Hikes above the Horní Bečva quarry in order to encompass the drama of the surroundings

The viewpoint on the abandoned quarry hill is located in the eastern part of the village of Horní Bečva in the Beskydy protected landscape area in the Czech Republic. The Horní Bečva quarry is also an important reference site of the Ciężkowice sandstone.
The goal of the landscaping project was to provide pedestrian access to the highest part of the hill where the quarry is located. The Henkai architekti team designed a new series of paths that naturally follow the slope of the land. To protect the pristine state of the land, the designers sought to subtly elaborate and integrate the qualities of the existing environments-the rocky outcrops, the forests, and the quarry itself

Of the three walks, the gentlest one winds through a newly planted grove of local tree species. In time, the grove will become an arboretum, referencing the surrounding countryside. Where the walk reaches the saddle below the rocky hilltop, there is a small belvedere platform-picnic area. Its shape is inspired by the crumbling, overgrown foundations of abandoned houses found scattered throughout the Beskydy Mountains as evidence that the ancestors of those living these lands settled and cultivated even the remotest places. Low dry-stone walls (house foundations) rise from the ground to define the base of the lookout. The walls also provide additional seating. From here, the view to the west shows the valley and the Bečva basin

The steeper path follows the ridge of the quarry. The terrain here is stable. In the middle of the ascent is a metal grid bridge, cantilevered out from the quarry wall: walking on it provides an impressive visual experience. It is a stopping point halfway up the steep slope and also a unique opportunity for close inspection of the quarry wall, where the natural process of land transformation takes place

The final destination is the highest part of the hill. Three scenic structures, hollow cornices, complete the dramatic natural environment. Carefully placed among rocks and boulders in the rugged terrain, they do not disturb the environment. They are empty spaces, defined by the architecture, that invite visitors to stop and rest, in the midst of the forest. At the top of the hill, the main lookout offers a view of the quarry wall and the surrounding countryside consisting of hills and meadows

The main materials used for the paths and walls are stone and gravel taken from the quarry. The paths are lined with oak benches. For safety, a rope fence with oak poles indicates the edge of the quarry. The lookout structures consist of assembled galvanized steel profiles, finished with a black protective coating, and wooden floor and ceiling boards. Vegetative flat roofs are designed as roof gardens left to the natural growth process