Prague Full of Plans

Public spaces and civic amenities matter a great deal, and their quality has a major impact on the attractiveness and value of housing in a given area. It shapes buyers' and tenants' decisions about where to live, as well as investors' decisions. It's well worth looking at Prague's future development plans and how conditions could continue to improve for both homebuyers and developers.

We visited the opening of the Prague Tomorrow exhibition at the Centre for Architecture and Metropolitan Planning (CAMP) near Karlovo náměstí. The event launched a whole exhibition series intended to give the public an overview of the most interesting projects that, once completed, will meaningfully improve the city's appearance. The proposed changes are at various stages, from early-stage studies to projects with valid building permits and others already nearing construction. The featured projects include residential buildings and public spaces, and address rail and tram connections, and both private and public transport.

We were especially interested in the winning designs from architecture competitions, including the new Dvorecký Bridge connecting Smíchov and Podolí, the redevelopment of Vítězné náměstí in Dejvice, changes to Karlovo náměstí and the Smíchov station terminal, a planned new rail connection to Václav Havel Airport, and many other projects, including residential ones. One project we've been following for a while, also featured at the exhibition, is a surface-layout study for the heavily used Spořilov connector road. This project would significantly benefit Spořilov and Záběhlice, reducing traffic noise and providing new public spaces, playgrounds, and greenery, connecting neighbours and introducing a new tram line. Both future residents of the View Spořilov project and current residents of Spořilov and Záběhlice would gain an even more pleasant living environment as a result.