The evaluation committee selected three finalists for the competitive dialogue New Hlavák

The revitalization project of Vrchlického Sady park, the new tram line Museum – Bolzanova, and the reconstruction of the new ticket hall at Prague's Main Station has advanced to the next phase. The evaluation committee selected three international architectural teams to proceed to the next round of the competitive dialogue. The teams Henning Larsen Architects A/S, re:architekti+baukuh+YellowOffice, and Miralles Tagliabue EMBT S.L.P. + OCA architects Prague, s.r.o. now have until the beginning of March 2023 to create a project proposal.
During a two-day meeting at the beginning of December, the evaluation committee first listened to presentations of concepts from each studio, which outlined their basic considerations about the area in relation to the assignment. After each presentation, a discussion followed between the team and the committee, along with invited experts.
“What personally surprised me was the fact that although the problems of the current space of the main station are notoriously known and quite precisely named, the competitors managed to offer us an unencumbered, fresh, and healthily bold perspective on their possible causes, and above all, a variety of scenarios for their solutions. I am proud that even though the aspects of the individual proposals resonated differently within each of us jurors, we were able to agree across disciplines on three progressing teams, whose proposals ignited the greatest expectations in us. These three teams now have the chance to convince us in the next round of the feasibility of their visions,” comments the chairman of the evaluation committee for the New Hlavák project, Ing. arch. Jaroslav Wertig.
On the second day, the committee, without the presence of representatives from the individual architectural studios, listened to the opinions of the invited experts. This was followed by a discussion, which led to the selection of three architectural teams:
• Henning Larsen Architects A/S based in Copenhagen, Denmark, who impressed with their data-driven and evidence-based approach to preparing cities for a carbon-free future. Projects from their portfolio show how to create a livable city.
• re:architekti+baukuh+YellowOffice, a Czech-Italian consortium that combines an approach to history, modern technologies, and transport infrastructure in their work.
• Miralles Tagliabue EMBT S.L.P. + OCA architects Prague, s.r.o., a consortium of Spanish and Czech architectural firms. In their previous projects, they have aimed for a sensitive integration of various urban structures.
“The presentations of the individual candidates were very engaging, and the committee was pleasantly surprised by their level. This also positively contributed to the subsequent discussion,” describes the director of the Western Construction Administration, Ing. Petr Hofhanzl.
Due to the scale and complexity of the project, in addition to the evaluation committee consisting of a dependent part (representatives of the clients) and an independent part (architects, landscape architects, and historians), invited experts also participated in the presentations and subsequent discussions. These included other representatives of the clients for specific topics, such as regarding the operation and management of the ticket hall, rentals, operation and technology of the metro and trams. Additionally, there were experts in biotechnology, blue and green infrastructure, public participation, cycling transport, heritage care, and others, including representatives from municipal districts.
Now, the individual teams will have about until the beginning of March 2023 to develop proposals for the New Hlavák project, which they will again present to the evaluation committee and subsequently refine until the end of May.
For more current information, visit the website novyhlavak.cz.