Prague: The Latest Architecture and News

Designed by Gemawang Swaribathoro, Indra Nugraha, and Morian Saspriatnadi, their ‘Urban Sponge’ concept aims to unify, organize and manage, in one solution, the inner power of this marvelous city. Prague, an ancient city that has a long history of its own architecture style is no longer an underdog city in the European region. With the city becoming one of the most important places in this continent, the sponge concept can be described as a tool of connectivity to absorb the quality of life, to attract people, to make a better living. More images and architects’ description after the break.

Designed by Libor Šenekel, Vaclav Havel´s Monument is a symbol of human determination, legacy, and that even one person can change the course of history. Vaclav Havel became unforgettable for many as a symbol of defiance and human determination, which reminds us that even one person is capable of great deeds. Just as today the monument stands against the enormous power of water, that is trying to devour it, stood Vaclav Havel and many others against the oppressive power of communism. The memorial is supposed to fascinate being watched from the waterfront, to inspire fear as well as courage being entered into the masses of water, to lure to step into the unknown. More images and architects‘ description after the break.

Participants in the Skanska Bridging Prague competition were asked to develop a new Vision Plan for the section of the riverfront from Libeňsk (Bridge) to the north to Železniční (Railway Bridge) in Smíchov to the south. The goal was to create a unified experience, linking cultural, recreational, ecological, historical and economic opportunities. They were also asked to design an intervention that will become a premiere destination along the river Vltava. The first prize winning proposal by Pete North focuses on strengthening the natural characteristics of places at the riverside, where it is consistent and feasible. It aims to create a synergy between park localities and the river, connected into a consequent chain of continuous spaces. More images and winning proposals after the break.

CULBURB’s Shaping Cities Symposium + Workshop, which takes place at the Centre for Central European Architecture May 22-23, asks what the nonprofit organizations are today and questions their role in the creation of city space. Are they non-elected groups of interest promoting their own interpretation of public good? Or do they represent a litmus paper of the level of democracy in the society? who can shape the life and form of the city? How and why? a unifying web database of such organizations from whole Europe will take place on the ground of the event. For more information, please visit here.

The Skanska: Bridging Prague International Design Competition, announced by reSITE Festival, ARCHIP (Architectural Institute in Prague) and Skanska, seeks to find new conceptions and proposals for the River Vltava, in Prague, Czech Republic. The scope of the competition is the Vltava riverbank and its immediate context from Libensky Most (Bridge) to the north to Zeleznicni most (Railway Bridge) to the south. This section of the river has really various character and quality on both riverbanks, which gives competitors a chance to select and work on a wide scope of places and areas. The proposals should use existing potential of the Vltava river, define its connection with the city – and lead to creation of attractive public spaces of adequate scale, living by a variety of activities. More information on the competition after the break.