Praha will revive public spaces with tables, chairs, and grills

Prague - Prague will revitalize some public spaces with tables, chairs, bike stands, or grills. It will focus on locations that can be improved quickly and where the transformation won't be expensive for the city. This stems from a program aimed at enhancing the quality of public spaces, which was approved today by Prague councilors. The document was prepared by the Institute of Planning and Development (IPR). In the first phase, Prague will begin placing chairs and tables in public spaces.

"The idea is to quickly and effectively invigorate and cultivate public spaces without the need for financially and organizationally demanding construction interventions. However, the goal is not to completely replace missing furnishings or indiscriminately flood public spaces with these elements, but rather to enhance and breathe new life into carefully selected locations," the material states.

The selected area should be cleaned up by the city, inappropriate elements such as worn-out benches or trash bins should be removed, and simple equipment should be acquired there. The goal is for people to begin actively using the space and spending time there. "The trick is that unlike construction modifications, this option is quick, cheap, and flexible. Depending on how well it works out, one can then consider possible construction modifications," said architect Pavla Melková from IPR.

IPR selected four elements of furnishing that represent a certain enhancement over standard furniture and can be easily acquired and combined into simple sets. These are chairs and tables, a portable bike stand, a grill, and an exhibition space.

The pilot phase should take place from April to October 2016, selecting three to five public spaces primarily owned by the city. In the pilot project, the city will acquire mobile chairs and tables and place them in the selected spaces. It will then analyze how they perform and what interest they generate among Prague residents. "It will also evaluate the management and maintenance methods of the furnishings," the document states.

Among the selected locations for the pilot projects are, for example, Wenceslas and Charles Squares, Kampa, Klárov, or Letná Park and the space in front of the Trade Fair Palace in Prague 7. However, the exact locations have not yet been chosen. According to Melková, it will be three to five places. The arrangement of the chairs will not be fixed, according to her. "We are not social engineers. We will see how people move and arrange them in different places," she said, adding that the creation of such locations is also beneficial for businesses in the area. "The quality of the area will improve, which benefits them as well," she said. Next year, 200 chairs and 50 tables will be placed in the streets. How and where the city will acquire them has not yet been decided by IPR.