The transformation of Mariánské náměstí will be taken on by the Xtopix studio, and citizens will be involved as well

The Institute of Planning and Development of the Capital City of Prague (IPR Prague) has selected a contractor for a study that will propose a new design for Mariánské náměstí. The chosen contractor is the Prague studio Xtopix. At the end of September, as part of European Mobility Week, a temporary transformation of the square will begin. The provisional plan involves removing almost all parking from the square and changing the traffic regime. Mariánské náměstí will operate in this way until the study is implemented, the results of which are expected to be known by early next year.
“Mariánské náměstí is a place where, in addition to the city hall, several other key Prague institutions, such as the Municipal or National Library, are located. However, at the moment, it is rather disorganized and functions more as a parking lot than a square. I am glad that a multidisciplinary team consisting of architects, traffic engineers, hydrologists, and landscape architects will be working on the transformation,” describes the situation the first deputy mayor of the capital city of Prague, Petr Hlaváček.
Studio Xtopix, which focuses on architecture, urbanism, and graphic design, will create the design for Mariánské náměstí by the beginning of next year. Until the actual reconstruction begins, the square will operate in a temporary mode that will transform it into a pedestrian zone with Prague chairs, trees, artistic installations, and other elements. In addition to this visual change, there will also be an occasional program coordinated by IPR, the Municipal Library, the Municipal Authority of the Capital City of Prague, the Gallery of the Capital City of Prague, and other institutions.
The winning studio will also involve citizens’ opinions in the new design of the square. IPR will have an information container on-site from September 21 to October 1, where any ideas or comments on how the square should be transformed in the future can be submitted.
“We will be happy if Prague residents share their opinions with us on what the square should look like, what it should not lack, or what its purpose should be. We are trying to create a space in the center of Prague that will not only be a stop for tourists but also a place of rest for locals,” says IPR director Ondřej Boháč.
Mariánské náměstí was originally a settlement called Na Louži with a church dedicated to the Virgin Mary and a courtyard, which existed here as early as the mid-12th century. The square's name after the church has persisted to this day despite various twists and turns. The settlement Na Louži was located along a busy road from the marketplace of Staroměstské náměstí to the Vltava River. A significant change occurred with the construction of the dominant building of the entire area, the New Town Hall, which was built between 1908 and 1911. Prague plans to implement the new design of the square within five years.