Flood control measures are no longer just a technical issue. It’s not just a matter of modifying the riverbed, building a protective embankment, reservoir or polder. Sorted. Problem solved. What’s next up? An important part of this is also the effort to make the river as accessible as possible and to make effective use of the newly created space as part of the waterfront. Creating a valuable place for the relaxation and recreation of residents, where the landscaping will be such high quality that you won’t recognise the many technical and technological features it includes. All this whilst paying respect to the surrounding urban structure and plans for the area. In this complex, the flood control solution becomes a somewhat demanding process due to the number of entities, organisations, and necessary experts and suppliers involved. Whether architects, landscapers, planners, private owners, traffic experts, electrical grid engineers, water engineers or officials. We appreciate the fact that the City of Brno and the Brno Architect’s Office have also chosen this comprehensive approach. Good quality public space and plenty of greenery in Nová Zbrojovka, as well as connection with the surrounding urban space, is one of our basic pillars.
Two hectares of Nová Zbrojovka will be part of the flood prevention project
Currently, the project preparation of stage 21–22 is underway, which will provide protection for 3.3 km of this section of the Svitava River, which also includes Nová Zbrojovka, covering a total length of about 800 metres. Thanks to these stages, an entire 200 hectares of land and more than 10,000 people will be protected.
The competition for the project documentation was won by the contractor “Sdružení – PPO – BRNO” consisting of Dopravoprojekt Brno a.s. and HG partner s.r.o. They should prepare the final conceptual design of the waterfront space by the end of the summer and provide the necessary documents for the construction permit during the next year, so that implementation can take place during the following years 2026–27. For us, securing the area against flooding is a crucial milestone within the 2nd stage of the construction of Nová Zbrojovka, in which we plan the implementation of apartment buildings beside the Svitava River and are therefore grateful for this next step in presparing the flood protection measures.
We will therefore confidently hand over the more than two hectares of cleared and decontaminated land along the Svitava under a Cooperation Agreement to the City of Brno for a symbolic sum of CZK 1,000 and we will jointly coordinate the creation of a high-quality space that will fulfill the described objectives.
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Apartment blocks that will sit directly on the embankment
The synergy of nature and the city with all the benefits
We already have an architectural design of the landscape for the area of the Nová Zbrojovka waterfront defined within our Masterplan. The concept of a landscape of public spaces was developed by the Dutch landscape architect Lodewijk Baljon. And the plan is indeed generous, because greenery in Nová Zbrojovka will make up an entire 30% of the buildable area of Nová Zbrojovka and the other natural area will be a 2-hectare sports and relaxation park on the waterfront. As former brownfield sites, we want to nurture and pamper this green space, so a high-quality architectural-landscape treatment is essential for us. We want to bring those who use the neighbourhood a unique concept: simultaneously living by the water and surrounded by nature even in the denser parts of a large city. We want to show that this benefit is not just for those living in villages, rather that the synergy of the city and nature is possible if you really want it.
Our intention to process the landscape around the river is of course subject to the comprehensive architectural-landscape design of the entire stage, for which architects Marek Holán and Jakub Chvojka are responsible within the association of companies Dopravoprojekt Brno a.s. and HG partner s.r.o. The project leader is the Office of the Architect of the City of Brno on behalf of the City of Brno. We look forward to pooling our aims and are ready to contribute to a smooth process.
Two-hectare sports and relaxation park adjacent to the apartment block
Go right on through! Nová Zbrojovka as a quarter for cyclists and pedestrians
The flood control project shares the same wavelength as our vision of Nová Zbrojovka as a neighbourhood primarily for pedestrians and cyclists. Part of the flood defense project is the expansion of existing bike and pedestrian paths. The aim is to create a safe space for a passage away from the main urban traffic routes and to strengthen the attractiveness of one of the more renowned backbone cycle paths, which leads north towards Blansko and south towards Židlochovice (it’s part of the famous Amber Trail or the international cycle route EuroVelo 9).
We imagine a future where one moment we’re relaxing in Nová Zbrojovka by the water, enjoying a coffee from a local roastery and watching the children in the water messing about on a paddleboard. Then we get on our bikes and, after a pleasant ride through the greenery along the river, away from the traffic drama, we find ourselves in the wine country overlooking the impressive Pálava Hills with many natural and cultural landmarks within easy reach. And if we’re doing well, we can continue along the cycle route to Vienna or to the Adriatic, where the EuroVelo 9 route ends.
And for kick scooter enthusiasts, we have a second scenario, where we rent a scooter in Blansko and then enjoy the downhill ride from the Moravian Karst to Nová Zbrojovka. Even enjoying the varied landscape and refreshments, we’re back on the Nová Zbrojovka waterfront in 2.5 hours. We can then take a bath and follow the music that reverberates to us from the square near the Kotelna. We roll to the beat and enjoy a glass of wine, because we don’t need a car today. After some cultural and gastronomic enjoyment, we can catch a train or other public transport connection, which will come along in minutes. Which is just like everything else in Nová Zbrojovka, a 15-minute town where everything necessary is all in one place.
