Rukavac Archipelago
Location: Metković, Croatia
Author: Radionica arhitekture
Design team: Goran Rako, Josip Sabolić
Designed: 2020


In 2020, the City of Metković (A) decides to fill up an oxbow lake (C) of the Neretva River (B) and thus turn it into an urban development zone.
The newly created building plot would, in the next twenty years, solve the spatial needs of the city's public institutions.
The city is already "heading" to the south towards the oxbow lake, although in a disorganized manner.
Instead of turning the oxbow lake into a "lawn", we suggest an "archipelago".
In the oxbow lake (1) seven or eight islands (3) would be "formed" by embankment.
The islands would be parks, and the buildings (6) on them pavilions in the park.
Existing roads (4) would become part of the future traffic ring.
All islands would be connected by a pedestrian/cycling path (5).
The oxbow lake would be "connected" to the Neretva river (2), whose flow would keep it clean.
The Rukavac archipelago would become a small world composed of seven or eight micro worlds.