Cukrouš highlights an important aspect of the Modřanský Cukrovar residential area, which is its proximity to nature. Cukrouš is an unspecified creature made of braided metal rods in the shape of a branch. It is both an animal and a plant, and it introduces nature directly into its DNA by using climbing plants like a coat of fur that will cover it over time. They will render it alive and changeable, and it will age with the residents. It symbolizes the symbiosis between the human desire to reshape our surroundings and nature’s ability to reabsorb our creations. It provides a habitat and nourishment for other creatures. It is an archetype of childhood playhouses, reminding us that adults can play too.
The history of the Modřany sugar mill serves as the inspiration for the new residential area Modřanský Cukrovar. The demise of the original mill removed the physical memory of the site, and all that remained was a chimney and a space for a new memory to be created by the new residents. The residential project thus preserves the silhouette of the original structure, and the chimney will take on a new function in the form of a public observation tower. The development also includes a children’s sandpit on the spot where the original sugar factory lies underground. Even the little ones can thus discover the past through play, like little archaeologists in a sandpit. A model of the sugar mill will become part of their games and their memory, making the sugar mill live on.
