The New Landscape of High-Speed Railways: Integrating a Section of the RS4 Podřipsko II Line

The thesis examines the possibilities of integrating a high-speed railway line into the landscape of the Elbe lowlands from a landscape architecture perspective. It assumes that a purely functional solution to a high-speed rail project, understood in terms of technical and ecological aspects, is insufficient. The aim of the thesis is therefore to answer the question of how high-speed rail lines can be approached comprehensively, in a way that corresponds to the scale of their intervention in the landscape, and what landscape architecture can contribute to this process. The first part of the thesis is a theoretical review dealing with the relationship between landscape and high-speed rail as a form of linear transport infrastructure. The second part focuses on the study area between Roudnice nad Labem and Křešice, which is analysed in detail. The design forms the third part of the thesis, where the theoretical findings are applied to a specific section of the planned railway line. Based on the review, principles of a comprehensive approach to high-speed rail are derived, forming the basis for the vision of the New Landscapes of High-Speed Rail. The Elbe Embroidery is the name of the concept for one of the New Landscapes of High-Speed Rail, which also includes the study area. The concept of the Elbe Embroidery is then further specified in an integration strategy, which presents the proposed landscape modifications. It also includes a more detailed presentation of the individual integrating elements.