Top global teams will be working on the transformation of Karlovo náměstí

The Council of the City of Prague today approved the selection of 5 architectural-landscape teams that will collaborate with the city and other stakeholders in the coming months to transform the park at Karlovo náměstí. The selection of teams is the first significant step towards the restoration of the neglected park. The so-called competitive dialogue procedure was announced by the Institute of Planning and Development (IPR Prague) in mid-August of this year.
“The quality of the registered teams was really very high, so selecting only 5 teams was very challenging for us. I am convinced that the collaboration of top experts will lead to a project that Prague can be proud of,” evaluates Adriana Krnáčová, the mayor of the City of Prague, who is also the chairwoman of the evaluation committee.
A total of 14 top teams from both the Czech Republic and abroad applied for the competitive dialogue. Based on their proposals on how to approach the revitalization of the park and their previous work, an international commission composed of city representatives, leading Czech architects, and respected foreign landscape architects selected 5 teams that will work together with all interested parties (e.g., the Prague 2 District, the Department of Heritage Care of the City Hall of Prague, the National Heritage Institute) to create the brief and proposals for the new form of the park.
“From all the world-class teams that expressed interest in addressing Karlovo náměstí, we selected the most suitable ones, and I believe that through the interactive process of the competitive dialogue, which involves not only the city and heritage professionals but also other stakeholders, we will collectively find a widely acceptable solution,” says councilor Jana Plamínková.
“The selected teams will now participate in a total of 3 workshops where the brief and proposals will be created. The workshops will include participating teams, city representatives, heritage professionals, the international commission, and representatives of stakeholders. The dialogue among the teams and all interested parties should prevent conflicts that have hindered the realization in previous attempts at revitalizing the park,” explains Ondřej Boháč, director of IPR Prague.
The first workshop will take place in February 2018, where the brief for the teams' proposals will be jointly defined. At the next workshop, teams will have the opportunity to discuss their proposals with all stakeholders, and after submitting the proposals, the commission will select 3 final teams during the 3rd workshop that will subsequently develop their proposals. The selection of the winning proposal is estimated for September 2018.
The revitalization of the park falls under the II stage of the overall transformation. The I stage concerned the modifications of the perimeter area of the square. In 2015, the tram line, sidewalks, and boarding islands were already reconstructed.

Selected teams:

Agence Ter – French landscape studio in collaboration with Break Point, HBH projekt, Phytorestore and Concepto
- Revitalization of Pershing Square in the historic center of Los Angeles
- Park in the new Paris district of Saint Ouen
- Renovation of the historic center of Duisburg, Germany
- Renovation of the historic complex of the Order of Malta Knights


GustavfsonPorter + Bowman LLP – British landscape studio

- Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial in Hyde Park
- Public park Westergasfabriek in Amsterdam
- Swiss Cottage park in London
- Parque Central in Valencia, Spain

Atelier M1 architekti s.r.o. in collaboration with Sant en Co V.O.F. and Atelier PROMIKA s.r.o. – Czech architectural studios in collaboration with a Dutch landscape studio 

- Gardens of Břevnov Monastery
- Jesuit College complex in Kutná Hora
- Renovation of the historic park Frederik Hendrikplatsoen in Amsterdam
- Revitalization and expansion of the historic Amsterdam park Oosterpark

New visit s.r.o. – Czech company from Hradec Králové, specializing in landscape architecture, gardens, and parks
- Revitalization of Tyrš Gardens – Podzámecký park in Pardubice
- Rehabilitation of the central spa park in Poděbrady
- Rehabilitation of Střelecký island
- Letňany Forest Park

Rehwald landscape architects in collaboration with BY Architects + PD FILIP – German landscape studio forms a trio with two Czech architectural studios

- Reconstruction of the German Academy of Natural Sciences Leopoldina
- Pianos on the streets in Prague, New York, Great Britain, Kyiv, and Moscow
- Winning proposal for the design of Berlin's Ula Square
- Modification of the city park Kala in Berlin

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