The revitalization of the Masaryk Station allows for the creation of an interconnected system of new public spaces, which will significantly improve the permeability of this part of the city and bring high comfort and aesthetic qualities to all users. Public spaces should function as a whole, no matter who their investor is.
At the mouth of Na Florenci Street near Havlíčkova Street, a smaller square, 65 metres wide, will emerge. It will be well defined by the period building of the railway station and the facade of the newly planned building in Na Florenci Street.
Instead of the current car park, pedestrian spaces will be created. The current transport plan developed for this area includes two lanes in either direction, plus one for turning left. A new tree-lined alley will be created beside the period building of the railway station and towards Na Florenci Street. Entrance to the platform will be enabled directly from the square.
The street profile of Na Florenci Street will be extended to 25 meters. Parking will be limited to the supply and service of the shops on the ground floor. Thanks to this fact, the street will gain enough space for sidewalks, reaching up to 10 feet wide in extended living areas. Car transport will be limited to one lane in either direction, and corridors for cyclists will be added onto the roadway.
On both sides of the street, there will be tree lines, under which benches and other street furniture will be placed. The sidewalks will be paved with granite stones in the typical Prague mosaic format. A small, piazzetta-style square with outdoor cafés and restaurants will be created between the buildings; a staircase will lead from it to the park platform above the railroad.
The platform above the railroad station will offer a public space in a park layout that will combine busy pedestrian paths with restful areas for recreational and social use. The walking paths will be designed with attention to the comfort of people with different levels of mobility.
On the platform, there will also be resting places with enough space to sit and enjoy the Prague´s skyline. Above all, the platform will offer a unique view of the Vítkov Hill. The barrier against the noise from the streets, created by the surrounding buildings and a sufficient distance from the North-South Highway, should help ensure low noise intensity for the area. The vegetation of the park will be composed of a combination of floral vegetation, grassland and low trees.
In the eastern part of Hybernská Street, near the U Bulhara junction, there will be a significant improvement in the quality of the public space and a greater sense of security. Upon completion of the block, Hybernská Street will gain a clear definition, with new retail and restaurant activities on the ground floor of the building. The northern side of the street will be supplemented by a tree line and pedestrian comfort will be significantly enhanced.
A new pedestrian street will be created between the block and the railroad line, allowing a walkway under the North-South Highway to the planned Railway Museum in the buildings of the former locomotive depot. New facilities on the ground floor of the building will also emerge on this street, which will help ensure the area's social character. The platform above the railroad will feature a direct link from Hybernská Street to Opletalova Street and, thanks to a footbridge above the railroad and the new street, direct entry through the open passage of the new building block directly to the U Bulhara junction.
The Project 4 building was designed by the international studio SCHINDLER SEKO ARCHITEKTI. The chief architects of the project are Ludvík Seko and Jan Schindler, who are also the founders of the studio. The architectural design of the building directly responds to the context of the site and the surrounding built-up area.
The train connection is used by more than 36 thousand passengers a day, usually commuting to Prague for work or education. In the future, the turnover of the passengers at the Masaryk Station is planned to increase significantly.
Railway connection Prague – the Václav Havel Airport – Kladno
The Railway Infrastructure Administration (Správa železnic) is currently preparing a railway connection from the Masaryk Station to Kladno, with a branch to the Václav Havel Airport. The modernized and partly new track should provide a quick and comfortable connection between the Kladno agglomeration and Prague and at the same time establish the connection of the Prague airport to the city centre by rail transport.
