The appearance of the Rohanský and Libeňský islands in Prague will be designed by four international teams

Source: IPR Prague | Photo: Jan Malý

Prague - The future form of Rohanský and Libeňský Islands in Prague will be designed by four international teams composed of studios from Belgium, the Netherlands, and the Czech Republic. The teams were selected by the jury of the competition announced in the spring by the Institute of Planning and Development (IPR) and the Prague City Hall. The winning design will be known in the summer of 2023, stated IPR spokesperson Marek Vácha in a press release today.

The goal of the competitive dialogue is to prepare a development plan for the area and a design for the new Maniny Park. In Rohanský Island, the city plans to reconstruct a blind arm of the Vltava River, which will be part of flood protection measures. The area of Rohanský Island was a riverbed until the first half of the last century, which was later filled in. The newly created areas were used for industrial and storage purposes.

A total of 13 teams from around the world registered for the competitive dialogue concerning the transformation of the 56-hectare area along the left bank of Prague's meander. The jury selected the DELVA and perspectief team, the LOLA, M2AU, and CIE team, the OMGEVING_FISER_VRV_SINDLAR team, and the New Park Maniny Consortium association. The selected four teams will work in parallel in the coming months to propose the future form of the area from Hlávkův Bridge to the so-called Libeňský Spit.

"Three teams come from the Netherlands and one from Belgium, all have Czech partners they collaborate with. Both Belgium and the Netherlands are architecturally advanced countries that emphasize public space and have extensive experience with water projects. Therefore, we believe that their designs will bring innovative solutions that will protect Prague from floods while also offering residents new places for recreation, sports, and relaxation," said Deputy Mayor for Urban Development Petr Hlaváček (for TOP 09).

The jury particularly appreciated the focus on sustainability among the selected teams. According to the chairman of the evaluation committee, Petr Kučera, the jurors noted the teams' ability to design urbanism in symbiosis with nature.

The competition takes the form of a so-called competitive dialogue, during which the competitors meet in workshops with representatives of city and other institutions or landowners. The introductory meeting of the selected teams and an international conference will be held on September 29th.

The city is also currently constructing a footbridge that will connect Holešovice and Karlín across Štvanice Island. In addition to the Karlin side, the other side of the Vltava in Holešovice is set to undergo improvements, where reconstruction of the waterfront is planned, and a promenade or new crossings and barrier-free stops will be created. The city is also considering the construction of the so-called Rohanský Bridge between Karlín and Holešovice.