THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN CITY AND RIVER: TURNOV AND JIZERA

The Jizera River has the potential to become the green backbone of the city, yet in the current context of urban planning, it acts more as a barrier than an unifying element. The river divides Turnov not only geographically but also emotionally in two parts. This creates a complicated relationship between the living, fluid element and the more or less rigid urban environment, which hampers interaction between important public spaces. However, the rivers location and character suggest an opportunity to explore how the river could be more integrated into urban life and given more space in the process. As part of the analytical phase, a section of the rivers floodplain that is in direct contact with both the inner and outer urban environment was defined. This stretch, from Dolánky to Svijany, represents various types of settings in which the relationship between the city and the river manifests differently. The idea of transforming the river into an integrating element led to the concept of a habitable river, in which Jizera becomes a natural connector between people, the city, and the landscape thus helping to overcome the division of the city, at least on an emotional level. This concept could inspire discussion on how the Jizera might support the development of the city, and conversely, how Turnov could make the river more habitable.