Prague gives city planners money for the Štvanice Island study

Prague - The Prague City Hall will allocate 515,000 crowns this year to its contributory organization, the Institute for Planning and Development (IPR), for the development of a study on Štvanice Island. This follows from a document that Prague councilors are set to discuss on Monday. The councilors approved the development of the study at the beginning of January. The final version is to be completed by 2022 and will cost 35 million crowns. Štvanice is located at the borders of Prague 7, 8, and 1.

The IPR will provide support to the study's author or to the city hall in gathering the needs of residents and will ensure their involvement in decision-making about land use. In this so-called participatory planning, not only residents but also property owners will be involved in the decision-making process. Discussions will take place through workshops or round table meetings. "The aim of the process will be to seek consensus on the future shape of the area and to minimize the risks associated with insufficient communication," the document states.

The resulting study will build on the architectural competition from 2013 and will be prepared for the city by architect Radek Kovařík from the RKAW office. It finished second in the competition, the highest place awarded, as no first prize was given. The office will develop a detailed conceptual study of the island, including its connections to the surrounding area, and will prepare the project for the first phase of modifications. It will primarily prepare documentation for land use decisions, building permits, and will ensure author supervision.

Before the mentioned study is completed, some partial changes independent of the study will take place on the island. The city hall will continue working on the construction of a footbridge from Karlín to Holešovice, which will cross Štvanice. There are also plans for the renovation of Hlávkův Bridge, Fuchs’s Café, and the rejuvenation of greenery.

Štvanice Island got its name because, in the 19th century, animal hunting events were held there. In the 1930s, a winter stadium was built on the island, which was demolished in 2012 due to poor condition. The stadium was protected as a heritage site, and its demolition was opposed by conservationists and a large part of the public.