Newly proposed urban district on the site of the vacant Pragovka brownfield in Prague - Vysocany works with several extraordinary structures representing Pragovka's industrial genius loci that were deliberately retained to commemorate its heritage. The industrial production is now a part of history, but a new life is about to rise from the halls again.
The magic formula of a well-functioning city consists of a diverse mixture of land use and density supported by mindfully designed public spaces. Instead of the usual tower-in-the-park approach prevalent on the urban periphery of almost every city, we are consciously designing a traditional urban fabric with clearly defined streets and plazas.
We prioritize pedestrian experience and viewport over bird's-eye view or a blur from a speedy car. Our intention is to create a walkable neighborhood close to Rokytka park where all the amenities required for a quality living are within reach. We are creating a city, not a periphery.
In order to achieve a sense of belonging to the urban organism rather than a feeling of being lost in the middle of nowhere, we design short streets with enclosed vistas. The combination of streets and plazas forms a continuum of public space where borders of the visual scene play a key role.
High density present in the northern part of the site gradually decreases towards south where a new park will emerge along the Rokytka creek. The spacious park will connect to other green space along the meanders of the creek. The street forming the edge of the park offers vistas downhill towards water.
Scale and volume of the existing industrial halls could almost be compared to large cathedrals embedded into medieval urban fabric. Therefore, the new block structure is divided into smaller volumes in order to let the size and uniqueness of the historical structures stand out. Large plaza is designed in front of each industrial hall to show their beauty on the big scale and with context.
A car is still a part of a modern city and everyday life and it's not always so easy to create public space that will accommodate everyone. The site is divided into several superblocks, where the inner streets only allow pedestrian and bike traffic. Motorized traffic stays along the edges of the superblocks, which provides welcoming and safe environment for people of all ages.
