Petra Marko, architect and urban planner, to become new director of the Metropolitan Institute of Bratislava

"I consider Petra Marko to be an experienced architect and urban planner with many years of experience from abroad. I find her as someone who has much to offer in these areas. It is apparent from the vision she presented at the public hearing that she has clear goals to maintain the Institute's position as a think tank, to run it well in terms of management, and to move forward as a sustainable organisation," says Ján Mazúr, MIB’s Director and Chair of the Selection Committee.

"The Metropolitan Institute's mission is to plan for a healthier, more beautiful and more functional city. And it does this in collaboration with all the people at City Hall, and with all those who work for the city at different levels. I am also aware that fulfilling the vision of the kind of city we want is something that requires a lot of constructive solutions based on social consensus. I therefore accept my upcoming role with great responsibility to lead the conceptual work of the MIB in a transparent and open manner. I look forward to involving the city districts, the civic and private sector and especially the residents of Bratislava in the development of the city to improve the quality of life and public space. I was born and raised in Bratislava, and I have worked in urban and city planning in London and other cities for a long time. Bratislava has enormous potential, and it is a great privilege for me to have the opportunity to capitalise on my experience and actively contribute to and continue its positive transformation," says Petra Marko, MIB's newly selected Director.

The selection process

Five candidates applied for the vacancy. The Commission recommended four candidates to proceed to the next round of the selection process, one of whom withdrew.

One female and two male candidates presented their visions to the Committee at the public hearing ↗︎. The five-member Committee was composed of Ján Mazúr, Director of the Metropolitan Institute of Bratislava (Chair of the Committee), Juraj Šujan, Bratislava's chief architect, Zuzana Vrbová from the LEAF organisation, Martina Slabejová, Director of the American Chamber of Commerce in Slovakia (AmCham Slovakia), and Branislav Záhradník, Bratislava City Councillor.

The decision was made following a public hearing held on 27 November 2023 at the Primate's Palace. The Committee regarded all three visions as being of high quality, but unanimously agreed to choose Petra Marko to fill the position of MIB's Director. The Committee also recommended Martin Zaicek for second place.

All the details of the selection process, including the CVs of the candidates before the Committee and the minutes of the selection process, can be found on the City Hall's website at Transparent Selection Policy ↗︎.

The selected candidate was approved by the City Council Chamber of Deputies

The City Council voted on 14 December 2023 to approve the commission's recommendation. Petra Marko will take over as head of the MIB in mid-January. ** Who is Petra Marko?**

Petra Marko is an architect and urban planning expert with many years of experience in public spaces and urban development. She has worked for many years in London, where she co-founded an urban design and placemaking studio involved in urban regeneration projects in the UK, Slovakia and the Czech Republic. She also has experience in project management and the development process of innovative residential projects in London. She has been part of the UK National Infrastructure Commission's Young Professionals Panel, which advises the government on long-term infrastructure development and, as a member of the Westminster Council Design Review Panel, she assesses projects that will shape central London. At the London School of Architecture, she has led research think-tanks on inclusive cities and sustainable mobility and has also worked at the Faculty of Architecture at the University of Applied Sciences in Bratislava. She co-authored the award-winning VeloCity strategic vision for sustainable rural growth and Meanwhile City, a handbook on the role of temporary interventions in the creation of habitable cities. For the last two years she has worked in Bratislava as a consultant and facilitator on the topics of green mobility, sustainable neighbourhood development and activation of public spaces. She regularly holds talks at international forums and writes for professional publications. Born and raised in Bratislava, she studied architecture in Vienna and Stockholm and completed postgraduate studies in creative entrepreneurship in London.