At Jakšić Gallery, we proudly present the concept design for the Banj promenade in Supetar. This is an important and multilayered spatial design project entrusted to our artist, dr. art. Dina Jakšić Pavasović. The project is part of the broader urban and cultural programme DOTS, focused on a contemporary interpretation of public space and communal infrastructure.
The Banj promenade is conceived as a spatial and artistic interpretation of the sea. The sea is the central theme here. A space of life. A source of identity. A lasting connection between people and the island. Special inspiration was drawn from fishing, an activity that has shaped everyday life in island communities on Brač and along the entire Adriatic coast for centuries.
The central visual motif of the project is the fishing net. It appears as a symbol of work, community, and the relationship with the sea. Its form becomes the starting point for shaping the stone paving of the promenade. The paving is envisioned as a dynamic structure, resembling a net submerged in the sea. The lines are free, rhythmic, and slightly deformed, like a net shaped by sea currents and the weight of the catch.
The promenade is executed in white Brač stone, a material that strongly embodies the identity of the place. Here, stone functions as both a constructive and symbolic element. It highlights the connection between contemporary design and local tradition. By combining regular and irregular stone cubes, a visually rich and recognisable surface is created.
At certain points, the net motif moves beyond the main path of the promenade. These areas form expansions and spaces for staying and gathering. It is here that the net transforms into stone benches. The benches are shaped as raised segments of the net structure. They symbolise the catch held within the net. Perforations featuring motifs of marine species characteristic of the local environment are integrated into their surfaces.
To ensure greater comfort and warmth, the upper surfaces of the benches are clad in wood. This creates a balance between stone and a natural, tactile experience. In the lower part of the promenade, along the beach, a continuous stone line extends the length of the space. Its undulating form evokes the movement of the sea. It functions simultaneously as seating and as a planter for greenery.
The project includes five key artistic interventions. Each is dedicated to a specific group of marine organisms: white fish, blue fish, land-based marine species, shellfish and crustaceans, and molluscs. In addition, stone plaques bearing the names of traditional fishing tools are placed along the promenade, giving the space a strong educational dimension.
The design of the Banj promenade brings together spatial planning, contemporary design, and stone tradition. It is a project that does not depict the sea literally, but translates it into space. Quietly. Permanently. In stone.
