"That’s the Plan!" A new exhibition at CAMP showcases the revised Metropolitan Plan and the future of Prague.
The draft Metropolitan Plan was presented to the public for the first time in 2018, when both the public as well as ministries and other public authorities were able to submit their comments. The comments have been evaluated and incorporated into an updated version of the plan, which is being presented to the public at the "That’s the Plan!" exhibition. The plan is now entering the next phase of public consultation, during which another round of comments will be made.
"Prague inevitably needs a Metropolitan Plan. First of all, because the existing one is incredibly expensive to run, but above all, so that Prague can develop in a healthy and sustainable way, while at the same time protecting the existing values of the city. The new plan includes much stronger protections for green spaces as well as the creation of new ones, and it protects the character and uniqueness of individual neighborhoods and localities. A complete novelty is the regulation of panoramas and the protection of horizons, including height regulations for buildings throughout Prague, which the city has lacked until now," says Petr Hlaváček, First Deputy Mayor for Spatial Development and the Land Use Plan. He adds: "The basic thesis of the new master plan is to prevent the city's expansion into the landscape and to establish a clear city boundary, while also making more efficient use of brownfields and promoting affordable housing. Compared to the original version of the new Metropolitan Plan from 2018, we have also strengthened the protection of public amenities."
Zdeněk Hřib, Mayor of Prague, says: “The revised Metropolitan Plan opens up new ways to address the future of Prague in terms of affordable housing, infrastructure development, and park protection. The Metropolitan Plan will be available for comment online through the Pražana Portal. This is a unique path that Prague is taking, even with regard to the convenience and participation of citizens.” He adds: “We have also managed to meet the demands of municipal districts and associations. Going above and beyond the normal procedure, we have ensured that the deadline for publication and comments on the plan has been extended to be twice as long.”
The exhibition, curated by architect Martin Hejl of Loom on the Moon studio, is taking place in both halls of CAMP. In the Black Hall, visitors will learn about the five basic principles of the plan. The approach to topics such as climate change, affordable housing, public spaces, and urban amenities is illustrated through floor projections. Through hand-drawn animation, the panoramic wall sets Prague as we know it today in motion.
In CAMP's White Hall, the updated draft of Metropolitan Plan itself is presented. Visitors can familiarize themselves with the documentation, ask specific questions of the plan's preparers, or comment on the updated draft on the spot. It will also be possible to submit comments via the online application until June 30th.
As part of the public consultation process, two public hearings will be held, where the plan will be explained to the public. The aim of the exhibition and the accompanying activities is to explain the plan to as wide a public as possible. Visitors to CAMP can thus attend lectures introducing the various principles of the Metropolitan Plan, go on a guided walk where two phenomena of the plan - the garden colony and the housing estate - will be explained, or attend a guided tour of the exhibition.
Ondřej Boháč, Director of IPR Prague, adds:“We have long been trying to bring urban planning to as many people as possible, and the Metropolitan Plan is one of the most important development documents of our city. The exhibition is therefore designed for both lay people interested in the future of Prague and experts who can study the documentation itself. At the same time, we are planning a rich accompanying program, including discussions that will present in detail the main topics of the plan and how the plan has changed since 2018.”
In addition to the exhibition, IPR Prague and the city are planning an information tour of the city's districts, which will start on May 9th. IPR Prague’s information container will visit 12 locations throughout Prague and there will be information points at nine shopping centers. Anyone can come ask specific questions about the plan at a location near their home.
After the public hearing, all comments that have been submitted will be evaluated, and the results will be incorporated into the next version of the plan. This process is the responsibility of the Department of Spatial Development of the Metropolitan Municipality. Subsequently, if there are no significant changes to the draft, the Metropolitan Plan will be submitted to the Prague City Council for approval in 2023. However, if the draft is significantly changed, the public consultation will be repeated and citizens will again be given the opportunity to comment on the draft, but only on the sections that have been changed.