Bus Stop Design By Valarch Studio
St. Hostyn is one of the most famous places in the Czech Republic, and thousands of visitors come to see it every year. Hostyn is a top-rated attraction for religious people. However, thanks to its atmosphere and location in the heart of the Hostyn Hills it is also a destination for many tourists and athletes who visit this spot every year.
According to the architects, in these days, we start to think and talk about our attitude in life. According to a recent survey, less and less people identify themselves as religious. But we all need to believe in something.
For some people, their family is that support. Others prefer nature or send their prayers to one of many Gods. The architect herself does not classify herself as belonging to a specific religious community. And that is also the reason why she wanted to create another form of “pilgrimage” where anyone can find what they seek. Whether it is a spiritual experience, sport or recreation. The architect has purposely suppressed the current spiritual atmosphere of St. Hostyn. She selected the seven main points with the most frequented paths connected. She believes that these points will make the beginning of a revival of the way to St. Hostyn.
So, one of those seven points is a bus stop named “At the cemetery.” After educating the public, a little bit of pressure and infinite persuasion, the city council of Bystrice pod Hostynem said they would like to realize this first stop. After correcting and editing the Master’s thesis project, the architects designed a simple object, “The Bus stop” which serves as the first step to the Hostyn Hills and to St. Hostyn itself. Only in retrospect, they realized that thousands of visitors every year will visit this small object, which is more influential than counting all of their projects in combined — a small object with significant overlap.
The bus stop is a wooden frame structure made entirely from Czech larch treated with oil, and a green roof. The wooden structure sits on a raw concrete base. The information system that consists of three glass panes includes a map of the Hostyn Hills, a city map of Bystrice pod Hostynem and a bus timetable. Granite cubes recycled from an old road in town highlights the whole area. A simple, clear and lucid bus stop where you can wait for the bus, take a break, check the map or meet for a date — simply a great multifunctional space by the cemetery in this small town.
Architects: Tomas Jaluvka, Lenka Jaluvkova
Photography by boysplaynice.com