Panelák buildings The socialist idea of house is remarkable for its strict connection with the idea of society in general, and equity between its inhabitants. In fact, The concept of the socialist common house was based on the idea of totally abolishing the isolation of the family unit and the housework. With the term house is meant the whole of social and spatial elements, linked to the function of living, and with the term insediative is meant the whole of residential and services21. The development of the spatial conditions among the residential theme is a very interesting chapter into the history of Urbanism. The problem of organizing the house is linked to the structure of the social cell (family) and to the main technical and spatial elements (the house, the family, the district). This theme is particularly important for the city development, as in this structure it is possible to discover the general trends of the social transformation. Organizing the house is very relevant among the urban solutions, because the concept of the residential complex mirrors exactly the urban concept and at the same time it generates its main characters. The special and social elements of the house comes also from the role that the house has into the hierarchy of the social needs. The social needs are the

main and most urgent needs , and satisfying these points is the main social goal in all the world. A very important role have the general activities in realizing the social goals of the new living. in the socialist thought, the new forms of living and everyday life are a very practical problem of Urss after the revolution22: here is also applied the Functionalism between the two wars, which had been object of theorical thoughts during the 20’s and 30’s: houses made of modular buildings and equipped with all services, big residential complexes, collective building, and collective houses. The panelak buildings mirror the idea of social housing, as the main goal of the new socialist residential areas was to give a new house (the same to all the citizens) to all the citizens moving from the country to the city, and the big blocks with standardized apartments and common services seemed the better solution to reach the social goals of the socialist mission.

21

22

L' urbanistica dei paesi socialisti : città, territorio e struttura sociale / Edmund Goldzamt ; with the contribution of Paolo Santacroce, Ed. Mazzotta, Milano, 1977 pp. 239

L' urbanistica dei paesi socialisti : città, territorio e struttura sociale / Edmund Goldzamt ; with the contribution of Paolo Santacroce, Ed. Mazzotta, Milano, 1977 pp. 241-247 47

3.13

3.14

3.15

3.13 Interior of a panelàk 3.14 Old people in Petržalka 3.15 Panelàk 48

3.2 Petržalka’s precedent and contemporary references for socialist residential areas: cinema, a mall, an hotel. In Swedt there have been built big residential complexes, but also here the creation of local centers has been necessary the creation of local centers beyond the Mall. In Halle-Neustadt was accepted the principle of creating residential complexes of bigger dimension, with 16-20 thousand inhabitants. The new city of Gheorghiu Dej, in Romania, which started its development in 1959, showed during the years the trend of increasing the structural elements. It was designed a big residential unit with more than 15 thousand inhabitants.

Looking carefully at what was built in Poland, Russia, Slovakia and Czech republic, Germany, Bulgaria, Jugoslavia, Romania, Ungaria, it seems evident the overlapping of the trends from last period with the new trial of renewal and new trends and conception. In the changes of the spatial composition of the residential complexes what is characteristic is, above all, the technical-aesthetical evolution of the scheme, linked to the introduction of the industrialization processes and in the residential architecture.

In the socialist countries the residential industrialization was at the beginning far from the technical and economical perfection. The residential industrialization has without doubt a great importance for the technical- aesthetical

The socialist urban references for Petržalka go back to the 30’s. In Slovakia, in the time of reconstruction there is a very interesting estate, as this country shared with Poland the rationalist idea of living. Characteristic of the new trends is the project of the district Lochotin a Plzen realized in the years 1946-47 by a Slovak functional pioneer. In East Germany, among the most interesting realization of the post war it is relevant the residential complex in the central part of the reconstructed Rathenow, built from one of the pioneers of the movement23. The idea of organizing the social life went towards two different trends: a concentrated one and a scattered one. These possibilities and these perspectives are open especially in the big cities and, for some aspects, in the new city. In the East Germany is possible to mention the trend to concentrate the units and the centers. In Hoyerswerda there has been a concentration of services and units: there have been recreated complexes of medium dimension, with their own centers, linked to a big urban centre, where are set the Post, the administration building, the house of Culture, the 23

Source: L' urbanistica dei paesi socialisti : città, territorio e struttura sociale / Edmund Goldzamt ; with the contribution of Paolo Santacroce, Ed. Mazzotta, Milano, 1977 49

3.16

form of the city in its whole. Industrialization promoted the principles of repeatability, which is in line with the functional conception of the colonies and the insediative points. One of the pioneers of residential industrialization, Hans Schmidt, underlined how the application of industrialized methods needed open residential systems, which in the same time resulted particularly convenient for the city in the hygienic-sanitary aspect. The changes in the composition of the urban population, the variations in the occupational structure, the activation of the work, the changes in the urban structure, had reflections in the social stratification of the city. In addition, they contributed to the development of the structural units in the residential areas24.

3.16 The kinder garden and the housing in the district Michelska in Prague, 1970

24

L' urbanistica dei paesi socialisti : cittĂ , territorio e struttura sociale / Edmund Goldzamt ; with the contribution of Paolo Santacroce, Ed. Mazzotta, Milano, 1977 pp. 264-271 50

3.17

3.17

3.18

3.17 Nowa Huta, aerial view 3.18 Nowa Huta, bird view

3.2.1 The case of Kracow: Nowa Huta year was also started26 the tramway connection. The fame of this district was given by the fact of becoming an ideal town for the communist propaganda, populated mostly by industrial workers. The creation of tthis his satellite city together with the Lenin metallurgic centre was the evidence of a new economical impulse from 1945, which led to a very well planned reconstruction conditioned by an economical regimen which defined a new general urban array and the creat creation of the “Big Kracow”27, which at the same time caused contrasts between the big housing development and the old city. Today the city of Kracow counts 1.689.648 inhabitants28 and almost the 15% live in

Another urban example slightly precedent to Petržalka, and structured according to a strong functionalist urban layout, is the district of Nowa Uta, founded after the Second World War (in 1949 ) as a separate town near Kraków (which is the third ird biggest Polish city after Varsaw), city of great cultural importance for its historical, architectural and urban heritage. Nowa Uta is one of the four different urban districts which compose Kracow: Krawod (south-east), east), Stodmiescie (inner part), Nowa-Uta Nowa and Podgorze (on the right of the Vistola river), and these parts gravitate around the old city according to a strong monocentric system. Nowa Uta was founded in 1949, on terrain resumed by the Communist Government from former villages of Mogiła, Pleszów w and Krzesławice25 , in order to absorb the urban drift happended after the construction of the Lenin iron foundry, supposed to be a huge centre of heavy industry. In 1951 Nowa Uta was joined with Kraków as its new district, and the following

25

26

Nowa Huta. Crumbs of Life and the Meanders of History/ History Wydawnictwo Towarzystwo Slowaków w Polsce, Kraków,, 2003; 27 where the old restored city had to assume new roles and meanings, Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nowa_Huta 28 Number estimated in 2003 according to the Statistics , source: http://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Varsavia

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nowa_Huta 51

3.19

the urban district of Nowa Uta29. Still today, as the other modern industrial complexes and the new built residential areas, the district of Nowa Uta suffers for a strong isolation from the old city. The designs for Nowa Huta were created in an unbelievable short amount of time (supposedly the first housing estate was designed in three days), and the first buildings of the later Krakow district were erected in 1949.

The first furnace of the steelworks (for the name “Nowa Huta” identifies the purpose of the town, meaning “New Steelworks”) was finished in 1954, and the People's Theater (Teatr Ludowy) was built a year later30. According to the urban analysis of J. Guzika, it is possible to outline the different parts of the district of Nowa Huta, according to this subdivision : the centre of urban aggregation (1), the industrial areas (2) , the green areas (3), and the residential part, consisting of the residential part of the years 1950-60 (A), the district of Bienczyce (B), the district of Wzgorza Krzeslawickie (C). In particular, this district (which counts almost 15 thousand inhabitants) is remarkable for its residential array, which takes advantage of the land features ( a dislevel of almost 30 meters) dividing the twoSource: main axes in two subunits linked by the http://www.zyciekrakowa.pl green space, and the main service centre at the borders.The district of Bienczyce, instead, is remarkable for its residential layout, organized around three axes which define the residential system divided into three big areas, subdivided in a regular way into many smaller parts characterized by linear blocks of buildings, each one with its green area and its services. homogeneously.

3.20

3.21

3.19 Model of the district of Nowa Huta 3.20 Project for the district Wzgorza Krzeslawickie in Nowa Huta 3.21 Urban scheme of Nowa Uta according to J.Guzika 29

Studi di Urbanistica/ U. Cardarelli, T. Colletta, T.Giura, M. Tarantino,Vol.4, Dedalo libri,Roma 1980 30 http://www.krakow-poland.com/Tourist-Attractions/NowaHuta 52

3.22 View of the housing in Bielany 3.23 Functions in the area of Bielany 3.24 Plan of Bielany

3.22

3.2.2 The case of Varsaw: Bielany kindergardens (2). In Bielany it is also evident the intent of organizing the children’s life and the recreational activities inside the residential area, while the services for adults are located outside of it32. This realization, which derive from the polish idea about the living, present some real modifications: organizing the interior of the units according to the childrens’ needs and the abolishment of traffic.

Another meaningful innovation in the concept of the Piechotek is the introduction, in the residential complex, of some small productive businesses. The designers of Bielany used different building typologies, from the eleven stories buildings to the ones with two stories. The district of Bielany is in addition an example which exactly fits the existent system of infrastructures; it is remarkable that also the main contemporary realizations in Slovakia show therefore similar trends in the urban spatial research.

In Poland, and more intensely in Warsaw, in the years 1966-70 happens a policy of decentralization and functional strengthening of the city. The concentration of the investments for the reconstruction of the city created a strong imbalance in comparison with the surrounding areas of the city, and for this reason a plan for the metropolitan complex of Warsaw was conceived, starting a policy of urban cooperation31. The urban residential works between the 60’s and 70’s are therefore characterized by a great variety of situations: from the organized functional units, to the groups and residential complexes which are strictly linked to the near residential areas. Then, more and more the need of new types of residential organization is perceived. An example of the level reached in the residential strategies at the end of the 50’s is the realization of M. e K. Piechotek in the district of Bielany in Varsaw. The district is built according to the old urban grid, and divided into two parts, the area of Bielany II (A) and the the area of Slodowiec (B). In the district are visible the centre and the belt of services (1), the schools and

32

Source: L' urbanistica dei paesi socialisti : città, territorio e struttura sociale / Edmund Goldzamt ; with the contribution of Paolo Santacroce, Ed. Mazzotta, Milano, 1977

31

Source: Le trasformazioni urbane di Varsavia nel Novecentouna guida bibliografica /Alfredo Boscolo; Quaderni del dipartimento di discipline storiche dell’Università di Bologna, Carocci editore, 2004 53

3.23

3.24

54

3.25 View of the housing in Kimki-Khovrino 3.26 Experimental complex of Novi Ceremuski 3.27 Plan of Kimki Kimki-Khovrino in Moscow

3.25

Kimki Khovrino 3.2.3 The case of Moscow: Kimki-Khovrino The wide Russian district of Khimki--Khovrino, instead, fits clearly into the big urban network. In Urss the organization of the residential areas was really developed and showed five different levels from the small to the big scale. In the big cities it is possible to distinguish “the urban system”, the “urban district” which comprehends some residential areas, the “Microrejon” and the “residential unit”, which corresponds to the Polish “colony”33. The urban districts might have a mixed character, residential or industrial.

In Moscow it is possible to o mention the huge area of the north-east east districts: there, the urban grid shapes the single districts, often characterized by a various array; a lot of different areas with different dimension take place: in the east and north-east east part for example, the districts d of Khimki-Khovrino, Fili-Izmajlovo Izmajlovo e Chorosevo-Mnevniki.

Chorosevo The district of Khimki-Khovrino Khovrino is divided into two parts, where the array is linked by a common green part with general facilities. Khimki-Khovrino Khovrino and the other mentioned districts are also divided into areas of 1515

20thousand inhabitants, where often the major districts are integrated units where the areas for the schools (three or four schools) are unified and the services can be more developed.

In the case of Khimki Khimki-Khovrino Khovrino the sub districts show a structural division in six six-eight eight residential groups (“colonies”) with a population of more less two thousand inhabitants, like the Ruzinov district in Bratislava (with sixty thousand inhabitants, wi with th a system of big sub districts, where are collocated six or seven colonies of inhabitants).

For what concerns the social organization and the services organization, the population in an insediative unit is between 5-6thousand 6thousand and 10 10-12thousand inhabitants. s. In case of buildings with five stories, the current standards in the socialist countries reaches an area of 20 20-40 40 thousand ha. While in the areas of new investment, in order to have an accessibility to the transport system of 500 meters, the area reache reaches 60-100 100 acre with a population of 20-25 20 thousand inhabitants. Therefore, in this case, it is possible to pass from the unit with two school to a complex with 3 or 4 schools and also 5 schools. These possibilities and these perspectives are open especially in the big cities.

33

L' urbanistica dei paesi socialisti : città, territorio e struttura sociale / Edmund Goldzamt ; with the contribution of Paolo Santacroce, Ed. Mazzotta, Milano, 1977 pp. 260 55

3.26

3.27

56

4.1

4.1

57

4

THE INTERNATIONAL DESIGN COMPETITION FOR PETRŽALKA, 1966 58

4.1 Project n° 46, view of the model

4.1 The course of the competition The International Competition for designing the District of Petržalka, in the southern area of Bratislava, brought great interest either in the same country than abroad34. This have been one of the most important international competitions after the Second world war, and not just for the number of projects but for its content. A similar and rare interest was found only in some scattered cases at the world scale. The Competition involved several different interested parts, which at the same time contributed to increase the fame o f Bratislava in all the world. Though the number of projects was not the highest in relationship with the difficulty of the requested solution, the interest for this area continued to increase also after the end of the Competition. Beyond the participants, a great number of local newspapers, and several institutions, including some universities and administrations of foreign countries

requested detailed results of the competition and, according to the jury, a lot of discussions and different studies regarding the problems in Petržalka have been held. The basic principles of the new concept were determined according an analysis of all the projects presented in the Competition. The publication of all the projects presented at the competition was therefore a strong help for all the institutions and administrations who were interested in the designing problem, and which could find interesting points for discussions and seminars, which contributed to enlarge the fame of Bratislava in all the world. The territory on the right bank of the Danube which is the object of the town-planning solution is bounded by the flow of the river and assumed outlet canal. This canal is to ensure a definite protection not only of the present unprotected Petržalka against floods but is to protect the town itself. The condition of the water sign level of the Danube in 1850 show us that a greater part of the central region of the town is insufficiently protected from the floods which have occurred more times within a 1000

34

The International urbanistic Competition – Bratislava Petrzalka /Kamil Gross;VYDAVATELSTVO SLOVENSKO FONDU VITVARNYCH, Bratislava, 1969 p.10 59

Attempts of the previous city administration of Bratislava, to work out at least a common mutual harmonious plan of construction, met with a negative attitude from the administration of Petržalka. After connecting Petržalka to the city, the political administrative conditions did not improve, and the technical assumption did not change, especially regarding the hydrological problem and the protection of the territory against floods. Then the economical part of the complex solution comes all the more expressively into the foreground. Studies of this solution are at a stage of discussion with the appropriate departments and by the end of June 1968 decision will be made according which solution will make use and adjust the flow of the Danube in such an optimum and harmonious way so that all regions of the city will be definitely protected against floods lasting a thousand years. The competition conditions, obligatory and informative enclosures and answers to questions, inquires provided the participants with sufficient knowledge in order to understand the purpose of the competition, to know the involved territory and detailed data about the program in the development and construction of the new Petržalka. The purpose of the competition was to gain new and deeper cognitions about general tendencies in the creation of a living environment of the basis of townplanning conceptions designs and ideas of a higher progressiveness which form assumptions for such a level of this environment as to provide its inhabitants and users, considering the psychological standpoint, with full, uniform and long termed conditions for a happy life on a high technical and cultural level. Most of the inhabitants at a productive age will be working in regions on the left bank of the city, mostly in its centre. On the other hand, various arrangements of a whole city and extra-city equipment which will be built in the new district will be sought after by inhabitants of the whole city and by its visitors.

Petržalka was not conceived, in the original intent, as a

years even when measures have been affected against the extraordinary rising of the level in 1954-55. Thus Petržalka would have changed into an island lying directly in the opposite side of the city the position expressively increases the significance and mission of the new district. These circumstances considerably influenced the town-planning solution. The territory is limited by the flow of the Danube and the outlet canal. It covers an area of about 1806 acres (including the area of the outlet canal which is 161 ha). At that moment Petržalka had about 15.000 inhabitants living in 4113 flats35. The living quarters predominantly consisted of ground floors family houses with the exception of particular ones. Their dispositions were primitive and without even modest hygienic equipment. Besides this, the houses are not only virtually old but also obsolete in the buildings technique sense of the word. Most of the roads have no bottom construction but only a strengthened bottom with an exigently adjusted surface. The distribution of gas and public water supply has been performed only in the last years in a part of former Petržalka. The canalization could be performed only after the protection of the territory against floods. The main and only reason of this condition, which is a contradiction to the present degree of development of the left bank regions of the town, lied in the historical fact that, up till 1946, the so called Ovsiste belonged to the community land-register of Prievoz, on the left bank, and Petržalka was an independent community being the greatest village in prewar Czechoslovakia. In spite of the fact that its inhabitants were mostly employed in the city, the community was administered not only according to the village of that time but its construction was also effected in this manner.

35

The International urbanistic Competition – Bratislava Petrzalka /Kamil Gross;VYDAVATELSTVO SLOVENSKO FONDU VITVARNYCH, Bratislava, 1969 p.45 60

“living bedroom” but as a formation which through its attractiveness will form conditions for a constant and healthy pulsing life. Thus, the composition of the competition study is to follow the creation of such a town planning formation which will become an expressive factor in the whole scheme of the city for regeneration of not only the physical but also of the physical strengths of the human which has been weakened by the ever growing pretensions of mechanized and automatized production as well as by activity in other branches beginning with education through distribution up to research and applied science. The whole concept of the design is to follow up such a composition, connection and relation of the separate functional components so that after the construction of the new Petržalka, Bratislava, will really become a city on the Danube36.

36

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4.2 The construction program -The position and area for the water supply worked as well as for the canalization. Cleaning station should be also obligatorily determined in the enclosures; -The thermal power station was included in the industrial area.

Further, the program required to place a number of buildings and equipments of a whole city and extra city significance, that is, especially: -The Faculty of physical chemistry of the Slovak technical University for 500 students with a boarding-school for about 75%-80% of the students- with an area of about 30ha.

-The Research Institute for the Czechoslovak Academy of Sciences for physical chemistry, with an assumed area of about 10-15 ha.

-A park for recreational rest including a building for a permanent circus; -An exhibition hall with an area of about 30-40 ha; -Some sport equipment of an importance for the whole city: a complex sport stadium with playgrounds for 6070.000 visitors; areas and equipments for special water sports (rowing in boats, kayaks, etc..) summer swimming pools for 50.000-60.000 visitors; -To complete the existing horse-race track on an international level; -A motel with a capacity of 180 beds and auto-camping for 300 cars - A cemetery area of about 25ha.

The construction Program required to solve on a given territory37: -The housing territory for 100.000 inhabitants was with a complex public equipment and an extent of 60.000 inhabitants till 1980, and the remaining 40.000 inhabitants till the next period. Till 1980, the fund of flats was to attain the standard 13.2 square meters of living area for 1 inhabitant with average of 3.1 persons to a household and 2.6 inhabited rooms to a flat. The new construction would have to count with an average of 45sm of inhabited area and 3.12 rooms to a flat. The realization in the construction of flats will begin on free areas, whereby demolition of the existing housing fund is allowed in the first place in Stary Haj, and Ovsiste. A gradual demolition of the housing fund is also considered in PetrĹžalka. The organization lay-out and the structure of floor building was left to the free consideration of the competitors. Indicative and informative data about these factors were given in the auxiliary enclosures: -The area for the construction of industry was obligatorily determined in the map enclosures as regards the situation and extent; -The limited territory is not supposed to be used for current plant and livestock agricultural production; 37

The International urbanistic Competition – Bratislava Petrzalka /Kamil Gross;VYDAVATELSTVO SLOVENSKO FONDU VITVARNYCH, Bratislava, 1969 p.46 62

The competition conditions devoted special attention to the solution of green and water areas. Besides dispersing the green areas into housing formation for an active and passive rest of the inhabitants, they mostly required to follow the following principles38: -to preserve the existing park of Janko Kral and consider it as a part of the park zones of the city mutually connected and, therefore, propose its extension with regard to the dispersal of buildings and equipment of a whole city and extra city character: to foresee the least possible disturbance of the green parks by communication lines and intensified traffic; to substantially preserve the present natural features of the massive forest which will be formed into a forest park and will be one of the most important parts of the recreation equipment of a whole city significance; to produce adjustments of banks and dikes of the outlet canal as far as this is in connection with the placing of summer pools, facilities for water sports, etc..was left to the free consideration of the competitors.

In effecting this task, the basic protective function of the canal should not be disturbed; to produce adjustment of the Pecen branch of the Danube and of all the smaller branches or their filling up was also left to the solution of the competitors; to preserve the Chorvatske branch, the existing summer swimming pool Lido and the lake which was formed by dredging gravel, and it is required to appropriately adjust them. From the stand point of solving the communication network, the district of Petržalka is touched not only by the internal city transportation region, dispersed on both banks of the Danube, but also individually and expressively by the railway, road and ship transportation as outgoing communications abroad through Hungary and Austria with which the district

directly borders. In solving the problem of transportation, the conditions required to thoroughly preserve the generally used present principles, that is, to form an integrate, balanced and economic transportation system with correctly differentiated and categorized communications. The competitors received comparatively detailed and completely obligatory, directive and informative enclosures and data of which the following are especially indicated: to foresee a complete reconstruction of the present railway network with a new overbridging of the Danube is foreseen. However, realization will be begun till around 1980, and up till then the present railway equipment must be preserved. These circumstances must be considered, especially as regards the construction of the district in stages; the water transportation on the Danube did not substantially concern Petržalka. It would have been necessary to preserve the shuttle transportation of passengers and it is to be foreseen that further development of connecting both banks will be effected by shuttle transportation; as the structure of the road transportation would have gradually changed in the near future, individual motor transport would have grown and the transport forecast would have come out of the presumption that in 1980, the degree of motorization will achieve a ratio 1:5.25 (from this degree of motorization will be 1:75, and the degree of saturation is considered 1:39 for all motor vehicles)39.

In Petržalka the mobility of inhabitants would have grown till 1980 up to 685 drives per inhabitant and 45% would have be directed to central region, 40% to other parts of the city on the left bank and only 15% to the district itself.

During the last years international tourism has considerably grown as regards the intensity of motor

38

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The International urbanistic Competition – Bratislava Petrzalka /Kamil Gross;VYDAVATELSTVO SLOVENSKO FONDU VITVARNYCH, Bratislava, 1969 p.48

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from straight terrains but competitors can freely consider to suggest a perspective high progressive kind of transportation reserving the appropriate areas. The conditions contained informative, respectively, directive data about transport lines which would effectively connect the single functional regions on the left and right bank of the river. The following points were obligatory: only bus lines can be exclusively led across the bridge from Safarik namestie, Kosika street; for the needs of the city collective transport it will be further necessary to make a design for a new wagon-depot with a capacity of 150-200 wagons and for an appropriate number of transformer stations in an effective positions. The air transport had no strict requirements on the limited territory but requests limitation in the heights of buildings indicated in the obligatory competition enclosures. Solution of the network of technical equipment on the territory with the exception of the communication scheme and transportation equipment as well as of the dispositional studies of the buildings was not required. The competition should have contained18: -A solution for town-planning study at a scale of 1:5000 -A master plan at a scale of 1:5000 and a model at a scale of 1:5000 -An accompanying report, filled in form of technicaleconomical data of the design -An official author’s envelope with an envelope for return address.

transport on roads leading through the territory of PetrĹžalka. The roads are indicated as E15 (north SeaPrague-Bratislava highway E5) and E 16 (Gdansk-ZilinaBratislava-on).The degree of growth in the intensity of transportation cannot be ascertained even by estimation and therefore it was required to assume a four communication reserved for motor transport. It was assumed to build several new bridges to ensure transportation across the Danube, that is: -a fish square (in the meantime the construction of the bridge has already begun), the present bridge from Safarikovo namestie, the Safarik Square would have been reconstructed for road transportation in its whole width after transferring the railway track18. After 1980 a further bridge would have been planned for internal city transportation as a continuation of Kosika ulica-Kosika street; further road bridges are being planned as a continuation of Mlynska dolina (in the western part of the city) as well as a second one parallel to the railway bridge (in the eastern part of the city). These two bridges will enable to transfer the highway lines from the left bank to the right bank so that transportation will not have to pass through the centre of the city. The solution of this connection passing between the park and the centre of the present construction of PetrĹžalka was prepared by the masterplan and was not obligatory for the competitors. The transport forecast assumes that the requirements on transport caused by a growth of mobility of inhabitants can be mastered only by giving preference to collective city transport which is to participate by 70%. It is assumed that trams and buses will be used as transport means. Trolleybuses are excluded

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4.3 The contents of the competition design of the competition design. The competition enclosures had an obligatory part contained: topographical plans 1:10.000 and 1:5000 into which it was necessary to draw the design and the form for technical-economical data. This form was to be filled in with appropriate numbers by each competitor41. Informative enclosures were given in the form of a brochure which contained auxiliary enclosures, data and documents providing competitors with necessary information for working out the conception of the townplanning study. Further information, data and auxiliary enclosures were received by the competitors in the framework of answers to questions and inquiries, especially: -schematic map of the city and its environment indicating a geomorphological relief-map of the territory, grown up green areas of forests and parks, a scheme of railway network, main communication roads and streets, etc: - panoramic photo view of the territory on the left bank;-profile scheme of the outlet canal; -developing assumption of children in households; hydrological and meteorological data, etc..; more detailed data about kind and quality of forests in Petržalka;-explanations and informative data about the extent of public equipment of housing information, especially in schools and hygienic equipments.21

According to the main Architect Svedko (one on the main architect from the committee)all proposals and projects presented in the competition can still be divided in five groups, according to the type of project40:  Projects which are continuous in functional principals of urban design (division in zones with services) using the classic grid scheme.  Projects similar to the 1st point but avoiding all the classical urban principles  Organic urbanism like the case of Candilis proposal in Toulouse la Miraile  Concentration of object in to a fix form as a big plastic composition  Without an individual concept which handles the organization of the structure The winning project was the one from Stanislav Talas and Jozef Chovanec. This second architect renounced in cooperating in the project, maybe because of “the degradation of first winning ideas, as a famous rumor stated20. This degradation was caused by the compromises of many politics and the clumsiness of building production.

Despite of this, the basic goal was fulfilled. Habitation is alive, starting to creating its own subculture and built it on reduced moments from times of idealistic dreams of big competition. The competition condition contained a detailed description and explanation regarding contents of drawings, forms, ways as well as other items of single parts 40

Source: The International urbanistic Competition – Bratislava Petrzalka /Kamil Gross;Vydavatelstvo Slovensko fondu vitvarnych, Bratislava, 1969 p.48-49

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Source: The International urbanistic Competition – Bratislava Petrzalka /Kamil Gross;VYDAVATELSTVO SLOVENSKO FONDU VITVARNYCH, Bratislava, 1969 p.48-49 65

4.4 The evaluation criteria of the competition designs Marka was appointed expert for transportation and Mr. Ing. Teodor Bilka, for town-planning economics. Both were to select further members according to their consideration.

At the same time jury gave instructions as to the thoroughness of the general expert observations of all designs for the next session of the jury. The second session of the jury was held on june 3-4th 1967. After going over all of the formalities the jury permitted all of the submitted designs numbering 84, to be judged. The jury determined the main criteria for judging, which they finally expressed in the following terms21:

The jury was formed by seven members (among which Mr Andrè Gutton, President of the Institute of Architects, Paris, France and Mr. Prof. Arthur Ling, from the Department of Architecture and civil planning of Notthingham University, UK)21. The first session of the jury was held on November 10-11th 1966, all members were present. Mr Prof Arthur Ling was elected chairman and Mr Ing. Arch. Stefan Svetko, vice-chairman. The jury acquainted themselves with the approved master plans and immediate program of construction of the town. After a survey of the town, especially of the territory on the right bank of the Danube, the jury dealt with questions submitted y a number of registered participants of the competition. The jury decided in what manner to answer these questions as regards the extent and contents, whereby individual consideration should be devoted to the question of respecting the character of the natural environment of the territory on the right bank of the river and its connection to the existing town. The jury, therefore, decided that it was necessary to provide the competitors with further informative enclosures and data which have already been mentioned in the previous chapter chapter of this publication. The jury further appointed a committee to open designs as well as experts to make observations on competitions entries in respect of transportation and economic problems. Mr Prof. Ing.

The quality of the new urban environment; The integration of Petržalka with the existing environment in relation to a. The existing town and especially its centre b. The preservation and development of the existing landscape features  The integration of Petržalka with the existing environment in relation to a. building equipment b. the main communication system, the district facilities and other local means of transport, including pedestrian ways.  Economy of the designs in relation to: a. the design of the district as a whole  

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separate parts not only with respect to its inhabitants and users but also as regards the visitors to the district; - quality of solving transportation depends from the extent, respectively from harmony of ensuring continuity, safety and differentiated traffic of every kind and by meeting the requirements of the determined competition conditions. The expert observation will be taken into consideration to an appropriate extent when evaluating the proper design; - economic solution can only be of a help in judging the town-planning studies and evaluating them. However, it is necessary to devote attention to the economic conception when judging the proposed construction in stages; -inventiveness of the basic urban composition should be judged according to the level and extent of asset for the conclusions and recommendations of the jury to the inventor, that is, for working out the final proposal for the construction of the district42.

After studying the competition designs individually, all members of the jury began to judge them with active participation of the experts. The jury then provisionally classified the designs in three, respectively, in five qualitative categories.

The jury further decided to proceed according to the rules for international competitions in the line of architecture and urbanism, issued by UIA in 1965, so that each member of the jury has the right to request a justifiable new judgment of a low classified into a low category and the jury unanimously decided to eliminate from further judgment 55 projects, eliminating other eleven projects from the 35 projects remaining. The experts were asked to work out a detailed criticism for the remaining 24 projects, and domestic numbers of the jury were appointed to study

b. the technical solution, and c. its realization in stages.

The above criteria for judging mentioned in the closing record are substantially the principles and standpoints expressed as a whole which the members of the jury adopted during their discussions in detail. When considering the mission of this publication we further indicate the most important concrete principles and standpoints for judging: -the basic idea of the idea of the complex urban concept is to show synonymously and expressively the lay-out of the town on both banks of the river, especially the connection of the new district with the central region of the towns; - the quality of the urban composition in relation to the human as user and visitor of the visitor of the district should be judging according to the level of public, intimate spaces and buildings which these spaces create on an optimum human scale; - preservation, eventually, development of the present landscape features which depends from the extents with which the expressive existing green and further development of the park and extensive massive of forest on the embankment will be exercised as well as from the aspect that the composition should not only have the appearance of the town undisturbed but should enhance it at the exposed views from main accessible communications coming from Austria and Hungary; -mutual connections and dependences of separate functional components should be valued according to the present principles of urbanity newly created living environments with respect to the specified territory of the district and contents of the program of its construction.

This individually concerns the connection of equipments and buildings of a whole city and extra city equipment on the left bank regions of the town; -the physical and aesthetical standpoint means the emotional effect of the whole composition as well as of its

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it proceeded for final selection. In conclusion to this part we point out that according to the statement of the jury the submitted designs represent a wide variety of townplanning conceptions, notions and ideas. They range from those which are purely schematic and theoretical based on a rectilinear or axial conception to those which are free and flexible in composition, taking the existing landscape as a starting point for an artistic sculptural or even fantastic approach to the design of a new form of environment. A similar variety is represented even in the character of the proposed building up of an entirely wavy flowing in the most different types of housing buildings, from enclosed blocks and stereotyped rows throws flowing, grill, octopus like and striking forms of objects. We further point out the evaluation of the winning schemes, awarded and highly commended schemes are literally indicated in the illustrated part.

the accompanying reports of designs. The third and closing session of the jury was held from June 23-27, 1967. All members of the jury were present. After getting acquainted with the contents of the accompanying reports and hearing reports by the experts, the jury unanimously eliminated from further considerations other 6 projects. So that the following 18 projects remained for the final selection22: 1,6,7,21,23,30,37,40,41,42,43,46,53,65,68,74,79,85.

Members of the jury were appointed to work out proposals for the evaluation of the designs. The prepared proposals of the evaluation were discussed and adjusted at the plenary meeting of the jury. According to the results of all proposed evaluation designs, the jury came to the conclusion that none of these fulfilled the qualitative criteria and requirements of the competition conditions to such an extent as to justify awarding it a 1st or 2nd price. In these circumstances the jury unanimously decided to: a. Combine the monies set aside for 1st, 2nd and 3rd price to give a total of 200.000 Kcs and divide this equally to provide 5 third prices; b. To divide the sum of 60.000Kcs, giving six equal rewards each.

The jury further decided unanimously to award a high commendation to other ten designs for partial quality and more expressive partial ideas22. Among these ones, was mentioned the Italian project of the architects: Alessandro Mendini, Mario G. Olivieri, Paolo Viola (ing.), Luciano Boschino, Francesco Mendini, Emilia Rossi, Antonio Susini, Ettore Zambelli, Rossana Zambelli-Raitieri. Team workers: Arch. Fabrizio Carola, Francesco di Salvo. Design: Paolo Scheggi22.

In deciding about the high commendations according to the appropriate rules of the mentioned international competition order of UIA , the jury took into consideration justified recommendations of some of its members and accepted acknowledgments regardless of the fact whether 68

4.4.1 The evaluation criteria of the competition designs worked out already more detailed observations for these designs, that is: -in solving the transportation problems the connection of the separate kinds of transportation to the obligatorily determined connecting points was investigated more carefully once again. Further, the solution of each kind of transportation was judged from standpoint of economic realization and the traffic itself. In conclusion to the judgments there is a brief evaluation of the solution of each competition design; - technical-economical level in the solution of the mentioned 24 designs was judged in such a manner that the extent of the single functional areas and the percentage of participation in relation to the area of the whole district and in the framework of the housing territory was checked, respectively, ascertained. Further, the basic indexes were ascertained, and especially the average number of floors in the housing,the density and the number of inhabitants, the stages, etc..

The possibility of accurately ascertaining the data, especially, as regards the areas, was considerably dependent on the thoroughness of the graphical work up of the competition design and according to the way it was presented. Due to this fact it was not very well possible to achieve an entire numerical harmony between the total areas of some designs with the data of

It has already been mentioned that in connection with the judging activity of the jury, the expert observations had been worked out in two stages. According to instructions of the jury the experts performed a general observation of all competition designs at the first stage, that is: -observations were made as to whether the requirements of the competition conditions were met in solving transportation problems, as regards the connection of routes to the separate kinds of transportation concerning the obligatorily determined points43. The observations checked on the relationship with each functional area and on the required categorization of communication relationships on the base. According to these criteria each design was arranged in classified groups; -technical-economic observations dealt with problems of meeting the requirements of the construction program of the district without checking the statistical data which had been indicated by each competitor after filling in the official form. According to this investigation with respect to the present application of the technical-economic indexes, a provisional qualitative degree of solution was determined. At the second stage only 24 designs were judged by the experts. These remained for final selection after the elimination procedure by the jury. The experts

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of urban economy as well as a comparison of indexes applied in various countries and religion; In referring to the expert observations, we consider it necessary to point at the character and purpose of the competition. The invitor was conscious of the fact when compelling the competition condition that to require designs and ideas of a higher progressiveness for a townplanning study solution of a district and at the same time to achieve their optimum in harmony with the solution of the transportation, and the technical-economic level of the designs, is really a task which exceeds the framework of a competition. Therefore, the invitor opened the competition to get ideas and profound impulses. At the same time, however, these circumstances inevitably led the jury to the fact that expert observation were only a help for a complex judgment and evaluation of each competition design.

partial functional areas. However, this circumstance does not influence the possibility of judging the qualitative degree of solution.

The result of the experts observations are included in two tables as follows: - the table for solving transportation contains a general observation of all competition designs. A detailed observation is not included for the reason that its conclusion are contained in the evaluation of the jury appropriately adjusted to a suitable extent. The evaluation of the jury are literally mentioned in connection with the illustrations of the prize winning and award winning designs; - the table of technical-economical data contains numerical results of a detailed expert observation of 24 designs and their classification according to qualitative degrees. The mentioned data in the table enable a mutual confrontation

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4.4.2 Conclusions and recommendations of the jury In concluding the results of the competition the jury summarized its conditions44 which are to be followed in the construction of Petržalka, as well as its recommendations to the National Committee of the City of Bratislava, regarding the procedure in preparing the final design for construction.

The ideas emanating from the projects receiving prices or awards comprise a valuable source of inspiration for the preparation of the plan for Petržalka particularly in respect of:  The need to achieve a close relationship between the existing city and its extension south of the Danube  The importance of preserving and enhancing the existing landscape qualities of the site  The opportunity of developing the waterways as basic elements in the designs  The desirability of avoiding rigid solutions which overemphasize theory or monumentality at the expense of the natural landscape and the human scale  The necessity of integrating all the major functional elements of the plan into a comprehensive design;  The need of an in-built flexibility in detail to allow for change and growth:

The paramount importance of creating human environment in which people as individuals and as members of a community feel that their needs have been met in an imaginative and convenient way.

It would have been easier for the jury to give advice to the authority as further steps to be taken in the preparation of a final design for Petržalka if the jury had found it possible to single out one design which would had shown superior quality and progressiveness in the urban solution to all other designs. It was difficult, however, to place the final selection of projects in any order of merit because of the variety of solutions and ideas contained. The jury was of the opinion that none of the schemes had completely solved the particular problems of the new Petržalka and it was for these reasons that the prize money was divided into five equal prizes. It is only possible, therefore, to draw attention to the wealth of ideas, principles and conceptions that they and those receiving awards and high communication contain. The jury attempted in the list above to emphasize the main principles which, it feels, have emerged from this competition.

For the procedure in preparing the construction: it would have been necessary for a special project-team to be established by the City Council for the final plan. In order that the results of the competition could have been analyzed and fully understood in relation to local conditions. It was considered desirable that a discussion or seminar should be held by Slovak architects and other 

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in the direction of Austria and to the highway PragueBudapest.

3. It is necessary to expressively determine the construction on the territory in Petržalka again in such a manner that only such industries will be allowed which will not be harmful to hygienic and quiet living or to the construction of residential areas because of dust, smoke, noise, etc.. It is required, therefore, to give preference to the construction of laboratories, research centers and similar equipment.

4. It will be necessary to protect the natural features (the forests, waterways, lakes, etc..) By widening the Danube use can be made of the excavated earth to create a new landscape.

5. The new district should not be so rigidly planned that it becomes impossible for future generations in the light of changing needs, to continue to works already begun.

6. The housing units should be varied in form so that the inhabitants can have a wide choice in a composition which allow in detail for change in character, scale and architectural conception, providing people with a lively human environment.

7. The best parts of the old city should be preserved for future generations and new buildings should be designed of this age but in scale with the existing buildings; the city with its squared boulevards, pedestrian streets, and embankments, should be the starting point for a modern study of the future Petržalka as a city district set in a landscape of forests and waterways with its unique position on the Danube45

experts concerned so that a series of main conclusions can be drawn up.

Following this, the prizewinning projects should have been brought into further discussions so that advantage could have been taken from their investigation and ideas, and the conclusions of the previous discussions put to the test as a wider basis. It would have been necessary if the authors of the prize-winning projects could have managed in some way –however modest- to make practical contributions to the realization of the final plan24.

There are therefore some particular problems in respect of which the jury wishes to make the following observations or recommendations: 1. The Canal: If the Hydrologists have decided about the absolute necessity of enlarging the cross-section of the river on front of the city, the jury is of the opinion that most of the economical and rational solution would be to widen and deepen the river moderately. The construction of a canal and new bridges would be expensive and would limit the new district towards the west and the south. This solution, however, can be acceptable only under the presumption that the embankments of the Danube would not create a slightly aesthetical dike but they would have the character of a promenade with a free architectural conception. These embankment would be freely planted with trees in order to preserve their present appearance.

2. Main communication: in the first stage a road should be constructed, making use of difference in the level of the present dike, or of the future embankment with connection to the Prague highway, and the new bridge to the east. This road would pass through the new district parallel to the river. It would be partially covered and situated in parkland so that it would not separate the district from the river. The road would serve the augmented traffic on the left bank. In the second stage a new bypass would be constructed to the south of the city

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4.5 Selection of competition projects In this part we publish views of the competition designs; the area extent and eventually, also the number of views of single competition design is differentiated according to the degree of their evaluation by the jury; the views contain the solution of the master plan at a scale of 1:5000, of the model and eventually a characteristic detail; the view of the model is taken either from the south side or the north-west side (approximately from the castle hill on the left bank)46.

4.3

4.2

4.2 Project n° 53, views of the model 4.3 Project n° 7, view of the model 4.4 Project n° 42, view of the model

46

The description of the winning projects: 7,42,43,46,74,1,6,23,53,68,79, are presented in The book International urbanistic Competition – Bratislava Petrzalka /Kamil Gross;VYDAVATELSTVO SLOVENSKO FONDU VITVARNYCH, Bratislava, 1969 pp. 61-78 73

4.4

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4.5.1 Projects remained for the final selection Project n째7 ( Bratislava, CSSR: Tibor Alexy, Jan Kovan, Filip Tkrnus) This scheme combines a linear lay-out parallel to the Danube with development in depth at right angles to it. This satisfactorily expresses both the individuality of the new district and its vital significance as an extension to the existing city. This project is commended for its rich variety of housing forms which creates spaces of different dimensions as an essential part of the urban environment. The connection between the old town and the new district centre is strong in character but its form requires study. Less successful is the architectural emphasis of the north-south axis which dominates the structure in too forcible way disrupting the existing landscape and the meandering waterway. The transport system is complicated and expensive, involving a sunken motorway. But the system of communications as a whole is capable of development towards a satisfactory solution.

There is a balanced content and the project can be implemented in stages.

4.5

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4.6

4.5, 4.6, 4.7 Project n째 7, views of the model 4.7

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Project n째 1 ( Brno, CCSR : Vladimir Palla, Silvester Vagner, Josef Krejcik, Eric Vrtis) This project has a concentrated linear form parallel to the Danube45. This enable natural features of the site to be preserved. There are interconnections between various social facilities east to west, whilst there is a community connection with the south. The educational buildings on the southern periphery have good contacts with the parkland. In the interior, intimate urban spaces are proposed and the housing development does not involve a large proportion of high buildings. the overall layout, however, has a rigidity which would make it difficult to meet changes in social or technological requirements in the future. It is arranged to allow for self-contained stages in construction, although the new centre in the position proposed would involve an early demolition of the old Petr탑alka.

4.8

4.8, 4.9, Project n째 1, views of the model

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4.9

4.10

Project n째53 (Yugoslavia: Vladimir Music, Marjan Bezan, Nives Stark) This is an imaginative scheme with characteristics of flexibility and variety25. Its transport structure is over elaborate and expansive although it has been studied in a wider regional scale. A strong connection is provided to the existing city by an extensive spine consisting of pedestrian walk-ways in association with the public buildings and shops.

This spine also gives an effective link with parkland to the south where the existing natural features are preserved. The water ways are integrated into the housing areas which have a variety in form of disposition allowing for easy staging in development and for changes in social needs.

4.11

4.12

4.10, 4.11, 4.12 Project n째 53, views of the model

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Project n째42 (Olomouc, CSSR: Karel Typovsky, Jaroslav Novacek, Vit Alamek) This project is remarkable for the manner in which not only the existing landscape is preserved but also for the way in which new parks are created encircled by blocks of flats of 8 to 20 floors45. The housing areas are divided into subdistricts with social facilities are located on the first two floors of the surroundings curved blocks of flats. The bank of the Danube is retained for parks and open spaces and only opposite the castle is an architectonic relationship expressed with the old city. Here are located the eastern end of the park. The communications system is simple and efficient but the motor-way inevitably divides the residential areas and the centre from the park, although pedestrian ways at a different level are proposed. A distributor road encircles the residential areas and the park. Although the scheme is somewhat exaggerated in scale and form, particularly as regards the centre and overwhelming size of the flats, its structure as a whole is sound and definite and provides the basis for further development towards a scheme which is both practical and more humanized.

4.13

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4.15

4.13, 4.14, 4.15 Project n째42, views of the model

4.14

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Project n°43 (Tokyo, Japan : Shiojiro Yamane, Denji Ogura, Yashimosa Okuma, Masashi Mijakawa,Hiroshi Taginuki, Jiro Onuma, Josuma Myojyo, Tzuneiko Hongo) The stated aims of this project45 are: a continuity in planning from a single dwelling to the city ; harmonious proportioning of space between pedestrians and motorists sequential experiences; a pattern that allows for growth. A spiral with three “lines of life” points to the district centre whilst links are provided with the existing city and an exchange route connects them laterally. A public recreational and cultural zone is sited on the bank of the Danube are a single monumental plaza commanding a panoramic view of the old city with the castle as a focal point. The traffic arrangements are well conceived. The flowing housing courtyard are linked by shopping arcades and a served on one side by car parks, off the distributor roads and, on the other, by open space and school. Public buildings are located at strategic points. This is very carefully considered scheme, sensitively detailed and respectful of the existing landscape and waterways. The repetition of similar housing units appears though monotonous on the model. The jury appreciated the avoidance of excessive dramatization and monumentality. It considered the project well-balanced, economic and capable of realization in stages. It was concerned, however, about the possible self-containment of the plan which might tend to make the district a separate satellite.

4.17

4.16, 4.17, 4.18 Project n°43, views of the model

4.16

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4.18

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4.19

Project n°46 (Los Angeles, California, USA : G. Vernon Russel, Anton Jemric, John Mc Keown Jr, Lianne Paxton) This projects shows a profound appreciation of the existing landscape with its shape and waterways45. Its author senses that Petržalka might become a unique island-city extension if regard is paid to natural assets and liabilities; he seeks to extend the free of the landscape to the architectural and circulation patterns, avoiding rectilinear solution as anachronistic. the “stacks” of apartments and low-rise extensions serrated in plan and skyline are grouped alongside or associated with the waterways around a large park, which allows the retention of the existing Petržalka for the time being. The use of waterways for pleasure and transport is proposed. Some aspects of the transport elements of the plan can be faulted and the district centre is isolated but in the opinion of the jury these criticisms do not invalidate the contribution, this project make towards the creation of a new urban environment with strong functional recreational area for the whole city as well as a modest visual acknowledgement across the river. There are proposal for the economical utilization of the alluvium gravel for dikes, roads, etc.. and for the manufacture on site of prefabricated housing units, the excavation forming new lakes and water-ways, which could be used for transporting the new building elements. The jury considered this project to be one of great originality showing a deep concern for the landscape qualities of the site.

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4.20

4.20

4.19, 4.20 Project n째 46, views of the model

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4.20

4.21

Project n째74 ( Wien, Austria: Roland Rainer, Albin Arzberger, Herbert Karer) This project is highly with a strong relationship to the existing concentrates development in three communities around a district centre and there are strong pedestrian and traffic links between them25. The exhibition area, the university and sports facilities are located on the river bank, so enabling the majority of existing landscape to be retained. Its transport elements are carefully considered, particularly as regards the level of the level station and the level of the local tramway which serves all areas in a most economic way. Each community is made up of five neighborhoods, different in character, containing a variety of dwellings which built-up to a high level of awards. The social facilities, as well as the parking spaces, are incorporated in circular complexes. The jury considered this project to have a convincing structure with a most suitable relationship with the road pattern of the existing city. It felt, however, that the standardized neighborhood unit was no conductive to change as the development proceeded and that such a highly organized scheme was more suitable for implementation over a very short period. These critics, could, it was considered, be met by the introduction of a great variety and a less rigid design in detail.

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4.22

4.21, 4.22 Project n째74, views of the model

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Project n째23 (Berlin, Germany : Merete Mattern, Manfred Waltz, J. Akni, Mike Mott, Hermann Mattern) Whilst the jury recognized the qualities of the scheme n째1, it also appreciated the contrasting message of this projecta reaction to the rectangular and schematic approach and an advocacy of town planning as an artistic and sculptural activity25. The jury welcomed the comprehensive approach in developing large-scale forms of landscape into townscape preserving the meandering water-ways and creating new ones by building up the ground formation so enhancing the urban composition. This cannot be considered as a scheme to be implemented as it stands. It is a beginning, a vision, a reminder that town cannot be human if they rely only upon scientific, lifeless formulas from the computer.

4.23

4.24

4.23, 4.24, 4.25 Project n째23, views of the model

4.25

87

Project n째68 (Boulogne,France: Paul Pierre Risterucii)

4.26

This project consists of two spines incorporating pedestrian ways which are linked by a third spine at right angles to the Danube extending from the existing park to a new railway station25. As the park end, the connection with the existing city is weak and the new district appears to be a satellite rather than an integral part of Bratislava.

The housing areas lie at right angles to the two spines and are of linear form allowing the penetration of green parkways on either side so providing a good living environment with easy access to open space and educational facilities. Although the housing elements are mechanically expressed, the organization of the scheme is very expressive.

4.26, 4.27 Project n째68, views of the model

4.27

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Project n°79 ( Frunze, Russia: V. Lyzenko, A. Abalian, V. Kurbatof, V. Cubenko) 4.28

This project consists of a series of compact neighborhoods circular on form, formally disposed in the landscape, which is substantially preserved25. The circular neighborhood consists of buildings of 10 up to 28 floors, open at the groud level and with built-in social facilities on the first floor above where is a pedestrian walk. Despite its faults, this scheme shows strength of character and originality particularly in its attempts to provide an environment in which public and private activities can be more readily associated. The transport arrangements are generally satisfactorily but the monorail is badly related to the concentration of people and in any case would be expensive in case of ¬¬¬ population growth.

4.28, 4.29 Project n°79, view of the model 4.29

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90

4.5.2 Projects with honorable mention Project n° 17 (Montereau,, France: Henry Poney, Jan Maniaque, Albert Longo, Alain Fabre) The project is commended for the reason that it contrasts with current planning theories by creating a framework which allows more freedom and flexibility in the achievements of a variety of living environments by different forms and densities of the buildings.

4.30

4.31

4.30, 4.31 Project n° 17, views of the model

Project n°18 ( Karlsruhe, Germany: Uwe Freidinger, Rachid, Jarkass) This project has vigorous formal qualities with strong relationships with the existing city, but ignores the existing landscape features and its transport arrangements are incomplete.

4.32

4.33

4.32, 4.33 Project n° 18, views of the model

Project n°21 (Wien, Austria : Robert Ruchitzka, Helmut Heisenmenger, Eric Holfmann, Jork Klinger, Rudolf Vieden) 91

This project has a strongly articulated linear plan at right angles to the Danube. It has some excellent theoretical qualities but unfortunately fails to pay sufficient attention to the existing landscape features.

4.34

4.35

4.34, 4.35 Project n째 21, views of the model

Project n째 37(Dusseldorf, Germany; Thomas Robaschik, Mir Szabo, Rudolf Baumann, Jochen Brandtner) The quality of this project lies in its consideration of the new district and its transport arrangements within wider regional context. In contrast, its details are purely schematic.

4.37

4.36

92

4.36, 4.37 Project n째 37, views of the model

4.6 The project finally realized has an introvert disposition in comparison with the central axes, orientated towards the landscape component of the wood, which separates from the river; the building typology reminds the one in Moscow and Nova Huta of the second phase, a layout with a central open space and services in the middle, in the part which costs the planned axis of services for the area, in order to give a more introvert aspect compared to this and open towards the landscape, while in the meantime there are residential blocks which remind the building typologies of the residential areas in BIelany, Chimki-Chovrino (Russia) and Nowa Huta (Poland). Proceeding towards the southern part of Petržalka, the typologies are mainly with central courtyard, with semicircular blocks which create circular squares. This typology of buildings here used works more than other typologies, revealing a better control of the space, theme which represents the main problem of the all area of Petržalka. The north-west part, which costs the Panoska Cesta street and the industrial part on the left side of the area, and is the third to be built, and reminds the typology already used in Bielany, Chimki-Chovrino (Russia) and Nowa Huta (Poland), with residential buildings of different dimensions and buildings for the services (mainly schools, posts) together with smaller dimension blocks.

This area costs the central axis in a more scattered way, with blocks of different dimensions, with blocks of various dimensions without a precise array of open spaces, which seem to be more a not characterized open space than a formal square. The northern part of Petržalka , in addition, which is also the most recent one, shows building typologies with central courtyard and “C” shaped, more

The final project for Petržalka does not belong to any of the projects presented in the competition, as the final response of the jury did not consider any of the projects to perfectly match to answer all the points requested. The final Masterplan of the area shows different characteristics, divided into different residential areas (built in different phases) and located around a central axes where it was planned the area with public services.

This axes was generated by the big pedestrian bridge (today closed to the public) which was an extension of the main street of the city (Sturova, which arrives to the centre). As in many others socialist areas, the urgency of answering to the primary needs, which are the houses for all citizens, the lack of money, caused the fact that only the residential part of the project to be realized with the main services to the citizens (like schools and post offices), ignoring all the central part of different kind of services.

This lack was the main cause of the failure of Petržalka and the reason why it seemed at once a dormitory area.

The different areas, built in different phases, show different building typologies, which reflect the different architectural experimentations and influences before and after socialism. Compared to the building typologies of the competition designs, it is easy to identify how in those projects it has been pursued a major level of research and complexity, compared to the socialist typologies spread out in the previous years; though, the buildings realized reflect a backwards look at the first socialist experimentations, with the same failures and oldfashioned ideas for the years Petržalka was built. The north-east part of the area was the first to be built, and it 93

rigid in comparison with the typologies built in the southern part, but they keep the same layout with services (schools and post offices) of the all other residential areas; the blocks are arranged in a introvert centric way compared with the channel, costing the railway and the Panoska Cesta street. In a symmetrical way to this, another area costs the highway which reaches Vienna, (the Panoska Cesta in the opposite side) and the small residential area with more recent single houses. It is possible therefore to deduce how the competition design proposals for Petr탑alka were more refined and with more functions and services, better integrated with the residential part, compared with what was finally realized. For what concerns the final shape of the buildings, it is clear how the projects with organic shapes and more related with the landscape around (like the projects n째42 and 46) have not been taken into consideration, compared with the squared lines and the more rigid articulations given by the precedent architectural socialist examples. In addition, it is to say that the economic component of the production process gave influence on the design choices, as the standardized productive process in the socialist building trade finally determines specific design choices, very fast to realize, to the detriment of a more qualified design and more careful of the real needs of the citizens.

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5.1

95

5 URBAN ANALISYS OF PETRŽALKA DISTRICT Our approach with the area is based on a extended analysis where we considered all the urban components which characterize the area and its relationship with the city of Bratislava ( the link with the Old city, the infrastructures, the public transports, the functions and services in the area). We produced some schemes which represent the current situation, focusing on the characteristic and interesting aspects of the area, elaborating a precise description of the urban situation of PetrŞalka, highlighting the weaknesses, the main problems to solve and the urban potential as the starting point of our project of requalification.

5.1 Scheme: Housing concept of the area

96

5.1 Petržalka and the Old city district inhabitants in fact aim at “preserving” their status of “Old city citizens” and at concurrently differentiating from “Petržalka citizens”.

The district of Petržalka is linked to the city centre by five bridges: two for the highway, one old pedestrian bridge and two bridges for Danube car-crossing. The Novy Most bridge is the world's longest cable-stayed bridge in category with one pylon and with one cable-stayed plane.

The Kosicka bridge is located between the current Pristavny (Port) Bridge and the Old Bridge originally built by the Russian army after World War II. Petržalka and the Old city are only connected through buses: in fact, after several purposes, the idea of having an underground line getting to Petržalka was finally rejected as the soft land where Petržalka lies has serious problems with excavations because of water floods. Consequently, the proposal of having a high speed tram line has already been proposed and accepted. Another aspect which separates Petržalka from the Old City, beyond the natural and physical barrier represented by the Danube, is the position of the highway.

This gives the sensation of being a strong and impassable part of the area, especially to the pedestrians, who have just the choice of using some uncomfortable and narrow pedestrians bridges which link one side to the other; moreover, they do not have the strength of valuable connections between the commercial area (where Aupark stands, which is an attraction point for all the city) and the residential Petržalka. In addition, it is to say that the only part of Petržalka which is deeply and really used by all the people of the city is the park coasting the river. This area is indeed the only one really appreciated by the sport lovers from all the city, unlike all other parts of Petržalka. Old

5.2 Scheme: Petržalka and the strategic areas of Bratislava

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5.2

98

5.2 Streets and Public transports at local and city scale The area in fact was designed for cars, and is completely encircled by the highway and the two beltways, but the pedestrian and cycle connections are completely inefficient or absent. The biggest problem involves the pedestrian accessibility to the area and the infrastructures, as beyond the buses there are no other means of transport connecting Petržalka to the rest of the city: the project of a metro line which could link the area with the old city was rejected as Petržalka’s ground, once an island, does not allow to realize this intervention; instead, the project of an high speed tram connecting with the rest of the city is nowadays under design and comes also to be one key point of our strategy for the area.

The analysis of infrastructures stems from the hierarchy of the streets serving the area, that is the system linking Petržalka to the rest of the city and to the close Austria, especially Vienna. Petržalka lies indeed in a strategic position thanks to the closeness to the city centre and to Vienna, which is linked by a regional train system. Such connection enables a lot of workers living in Petržalka to reach every day their work place in Vienna. Regarding the mobility at local and city scale, Petržalka suffers from the strong presence of the highway in the northern part. This represents a strong barrier, as it separates the park and the new Aupark commercial area from the rest of the city.

All the residential part thus consequently suffers from functional and infrastructural loneliness.

5.3 Scheme: Streets and public transports in Bratislava

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5.3

100

5.3 Housing and Building typologies several buildings. The typologies with staircases in the middle are spread mostly in the northern part of the area, and stand like towers of variable height, between fourteen and sixteen floors. In the southern part of Petr탑alka these buildings stand together with the line shaped buildings creating some broken line shapes. The common character of the buildings is to have the canteen in the basement or sometimes the shops in the first floor. In several buildings the basements host the shops, but in almost all of them the commercial function is not strong enough to stand as reference points in each small housing area of the district.

For what concerns the structure of these houses, all the buildings have columns up to the first floor, and from the second one the structure is made by the precast panels assembled in the building site.

The area of Petr탑alka is characterized by several building typologies, different for the plan, the array of the buildings, the height. In all the different parts composing Petr탑alka the buildings have an introvert array, and face the courtyards where the schools lie. The typologies are divided according two different categories: line shaped or with staircases in the middle. The line shaped typology is the most spread, with nine up to eighteen floors: the buildings have different layouts and are assembled in different ways in order to form geometrical shapes, C shapes, broken lines, and their height decrease progressively from the area near the channel towards the inner housing areas. In the line shaped typologies the staircases are well visible, and in the last few decades their facades have been painted in order to distinguish the

5.4 Scheme: Housing typologies in Petr탑alka

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5.4

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103

5.5

5.5: Housing typologies in Petr탑alka

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5.4 Green areas, water and environment the area, the area of Petržalka is very attractive under the aspect of the sport activities: the central part, where is the artificial water channel, is very much appreciated by running and roller skating lovers, and also the southern part, from the area around the hippodrome (which attracts fans from all the city during the races) going to the area next to the lake, which has a very big potential for water sports. Though the residential area is densely rich in terms of green areas, surrounded by the wood and the agricultural fields, there is a deep lack of green facilities and leisure, so that finally it is very difficult for the inhabitants to enjoy the green heritage they have.

Therefore, in our design proposal, we consider to ask ourselves how to give urban quality to the existing green areas, creating different types of them, and developing the potential that this space can have for its inhabitants.

The area of Petržalka has a very consistent green heritage and potential. First of all, this is caused by the fact that Petržalka was originally and island, and it was actually surrounded completely by the water, thanks to two branches of the Danube, which spitted into two parts joining against the floods in the south of Petržalka. This particular layout has been really positive for the growth of a consistent green belt of wood, which today stands as the biggest natural richness of the city. Nowadays the Danube surrounds Petržalka only in the northern part, as in the 70s, when the residential project for Petržalka became reality, the local administration and the experts decided to cover the smaller branch of The Danube, giving it the appearance it has today. This decision, though, revealed to be a failure as in some particular times the floods rich a very high level of water giving some problems of incontinence. In addition to the particular natural layout of

5.6: Green typologies in Petržalka

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5.6

5.6

106

5.5 Functions around the formers, with some of them being relevant at city scale, such as the stadium, the Arena and the hippodrome. Commercial areas are concentrated in few points with big Malls and shopping centers, which attract citizens from all the city but do not fulfill the needs of Petr탑alka citizens.

Petr탑alka is full of services like schools, post offices and municipalities. Conversely, all other kind of services should have placed in the area according to the original project, but they have never been realized due to the lack of financial resources. The most relevant problem of this area is the highway, which stands as a barrier separating Petr탑alka from the park and stadium area. The analysis on the area proved the need of creating a mix of services in the central part, in a well planned system which could link the different parts of the district, nowadays completely patchy and scattered. From the map of the functions in the area it is evident how the number of schools is even higher than needed, whereas sport activities are concentrated

5.7 Scheme: Existing functions in Petr탑alka

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5.7

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6.1

109

6

URBAN STRATEGIES AND GOALS FOR THE AREA 110

6.1 The project for out flowing the river Danube Over the centuries the river Danube near the area of Petržalka suffered from many modifications: as earlier mentioned, up to the end of the XIX century Petržalka was an island, surrounded by the channels and periodically flooded, this causing damaging houses and crops of the inhabitants. The area was however famous for its fertile earth and wide cultivations. At the end of 1800 the local authorities decided to modify the course of the river, and then in the 1950s the channels were completely drained.

By that time Petržalka became a uniform area as we know it today. Nevertheless, after this intervention, a lot of flooding problems arose, due to the lack of channels which should have canalized the water into different directions.

Therefore, local authorities are currently thinking to face this phenomenon by creating again a net of canalizations and waterways which could go cross the area and link the riverfront of the old city to the water basin in the south of Petržalka. The outflow project has been carried out by the University of Technology of Bratislava together with the University of technology of Vienna in 2005. The project, named Bajoproject, had several different goals:  renewing the relations between the neighbouring northern boroughs of Bratislava across the Morava River with municipalities in Austria  enhancingcross-border mobile ty through the development of urban and transport infrastructure in the direction of Devínska Nová Ves – Marchegg– Gänserndorf

 



 

improving walking and cycling connections across the River Morava in the area of Devínska Nová Ves developing international cycling paths along the River Morava with facilities within urbanised parts of the settlements restoring the historical relations and ties with neighbouring Austrian and Hungarian municipalities in the southern part of the city Petržalka – Berg – Wolfsthal – Hainburg building up a central space around and alongside the historical route to Vienna creating four development ring roads connected above the motorway to Austria Jarovce – Kittsee – Brucka/L and Hungary Rusovce – Rajka – Hegyeshalom, as well as an anti-flood protection of Bratislava in the form of the new Danube channel, which shall enforce a higher safety level into the urbanised environment of the city, as well as into recreational areas.

6.1 Scheme: Existing functional poles in Petržalka 6.2 Project for out flowing the river Danube

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6.2

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8.1 The project for Petr탑alka into the new landscape and infrastructural system 6.3

6.4

6.5

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6.6

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6.2 The creation of new strategic axes/poles and the empowerment of the existing ones centre which became one of the few reference points of the area, churches and other commercial units standing next to the channel. The missing axis, which has a great landscape potential thanks to the channel and to the big green central space, today is left abandoned. In our intervention strategy we propose to revaluate this potential and re-establish the original function of this axis, by adding the new functions and missing public spaces, concurrently increasing the value of the surrounding landscape.

For the development of our intervention strategy we focused on the infrastructural aspect, by identifying the most important infrastructural axes and defining their function and influence on the surrounding territory. The main infrastructural axes, which are also the main streets, are the Dolmosenka cesta and the Panonska cesta, highways which link the city with Hungary in the south.

Along these axes lie different poles, at both the city and the local scale, which shed light into the area of Petr탑alka.

On the axis of Dolmozenka cesta there are city attractions such as the commercial center of Aupark, the Fairy, and the station which links the city of Bratislava with Vienna, an important node for all commuters working in the latter and living in Petr탑alka. On the Panonska cesta there are other poles like the Mall Eurovea, the Faculty of Economics and the Hyppodrome, which attract flows from all the city.

We therefore focused on the lack in the main axis, which departs from the old city centre and gets to Petr탑alka via the old bridge. Once there, the axis creates a crack which separates the area in two parts. The central part, which during the creation of Petr탑alka was designed to host services and functions missing in the district (and then never built due to the lack of financial resources), currently displays some poles at both the city scale (e.g. the Stadium) and (mostly) the district scale. Among the latter, there are commercial units as Billa, Lidl, a small cultural

6.3 Scheme: Existing green, streets, water system 6.4 Scheme: Project for the new water system 6.5 Scheme: The new green system 6.6 Scheme: The new water and landscape system 6.7 Scheme: Axes and strategic functional nodes 115

6.7

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6.3 The empowerment of public transport, cycle and pedestrian routes at local and city scale In order to obtain an efficient link between the district, the Old City centre, and the city in general, we considered the project (already proposed) of a fast tram line which could link the centre with the Petr탑alka area, crossing it from north to south. At the same time our strategy aims at solving two additional infrastructural problems, such as the development of the railway Bratislava-Vienna and the improvement of the pedestrian connection between the area close to the park and the residential area (currently separated by the highway, standing as a barrier that obstructs the flow of pedestrians into the residential district). In fact, if one coasts the area around the Mall Aupark, it is possible to cross the highway only through narrow pedestrians bridges going by the street in four different points. However, getting through them is not very inspiring, and thus they are not much used. In our intervention strategy there is therefore the intent of enlightening the massive presence of the barrier by further developing the connection between with the mall and the park, so to invite pedestrians to cross the highway. At the same time the strategy also involves Petr탑alka railway station, very important for commuters daily directed to Vienna. Nowadays the station is scarcely accessible, as it is reachable only from Rusovska cesta and not from Panovska cesta, one of the two main infrastructural axes which cross Petr탑alka. The empowerment of the role of the station makes it possible to create a link with the core of the area, concurrently improving the usability and the accessibility for commuters.

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6.8 Scheme: The new tram line 6.9 Scheme: Empowerment of the existing cycling line 6.10 Scheme: The new pedestrian routes

6.8

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6.9

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6.10

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6.4 The empowerment of the existing green areas and landscape through the reintegration of the central environmental/functional axis In order to give value to the urban green in the area we consider the hypothesis of reconverting



all the green

commercial for the northern part (closer to the old city centre and to the commercial area of Aupark),

space standing in the central part into a multipurpose



cultural for the core of the area, just around the

green axis, where landscape, buildings and infrastructures

already existing cultural building (where we

interact naturally in order to provide higher breadth to the

suppose a link with the station)

district and to tackle its massive constructions. With



sport and nature in the southern part of the main

specific reference to the open space, our strategy has the

central axis, where there are the lake, the

mission to differentiate it into squares, green areas with

hippodrome, the wood and a big green heritage.

facilities, green for sport, naturalistic greenery, picnic

These interventions are supposed to be punctual,

areas, boulevards, in order to create a mix of possible uses.

concentrated around four main strategic nodes:

Mobility plays a fundamental role, with the fast tram line

1. in the area around the beginning of the channel,

serving as the structural axis for the intervention. The

where there are the shops Billa and Lidl , and a big

buildings that are about to be built represent a filling of the

free area to be designed

current public space rather than a presence facing the

2. in the area surrounded by the curve of the channel

surrounding context. Our intent is also to tackle the area

3. near the crossing with the street Painstunska,

identity issue, as the inhabitants have difficulties to

where there is already a small functional pole

distinguish the different part of the area, or to find their

4. near the last stop of the tram, close to the last

own house. Our strategy points at differentiating the area

curve of the channel, where is possible a link with

into three parts, characterized by the presence of the

the new residential area, at south of Petržalka.

following functional themes:

6.11 Scheme: The green/functional axis connecting the different parts of Petržalka 121

6.11

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7.1

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7

THE PROJECT FOR THE REQUALIFICATION

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7.1 Identification of reference visual axes in the area In order to identify the matrix of our project and to reach our design goals, we started by observing the pre-existing residential area of Petr탑alka, made up of many introvert and scattered parts looking like lonely islands. In order to break the mutual loneliness emphasized by the currently abandoned big central whole, we started by tracing some ideal and visual axes which cross the watercourse in many points linking the different areas. These axes, which are made up of green and paths with trees, graft into the courtyards of the existing buildings, which today are abandoned lawns and small playgrounds. The general plan is to graft paths with trees which could link each courtyard with the project area, so to have a specific array of public space with paths, lawns, facilities, and naturalistic green. In addition to the axes which link the different areas of Petr탑alka from a side to another, we propose to place some axes to create a flow of lines merging to the north while crossing the highway. Specifically, we would create a bridge which crosses the barrier of the highway at different levels (infrastructural, pedestrian, traffic), concurrently inviting all pedestrians flows coming from the old city to enter the area of Petr탑alka through a specific track.

Therefore, the basic articulation of the public space lies on an axes system crossing the project area and concomitantly linking the different areas through a net of paths and trees lines, together with a system of visual axes looking like flows merging into both the bridge and the Old city.

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7.1 Concept sketch for the masterplan 7.2 Scheme: Visual Axes in the area

7.2

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7.2 Identification of spontaneous pedestrian routes near the channel In order to identify a reference grid for the articulation of the public space, we observed how over time a lot of spontaneous pedestrians routes randomly crossing the channel area came to life, beyond the spaces carefully and strictly designed in the socialist era. These routes, mostly never ending and traced in the existing green, define a patchy track which coasts all the design area. In order to articulate the public space, taking into consideration the visual axes as a mean to link the different parts of the area, we started from these routes with the idea of creating a more free fruition of the public space. This also results from the observation of how the inhabitants of Petr탑alka spontaneously love to walk along and near the channel to reach their destinations.

In order to recreate this usage and habit, we considered a hierarchy of secondary lines which could lay on the previously defined grid of primary visual axes. In this project we consequently tried to grant a walkability which could offer a multiplicity of alternatives, with either naturalistic routes and paths or open spaces nearby and along the channel defined by the track of this grid. This in turn creates a landscape system also integrated with the buildings disposition and with the functions we imagined to place in the area.

7.3 Scheme: Spontaneous routes near the channel 127

7.3

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7.3 Creation of a grid defining the public space From the observation of the landscape structure, based on the soft movements of the channel (which in our strategy retains a strategic role, as it adds value to the natural landscape of the area), we opted for a grid which could serve as a support for the creation of public indoor and outdoor spaces. Thanks to the visual axes and to the lines generated by spontaneous pedestrian routes, we created a landscape system which takes into account the lines of the watercourse, that is consequently emphasized. The resulting landscape lines, designed to create squares, walkways and paths, become an ideal transposition of the curves and the watercourse, especially in the central part of the channel. Indeed in that area the latter turns and the lines create like an offset of the lines of the watercourse, as well as a system of public spaces accessible from all the different parts of the area, concurrently putting the buildings into relationship to the lines of the watercourse.

This effect is also created through lines of the visual axes and by designing new paths, which synthesize and repurpose the original inhabitants’ habit to walk freely in the area next to the river. The intervention also takes into consideration the Identity issue, and in particular the current inhabitants difficulties to identify and distinguish the different areas of PetrŞalka and their houses, as well as to orientate themselves into the area. Our strategy has also therefore the goal of placing different arrays of squares and public buildings along the channel, thus creating some new focal and reference points for the inhabitants and differentiating the several parts of the district.

7.4 Scheme: Grid defining the new public space 129

7.4

130

7.4 Definition of the different types and uses of green Aware of how careful the design of the green areas needs to be (as it shapes form and appearance of the city just like the buildings architecture), we used different types of green in our concept:  The green related to mobility, which includes the green spaces dedicated to the flows of the urban environment (e.g. green of the parking spaces, near the traffic areas, or green used as street furniture)  the green related to the urban space, differentiated on the basis of structure and spatial dimension, with areas aimed at improving the quality of living, also retaining a landscaping goal (e.g. courtyards, gardens, park, wood, paths with trees, lawns)  the green related to the territory, including the wood characterizing the northern, north-eastern and eastern parts of Petržalka, and devoted to both the ecological and the ornamental function.

The general plan of our concept is therefore to use the tree rows as axes which articulate the public space in multiple use destinations, like squares, lawns, and parks. In addition, in the southern part (which has a stronger naturalistic characterization and naturalistic pedestrian routes getting to the Danube), we planned a possible agricultural use of some fields, from which the Petržalka inhabitants can benefit.

7.5 Scheme: New Urban green 131

7.5

132

7.5 Placement of the buildings in the strategic points of the intervention stadium area), we planned the construction of a commercial pole. This will also be related to the next-tocome regional train station. Alongside the channel, where the watercourse makes a big twist, a small cultural centre currently stands. This represents one of the few reference points of the area. Here we planned to maintain this function by creating three new buildings (instead of the current one), a square and a park around them.

Southwards, nearby Romanova and Kutlikova streets, we plan other groups of buildings and squares functional to the district. Our concept also features the construction of a group of buildings and squares in the area nearby the last tram stop (similar to those planned in the northernmost part of the district), in order to make also that part of Petr탑alka an attraction pole for the whole city.

In order to place new functions in the area we started by choosing six focal points along the channel, which could be considered as new strategic and functional reference points for the area. The main goal of our strategy is to integrate the buildings in the surrounding landscape as much as possible, in order to create an harmonious whole of opens spaces and public buildings. This intervention is possible by designing buildings which seem to emerge from the ground thanks to their shape and structure, made of green coverings with mild, walkable slopes that stand silently into the surrounding landscape. This idea aims at contrasting the rigid formalism which characterizes the area and at requalificating its landscape without adding new massive and standing buildings. Concerning new functions, we planned a hierarchy of roles among the buildings near the channel. The general plan is indeed to pursue a city scale relevance, in order to create interest in the area of Petr탑alka. The ones (DI COSA SI PARLA, buildings?) near the bridge are conceived as a door to the area, while those at the end of the channel as an attraction point thanks to the last stop of the tram. In the northern part, where the commercial area hosting the shops Billa and Lidl is located (beyond the highway near the park and

7.6 Scheme: New public buildings 133

7.6

134

8.1

135

8 THE MASTER PLAN

136

1

2 3

8.1 Concept strategy 8.2 General Masterplan 8.3 Keyplan of zoom 1 8.4 Zoom 1: The new bridge and the new retail pole 8.5 Section 1 8.6 Section 2 8.7 Section 3 137

8.2

138

8.3

139

8.4

140

141

8.5

8.6

8.7 142

8.8

143

8.10

8.9

8.8 Zoom 2: The new cultural centre 8.9 Zoom 3: The new sport area 8.10 Zoom 4: The area near Kutlikova street 144

8.11

145

8.12

8.13

8.14 4 5

8.11 Zoom 5: The new tram terminal and the surrounding area 8.12 Program of the building’s spaces

6

8.13 Genesis of the buildings 8.14 Keyplan of zoom 5 146

147

8.14

8.15

148 8.16

8.17

149

8.18

8.19

8.15 Section 4 8.16 Section 5 8.16 Section 6 8.17 Render of the new bridge and the new retail pole; north view from the Old city 8.18 Render of the new agricultural pole, north view 8.19 Render of the new agricultural pole, south view

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9

NEW PERSPECTIVES FOR PETRŽALKA WITH THE NEW INTERVENTION 151

9.1 The re-appropriation of the public space precedent experiments, proved how the concept of public space spread in those years failed miserably, showing how it was inadequate and not adapt to the inhabitants’ needs, changing so fastly and needing flexibility. In the original project the idea of public space was referred only to the buildings courtyards, and therefore only playgrounds and little sport fields were designed in order to answer to the basic inhabitants’ needs; no any other public space common to all Petržalka has ever been thought and designed. In the course of the time has become evident how the inhabitants need to live their district beyond the basic functions that it can offer, and how the free time is a valuable resource to be preserved in the design of adequate public spaces, outdoor and indoor. Our strategy propose to re-establish an equity between the inhabitants and their public space, and to allow them to use a precious resource which today they are not able to enjoy.

With this intervention of requalification we would like to re-establish the human scale in Petržalka, bringing back its origins, when it was a small town and its park was a place of interest and attraction for all the city, where took place fairies and events of European resonance. In addition, the agricultural theme in the area of Petržalka brings many perspectives, both in the recovery of the identity of the district, with the creation of urban vegetable gardens and in the functional aspect interacting with the near agricultural areas and the creation of a farmer market which could bring back again the attention on the local products. The idea of giving new value to the public space proposing different thematic poles along the channel (commercial, cultural, sport, agricultural), comes from the willingness to differentiate the several parts of the area and the public space above all, which nowadays has a big lack of characterization and attractions. The area of Petržalka, like all the other urban contemporary and

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9.2 Chronological program of the intervention the inhabitants can enjoy at once the green and its facilities.

When then the new buildings and the new function are placed in the site, the outdoor spaces like squares and related areas can be built as well and fully integrated in the park around. In an extra amount of time also the tree line connected with the existing courtyards can be realized, in order to complete the graft of the new intervention into the surrounding environment.

According to our strategy, we propose to realize the intervention following different phases. First of all, the first and most important step for the area is the infrastructural connection with the Old City, therefore the construction of the fast tram line, according to the already existing project.

In addition to that, the same importance have the pedestrian and bicycle connections, with the empowerment of the bicycle line route and the pedestrian routes along the river.

Once the connections have been improved, the next step is to realize the park, the trees lines and the paths, so that

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9.3 Conclusion After 40 years of urban changes, transformations and despite the new millennium advent, Petržalka suffers today for the same urban mistakes as many other contemporary European areas do. Our goal is therefore to recreate the missing public and aggregation spaces for the whole area, following one space to another in a fluid and dynamic way into the green. In this way this area, which represents such an important heritage for all the city, can become again a reference point for the city like it was in the past, when all Bratislava citizens came in Petržalka to relax and enjoy in their free time the beauty of its green heritage and his relationship with the natural environment. Today Petržalka’s face is completely different, but according to our approach and proposal we hope that in the future this area could become again an important referent point for all the city, like it was in the past.

What will be the future of Petržalka? Our proposal has tried to give an answer, a new point of view to this issue.

On the contrary of the developers, we believe that Petržalka’s historical identity and future lies in its green heritage, in its park, in its wood, so beloved by its inhabitants and so full of potential for the whole city of Bratislava.

In relation to that, our willingness to add functions to the area aims at proposing a silent but relevant intervention, by creating a hierarchy of scale between the district and the city, and at the same time channeling flows into the area and marking Petržalka’s watercourse through a sequence of small and big polarities. Our research work for the urban requalification of Petržalka focuses on the human scale, based on the value of the existing landscape and on the recovery of the district identity.

Our approach to the problem has borne from the direct experience we had of the area, walking through it, talking with the inhabitants, visiting the interior of a panelàk, using the existing outdoor spaces used by the inhabitants, and seeing with our eyes what is the Petržalka’s reality.

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Thanks to‌ all the teachers and friends who supported us and believed in us and in our work, in all these years; a special thank you to Elena Soltesova, who accompanied us in this amazing experience in a so touching way, and above all...thanks to our parents and families...whose love let us go far away from home to discover how beautiful and rich can be our life and our future.

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IMAGES INDEX

1.1 Historical view of Bratislava Source: www.travelspectator.sk 1.2 Satellite view of Bratislava Source: www.google.it/maps 1.3 View of Bratislava, 2010 Source: www.google.it 1.4 View of Bratislava, 1905 Source: book Petržalka. Engerau –Ligetfalu/Jan ComaJ, Bratislava, 2008 1.5 The bridge Nòvy Most Source: www.google.it 1.6 The Slavin Monument Source: www.google.it 1.7 View of Petržalka, 1990 Source: www.travelspectator.sk 1.8 Petržalka under construction, 1970 Source: http://www.petrzalkacity.sk 1.9 View of Petrzalka Source: http://www.petrzalkacity.sk

Source: book Petržalka. Engerau –Ligetfalu/Jan ComaJ, Bratislava, 2008 2.5 Postcard with view to the old city, 1910 22 Source: book Petržalka. Engerau –Ligetfalu/Jan ComaJ, Bratislava, 2008 2.6 Historical map of Petržalka 23-24 Source: book Petržalka. Engerau –Ligetfalu/Jan ComaJ, Bratislava, 2008 2.7 Bathing in the river Danube, 1940 25 Source: http://www.petrzalka.sk 2.8 Fairy in Petržalka, 1939 25 Source: book Petržalka. Engerau –Ligetfalu/Jan ComaJ, Bratislava, 2008 2.9 View of the panelàks, Petržalka, 1995 25 Source: http://www.petrzalkacity.sk 2.10 The cafès in the old park, 1900 26 Source: book Petržalka. Engerau –Ligetfalu/Jan ComaJ, Bratislava, 2008 2.11 Old farms in Petržalka Source: book Petržalka. Engerau –Ligetfalu/Jan ComaJ, Bratislava, 2008 2.12 Historical view of the park 27 Source: book Petržalka. Engerau –Ligetfalu/Jan ComaJ, Bratislava, 2008 2.13 Some panelàks in Petržalka Source: www.google.it 2.14 Aereal view of the panelàk, Petrzalka 29 Source: www.google.it 2.15 Aereal view of Petrzalka Source: www.google.it 2.16 View of the Eurovea shopping centre and the fairy from Nòvy Most bridge Source: Nicola Petaccia 2.17 Satellite view of Petržalka 30 Source: www.google.it/maps

10 12 14 14

14 15 15 16 18

1.10 View of Bratislava Source: www.travelspectator.sk 1.11 The shopping centre Eurovea Source: http://img.cas.sk 2.1 View to the castle from Petržalka, 1890 19 Source: book Petržalka. Engerau –Ligetfalu/Jan ComaJ, Bratislava, 2008 2.2 The town of Petržalka, 1890 22 Source: book Petržalka. Engerau –Ligetfalu/Jan ComaJ, Bratislava, 2008 2.3 The park, historical view to the castle Source: book Petržalka. Engerau –Ligetfalu/Jan ComaJ, Bratislava, 2008 2.4 View of the mein street of the old Petržalka, 1905

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2.18 Data of Petržalka and previsions for the next ten years Source: http://www.norc.sk 2.19 View from Petržalka to the Old City Source: Nicola Petaccia 2.20 View from the Old City to Petržalka Source: Nicola Petaccia 2.21 Panelàks in northern part of Petržalka, view 1 Source: Nicola Petaccia 2.22 Panelàks in the northern part of Petržalka, view 2 Source: Nicola Petaccia 2.23 One school, the panelàks and the channel Source: Nicola Petaccia 2.24 Green and the panelàks in Petržalka, view 1 Source: Nicola Petaccia 2.25 Green and the panelàks in Petržalka, view 2 Source: Nicola Petaccia 3.1 The district PKWN in Lublin Source: www.google.it 3.2 The district of Gheorghiu Dei, Romania Source: L' urbanistica dei paesi socialisti : città, territorio e

3.6 The “Young People district” in Gdànsk-Gdynia Source:Ibid.

3.7 The industrial buildings in Khar’kov Source:Ibid.

3.8 Fragment of the district PKWN in Lublin Source:Ibid.

3.9 Scheme of the spatial structure of four industrial districts: Khar’kov, Volgrad, Gor’kij, Min’sk 46 Source:Ibid.

3.10 General scheme of Lublin Source:Ibid.

3.11Economical/spatial scheme of the region Gdansk for the year 1980 Source:Ibid.

3.12General scheme of Georghiu Dej (Onesti, Romania) Source:Ibid.

3.13 Interior of a panelàk 48 Source: www.google.it 3.14 Old people in Petržalka Source: www.google.it 3.15 Panelàk Source: www.google.it 3.16 The kinder garden and the housing in the district Michelska in Prague, 1970 50 Source: L' urbanistica dei paesi socialisti : città, territorio e

32 34

35

36 37 38 41 42

struttura sociale / Edmund Goldzamt ; with the contribution of Paolo Santacroce, Ed. Mazzotta, Milano, 1977

3.3 The district of Eisenhuttenstadt, Romania Source: L' urbanistica dei paesi socialisti : città, territorio e

42

struttura sociale / Edmund Goldzamt ; with the contribution of Paolo Santacroce, Ed. Mazzotta, Milano, 1977

struttura sociale / Edmund Goldzamt ; with the contribution of Paolo Santacroce, Ed. Mazzotta, Milano, 1977

3.4 View of Pulawy Source:Ibid.

3.5 General plan of Pulawy Source: Ibid.

3.6 The “Young People district” in Gdànsk-Gdynia Source: Ibid.

3.7 The industrial buildings in Khar’kov Source: Ibid.

3.8 Fragment of the district PKWN in Lublin Source: Ibid.

3.17 Nowa Huta, aerial view 51 Source: www.google.it/maps 3.18 Nowa Huta, bird view Source: www.google.it/maps 3.19 Model of the district of Nowa Huta 52 Source: L' urbanistica dei paesi socialisti : città, territorio e struttura sociale / Edmund Goldzamt ; with the contribution of Paolo Santacroce, Ed. Mazzotta, Milano, 1977

44

45

45 158

Source: Ibid.

4.16, 4.17, 4.18 Project n°43, views of the model Source: Ibid.

4.19. 4.20 Project n° 46, views of the model Source: Ibid.

4.21, 4.22 Project n°74, views of the model Source: Ibid.

4.23, 4.24, 4.25 Project n°23, views of the model Source: Ibid.

4.26, 4.27 Project n°68, views of the model Source: Ibid.

4.28, 4.29 Project n°79, view of the model Source: Ibid.

4.30, 4.31 Project n° 17, views of the model Source: Ibid.

4.32, 4.33 Project n° 18, views of the model Source: Ibid.

4.34, 4.35 Project n° 21, views of the model Source: Ibid.

4.30, 4.31 Project n° 37, views of the model Source: Ibid.

5.1 Scheme: Housing concept of the area 5.2 Scheme: Petržalka and the strategic areas of Bratislava 5.3 Scheme: Streets and public transports in Bratislava 5.4 Scheme: Housing typologies in Petržalka 5.5: Housing typologies in Petržalka 5.6: Green typologies in Petržalka 5.7: Existing functions in Petržalka 6.1 Scheme: Existing functional poles in Petržalka 6.2 Project for out flowing the river Danube 6.3 Scheme: Existing green, streets, water system 6.4 Scheme: Project for the new water system

3.20 Project for the district Wzgorza Krzeslawickie in Nowa Huta Source: Ibid.

3.21 Urban scheme of Nowa Uta according to J.Guzika Source: Ibid.

3.22 View of the housing in Bielany 53 Source: www.google.it 3.23 Functions in the area of Bielany Source: L' urbanistica dei paesi socialisti : città, territorio e struttura sociale / Edmund Goldzamt ; with the contribution of Paolo Santacroce, Ed. Mazzotta, Milano, 1977 3.24 Plan of Bielany Source: Ibid.

3.25 View of the housing in Kimki-Khovrino 55 Source: Ibid.

3.26 Experimental complex of Novi Ceremuski 56 Source: Ibid.

3.27 Plan of Kimki-Khovrino in Moscow Source: Ibid.

4.1 Project n° 46, View of the model 60 Source: International urban Competition Bratislava Petržalka /Kamil Gross;VYDAVATELSTVO SLOVENSKO FONDU VITVARNYCH, Bratislava, 1969 4.2 Project n° 53, View of the model 76 Source: Ibid.

4.3 Project n° 7, View of the model 4.4 Project n° 42, View of the model 77 4.5, 4.6, 4.7 Project n° 7, views of the model 78 4.8, 4.9, Project n° 1, views of the model 79 Source: Ibid.

4.10, 4.11, 4.12 Project n° 53, views of the model 80 Source: Ibid.

4.13, 4.14, 4.15 Project n°42, views of the model 82 6.5 Scheme: The new green system 6.6 Scheme: The new water and landscape system

115 159

83-84 85-86 87-88 89 90 92 93 93 94 95 98 100 103 104 106 108 109 111 113 114

6.7 Scheme: Axes and strategic functional nodes 118 6.8 Scheme: The new tram line 120 6.9 Scheme: Empowerment of the existing cycling line 121 6.10 Scheme: The new pedestrian routes 122 6.11 Scheme: The central environmental/functional axis connecting the areas of the district 124 7.1 Concept sketch for the masterplan 126 7.2 Scheme: Visual Axes in the area 128 7.3 Scheme: Spontaneous routes near the channel 130 7.4 Scheme: Grid defining the new public urban space 132 7.5 Scheme: New Urban Green 134 7.6 Scheme: New public buildings 136 8.1 Concept strategy 137 8.2 General Masterplan 139 8.3 Keyplan of zoom 1 8.4 Zoom 1: The new bridge and the new commercial pole 140 8.5 Section 1 141-142 8.6 Section 2 141-142 8.5 Section 3 141-142 8.6 Zoom 2: the new cultural centre 143 8.7 Zoom 3: The new sport area 8.8 Zoom 4: The area near Kutlikova street 144 8.9 Zoom 3: The new sport area 8.10 Zoom 4: The area near Kutlikova street 8.11 Zoom 5: The new tram terminal and the surrounding area 8.12 Program of the building’s spaces 8.13 Genesis of the buildings 8.14 Keyplan of zoom 5 8.15-16-17 Section 4, 5, 6 146 8.17 Render of the new bridge and the new retail pole; 8.18 Render of the new agricultural pole, north view 147 8.19 Render of the new agricultural pole, south view 148

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BIBLIOGRAPHY BOOKS 1. La città socialista. Struttura spaziale e politica urbana/ J.H.Bater ; with the contribution of J. H. Bater, A. D. Burnett, F. W. Carter, G. Church, P. A. Compton, A. H. Dawson, R. Anthony French, E. Giese, H. Heineberg, J. A. Matthews, T. A. Reiner, D. J. Shaw, G. Weclawowicz, A. Werwicki, R. H. Wilson; Franco Angeli Edizioni, Milano, 1983 2. L' urbanistica dei paesi socialisti : città, territorio e struttura sociale / Edmund Goldzamt ; with the contribution of Paolo Santacroce, Ed. Mazzotta, Milano, 1977 3. Città e rivoluzione: architettura ed urbanistica sovietica degli Anni Venti/Anatole Kopp; with the contribution of Emilio Battisti, Feltrinelli, 1987 4. Cities after socialism/Gregory D. Andrusz,Michael Harloe,Iván Szelényi; Blackwell edition, Oxford 1996 5. The Post-Socialist City: Urban Form and Space Transformations in Central and Eastern Europe after Socialism /Grant Garstka; Edited by Kiril Stanilov, 1996 6. Urbanization in East Central Europe: Social Processes and Societal Responses in the Socialist State System. /G.Enye.In: Urban Studies 29, 6, 1992, pp. 869-880.

7. International urban Competition – Bratislava Petržalka /Kamil Gross;VYDAVATELSTVO SLOVENSKO FONDU VITVARNYCH, Bratislava, 1969 8. La Storia dal 1900 ad oggi /A. Giardina, G. Sabbatucci, V. Vidotto; Editori Laterza, 2001 9. Bratislava -mesto na mieru- Urban landscapes of Bratislava/Illah van Olijen ,K.Print, Bratislava,2002 10. Studi di Urbanistica/ U. Cardarelli, T. Colletta, T.Giura, M. Tarantino,Vol.4, Dedalo libri,Roma 1980 11. Petržalka. Engerau –Ligetfalu/ Jan ComaJ, Bratislava, 2008 12.Le trasformazioni urbane di Varsavia nel Novecento-una guida bibliografica /Alfredo Boscolo; Quaderni del dipartimento di discipline storiche dell’Università di Bologna, Carocci editore, 2004 13. Un atlante del verde Urbano per differenziare l’offerta di spazi Verdi / S. Mengoli, Linea Verde-Epe Edizioni, Milano, 2006; pg. 50-58

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WEB SITES http://www.petrzalka.sk http://www.norc.sk http://www.petrzalkacity.sk http://www.google.it/maps http://www.living.spectator.sme.sk/articles/manualne-vlozene-clanky http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Petzalka http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/3052507.stm http://living.spectator.sme.sk/articles/manualne-vlozene-clanky/socialist-era-housing-estates-face-major-overhaul http://travel.spectator.sme.sk/articles/1213/sight_unseen_slovak_socialist_architecture http://www.radio.cz/en/article/64508 http://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Varsavia http://www.provincia.pistoia.it/RISORSE_TERRITORIO/SIT/Progetti/OsservatorioVerdeUrbano/Evidenza

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