Masterplan of the Northern Foreground of Prague Castle – Letná Gardens

In the very heart of Prague lies a strip of greenery composed of three parts: the Northern Forecourt of Prague Castle, Letná Gardens, and Letná Plain. The Northern Gardens along with the Deer Moat are currently a sort of hidden side of the Castle, a neglected area divided into many small, unmaintained sections. Here lies a significant challenge to create a contemporary contribution to the historical cultural center of Prague Castle. Letná Plain has always developed independently, separate from the evolution of the rest of the city. This unique open space has become a site for experiments with urban planning lasting at least 150 years. Its location on a plateau above the city emphasizes every intended endeavor. Letná Plain has changed its face in proposals according to contemporary opinions and aesthetic sensibilities, turning into a museum of thwarted ambitions. The most striking and controversial spot is the end of Paris Street, a current remnant of Stalin's monument, known as the "Meat Queue." It serves as the contemporary heart of the entire experimental Letná, a memorial place psychologically burdened by everything that has occurred here. Despite the very dense traffic in the northern part (Milada Horáková Street), Letná, along with the nearby Stromovka, is considered the lungs of the city.

Letná//// let / flying / freedom / openness / air / wind / summer / sun / heat / light / brightness /
Stromovka//// tree / trees / forest / park / shade / moisture / mystery /

I envision most of the surface as a democratic area without barriers formed by the movement and life of people. A space for the free expression of individuals. A place where everyone's wishes should be fulfilled. A clean space ready to receive opinions, offering each person the freedom of expression. The surface has various characters and is composed of several different worlds...Lumbeho Gardens, Royal Gardens, Chotkovy Gardens, Letná Gardens, Deer Moat, Letná Plain, Stromovka. I would like to preserve and support the atmosphere of these places. The project points to barriers existing in the addressed area, preventing free movement and passage between the individual parts. These barriers are of both topographical and transport nature. Its goal is to connect the entire area and create a whole with different characters, atmospheres, and locations. I propose to overcome these barriers in such a way that they are not destroyed, but can be naturally surpassed. This would create a passable, intricate urban park with an area of 3.3 km², filled with a multitude of characteristic places and moods with quiet folds of paths among the trees and views of the city. The resulting area would be comparable to other similar examples from world metropolises (Hyde Park - London, Tiergarten - Berlin, Central Park - New York, ...). In comparison, we find that Prague is relatively small in area on a global scale, but the continuous green area that would be created is almost as large as that of New York, for example...

The proposal for a new linear district in greenery in Prague originated from the initiative of President Václav Havel as a student project by Michal Krejčík at the Faculty of Art and Architecture of the Technical University in Liberec under the studio of Prof. Ing. arch. akad. arch. Jiří Suchomel with expert consultations from Prof. Ing. arch. Miroslav Masák.