The Veleslavín Station will be built according to the design by idhea architects

Prague - The Railway Administration will build a new railway station building in Veleslavín, Prague, according to the design by architects Dalibor Hlaváček and Zuzana Kučerová from the idhea architects studio. Construction of the station is expected to begin in 2024. The winning design was presented today by the Railway Infrastructure Administration (SŽDC) at a press conference. The station will be part of the planned railway line to Prague Airport.

The Veleslavín station will be the first in the Czech Republic to result from an architectural competition. "The winning design effectively addresses the railway in relation to the metro and other direct connections to the surroundings. We will also use the selected elements as a unifying design in other stations and stops along the Prague-Kladno route," stated SŽDC General Director Jiří Svoboda.

The authors of the winning design aimed to conceptualize the station as an important transfer hub and as an entry gateway to the city, which will become the central point of the entire district. According to them, the building should serve as a clearly recognizable landmark, with a small square created in front of it.

"The interior space of the building is, at first glance, clear and naturally navigates the travelers. The roof of the station is designed as a large grassy area intersected by pedestrian and cycling paths," said one of the authors, Dalibor Hlaváček. The grassy roof will connect to a ten-kilometer park that will lead to the Dejvice station. This will be created after the planned lowering of the track on the current railway. The station will have several levels, with the lowest linking to the metro station.

Part of the station will be located at the current bus station site. Instead, there will be stops near the station. SŽDC expects that after the railway line is established, passengers heading to the airport will shift from buses to trains, and the current bus station will no longer be necessary in its current capacity.

In the vicinity of the building, new buildings along Evropská Street are also expected to be developed. This is outlined by the Prague 6 district.

SŽDC selected from 22 proposals. The winner was chosen by an international jury led by architects Sándor Finta and Helge Lunder. In addition to the winning proposal, the second finalist round included designs from the companies ra.15, Projektil Architekti, monom works, and the studio ABSTMOLEN.

The station will be part of the railway that will connect the center of Prague to Václav Havel Airport in Prague. The preparation of the railway line is divided into several sections, and currently, work is only being done on the section that will run along the Negrelli Viaduct. According to SŽDC's estimates, the complete modification of the single-track and non-electrified line to Kladno with a branch to Prague Airport will cost approximately 31 billion crowns. The new connection is intended to be electrified, run on two tracks, and should allow for train intervals of every ten minutes to the airport and Kladno.