Studio Vojtík

Context
The main arteries entering Prague today consist predominantly of high-capacity roads designed for automobile traffic. This transportation strategy was developed in the second half of the 20th century, during a time when highway infrastructure extended even into the central areas of the city. One such legacy is the North-South Highway (Severojižní magistrála), which has yet to be "humanized," even in the post-revolution era when perspectives on urban design and mobility began to shift.

The North-South Highway is a source of significant pollution and noise due to excessive automobile traffic and forms an impenetrable barrier in many places. However, it can also be seen as an opportunity for a grand urban intervention, transforming it into a prominent city boulevard—Prague's North-South axis. A critical question in defining such an urban axis is determining where it begins and ends, distinguishing where it functions as a highway and where it becomes a street.

One potential location for a contemporary city gate is where the highway intersects with the city's ring road, which has become a modern "city wall." Additional locations could be identified where the highway enters densely populated areas.

Location
A hypothetical position for the city's southwestern gateway today could be found in the area around Pankrác, Kačerov, Spořilov, or Roztyly, where the largest traffic artery connecting Brno and Prague enters the city from the southeast. The area around Kačerov offers particularly interesting potential, where the street 5. května crosses the city ring road (Jižní spojka). This area serves the city's transportation needs but also forms a significant barrier between Krč, Michle, Spořilov, and the Krč Forest. Could this be the point where the highway transitions into a city street?

Task
The aim of this assignment is to determine the most suitable location for the "beginning" of a city boulevard that defines Prague’s critical North-South axis. The design should propose ways to connect the fragmented parts of the city, overcome transportation barriers, and create an appropriate gateway to the city and a new local center. The goal is to stitch the city back together and heal the scar, transforming the periphery into a vibrant district. Additionally, the project could address the question of what a modern urban gateway should look like.

The scope may range from focusing on a smaller area, such as the cluster of buildings surrounding the Kačerov transportation terminal (including metro, bus, and rail transfers), to tackling a broader vision for the region. The solution can be conceptual or pragmatic, visionary or grounded. Teamwork is also permitted.

This assignment can be approached from an urban design perspective (ATUR, ATVZ, ATV), an architectural perspective (ATS1, ATV), or a landscape architecture perspective (AT1 – large scale, KA and AUKA programs) and (ATKA-U – AUKA program).

These assignments are arranged individually with students, with a focus on urban planning and public spaces. Please refer to the conditions for student admission to the studio.

More information, questions and applications: Šimon Vojtík, vojtisim@fa.cvut.cz, 603 955 244