A committee will be established for the reconstruction of Prague's Karlova náměstí

Prague - A special commission and working group will be established for the future design of Prague's Karlovo náměstí. It will include representatives from the city hall, Prague 2, and heritage conservationists. The Institute of Planning and Development (IPR) is preparing a project for building permits for road modifications, crosswalks, and public transport stops in the square, and is preparing the selection of proposals for the reconstruction of the park, said IPR spokesperson Adam Švejda to ČTK.

According to Prague 2 spokesperson Martina Klapalová, the commission of experts is tasked with facilitating the restoration of the park. It will review the developed conceptual study of the modifications to the square and help create a brief for further modifications and a planned competitive workshop. Other institutions located in the square, such as the General Teaching Hospital and the Czech Technical University, may also get involved.

"Given the complexity of the project and the conflicting opinions of the parties involved, IPR proposed selecting the designer through a competitive workshop," Švejda stated. This method of public procurement planning assumes that several selected candidates will repeatedly meet with the jury, during which they will simultaneously refine the project's brief. This method of procurement is not yet very common in Prague; a similar selection process is being used by Prague 12 for the future design of the town hall.

Modifications to the square regarding pedestrian, vehicle, and tram traffic, whose project is being prepared by IPR, are expected to cost around 30 million crowns according to previous information. New crosswalks and traffic lights should be added to the square, while lanes for cars will be reduced.

Next in line will be the adjustment of the park areas. The original plan estimated costs of about half a billion, while the current concept estimates approximately half that. Among other things, pathways inside the park will be modified, the corners of the park will be expanded, and the space in front of St. Ignatius Church will be adjusted.

The park was last modified in 1998, specifically at the New Town Hall. At that time, environmentalists and residents of Prague 2 protested against extensive tree felling. In 2008, the town hall organized an architectural competition that selected a winning proposal, which was opposed by heritage conservationists.

Karlovo náměstí, formerly known as Dobytčí trh, measures 510 meters in length and 130 meters in width. The total area is over 80,550 square meters. It is the largest square in the country.