The Guard Patrol, Rokytnice nad Jizerou, Czech Republic - Photo © BoysPlayNice
The Guard Patrol, Rokytnice nad Jizerou, Czech Republic - Photo © BoysPlayNice

The Guard Patrol project began in 2014, when we designed a series of small stops on the mountain above Rokytnice. It was conceived from the original intention of the municipality to build a classic lookout tower on the top. However, the morphology of the mountain proved unsuitable for the construction of an observation tower. Therefore, we opted for the concept of several stops on the rocks that line the top of the mountain. We were inspired by the figures in the town’s coat of arms to create light steel structures sheathed in wood.

And so today the town is watched over by its four patrons – the Fox, the Bear, the Sheep and the Miner – our Guard Patrol. They symbolize the four villages that combined to form the town of Rokytnice in ancient times and provide a view not only of the surrounding landscape, but also from one to another. They are a reference to the past, when smoke signals were sent from the local hills to the hinterland warning of the invasion of enemy troops.

The four lookouts feature steel structures consisting of smaller parts that could be transported to the site of the rock protrusions by human force. The steel structures are secured into the rocks with special steel anchors in drill holes up to 8 meters deep. The steel structures are sheathed with oak cladding“.

Photo © BoysPlayNice