A contextually-sensitive visitor centre and bus stop by henkai architekti mark the entrane to the Pustevny mountain saddle in the Czech Republic.
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henkai architekti’s recently completed visitor centre and bus stop have been designed to reduce traffic congestion in the Pustevny saddle – a popular tourist destination in the Beskydy Mountains, Czech Republic. Since the late 19th century, the area has been progressively urbanised due to the rise of tourism, but some architecturally significant buildings have also emerged, including shelters designed by Dušan Jurkovič, and a cable car terminal by Kamil Mrva.
The scheme occupies both sides of the access road to the saddle. On one side, the visitor centre adjoins a car park and bus stop with a turnaround. On the other, stands a timber-clad bell tower, as well as a stone and timber entrance portal to a forest path that leads to Radhošť ridge. The tower is intended to symbolise human presence in the landscape, while also anchoring the scheme to its site. A paved apron between the tower and visitor centre includes stone seating beneath mature beech trees.
Situated on the edge of a slope, facing Čertův mlýn (Devil’s Mill), the visitor centre comprises a waiting room and café, amenities for car parking staff, a bus stop shelter, toilets, and a terrace. The central waiting room/café space is bounded by the roof-covered terrace and the auxiliary rooms. Built on micro-piles, the timber-framed structure employs a sloping glulam roof with a diagonal ridge. Timber shingle facades are intended to evoke traditional local construction techniques, while the green roof employs mountain flora to blend in with the surrounding meadows.
Resembling a simple planter on legs, the bus stop is made from oak beams. The design allows for minor modifications and size adjustments by adding cubic modules. The individual infills of the structure can be customised for specific locations, providing a flexible aesthetic and navigational elements. Given the municipality’s spread across several valleys, additional phases of bus stop installations in a consistent architectural style are planned.
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Source: Architecture Today
