The jury selected ten architectural teams for the completion of Vítězné náměstí

Prague - The international jury of the competition for the completion of the northwestern part of Vítězné náměstí in Prague 6 has selected ten architectural teams for the first round of the competition. The jury chose from a total of 44 submitted applications. The architectural studios will now participate in a so-called competitive dialogue, during which representatives from all involved parties will engage with the designers in preparing proposals. The final design for the completion of the square will emerge from this dialogue. Marek Vácha, spokesperson for the Institute of Planning and Development (IPR), informed ČTK today. Offices, shops, residential spaces, and a new building for the University of Chemistry and Technology (VŠCHT) are set to be created on the land between Evropská and Jugoslávských partyzánů streets.

Among the teams selected by the jury are prominent architectural studios such as MVRDV, Snøhetta, and the Office for Metropolitan Architecture (OMA). Of the ten offices, five are from the Czech Republic. "There was interest in participating in the competition from teams composed of often very renowned architects, urban planners, landscape architects, and transport engineers from Europe, America, and Asia," Vácha stated.

The international competition will take place in the form of a competitive workshop that will not be anonymous. The jury, which will include architects and clients as well as representatives from the capital city, Prague 6, VŠCHT, or IPR, will engage in dialogue with the competitors.

"The selected participants will come to Prague at the end of October to familiarize themselves with the area addressed during the first competitive workshop. Each team will then work on the concept for completing the fourth quadrant. They will present it to the competition jury at the second workshop in February 2023," said Petr Návrat from the organizing office ONplan. Teams that advance to the second phase of the competition will then develop a detailed proposal for the completion. The winning design is expected to be announced in June next year.

A consortium of developers purchased land covering 20,122 square meters, which is the majority of the buildable area in the so-called fourth quadrant of Vítězné náměstí between Evropská and Jugoslávských partyzánů streets, for approximately one billion crowns in November 2021. Pavel Streblov, director of commercial construction at Penta Real Estate, indicated at the time that a multifunctional development should be created, with completion anticipated by 2028. VŠCHT sold the land to developers with the condition that the obtained funds would be used to build a new university building with teaching facilities and amenities for students and academics.

Vítězné náměstí was established in 1925 and has had several names since then, including being called October Revolution from 1952 to 1990. However, it became commonly known among Prague residents as "Kulaťák." The long-term planning for the development of this area is also included in Prague's urban planning.