Revitalisation of Vážska kaskáda in Považské Podhradie as an opportunity of change of approach to landscape and settlement
Abstract: Vážska kaskáda near Považské Podhradie was built between years 1959-1963 as one of the parts of Váh waterway. This set of channels on river Váh should prevent flooding, gain electrical energy and serve as waterway for ship transport. The waterwork however made on some sites dividing line in the landscape and in the urban structure. This was the case of Vážska kaskáda near Považské Podhradie. The waterwork divided not just the landscape, but also life of two villages Považská Teplá and Považské Podhradie which were for centuries connected by ferry and English landscape park. Today after almost sixty years of the end of building works there comes the time for the preparatory works for its maintenance reconstruction. That is why there comes the opportunity to rethink planned reconstruction and offer stimuli for it. Should be the waterwork reconstructed in the original execution or is it possible to look for landscape and settlement closer solution, that will as well offer the same flooding protections and the valorisation of water energy? Article will sum up the present state of Vážska kaskáda waterwork in landscape and urbanism of the town and will deal with the historical background of its building near Považské Podhradie. Further part of the article will deal with outlining the possibilities of better connection of the river to the organism of the town and landscape that can be done in the planed reconstruction. These will be presented on examples of similar projects of bigger scale and on case study near Považské Podhradie.
