Jez Hučák, Combined weir and bridge in Hradec Králové, Czech Republic.
Jez Hučák is a weir and bridge made of reinforced concrete that spans 65 meters across the Elbe River and is 6.20 meters wide. Three vertical turbines sit inside the structure to generate electricity while also controlling water levels.
It was built between 1908 and 1911 and replaced an older waterworks from the fortress period. Construction by Prague companies Kress and Bernard brought new technology to replace what had come before.
The Art Nouveau design shows how engineering and architectural thinking worked together. The way it looks tells of a time when industrial projects cared about beauty as well.
You can reach the structure from the riverbank or by walking across the bridge itself, giving different viewpoints of the installation. The best way to understand the whole design is to see it from above and also from the water level below.
The installation uses a complex system with double-suspended chains that rotate eccentrically to move the closure segments. This control mechanism allows very precise adjustment of the water level.
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