The Živé námestie project come to life

Said the mayor of the capital city, Matúš Vallo:

“We’re giving this important public space back to Bratislava – more pleasant, more beautiful, more accessible and also greener. The reconstruction project will not only unify the public space; it will also put all surfaces on a single level and remove the unnecessary barriers. The original concrete and asphalt surfaces will be replaced by a granite pavement, which is of higher quality, more attractive and also more appropriate for adapting to climate change. New greenery will also be added, as well as new furnishings. Public lighting and the traction poles will be replaced. This will thus create a dignified square for a 21st century European metropolis. Bratislava deserves high-quality public spaces, and I am incredibly happy that the heart of Bratislava will finally acquire a new quality."

Added the mayor of the Bratislava-Staré Mesto district, Matej Vagač:

“This is not just about paving, greenery or furnishings. It’s about the fact that the city, after decades, is daring to fundamentally improve the quality of its central public space. This is an important moment for us and for this central city district, and we are very much looking forward to it. A cultivated public space has the ability to cultivate us, too. And we really need that these days. This is not an unnecessary luxury, but an essential need for a quality life in cities."

The major reconstruction of the space was preceded by rapid urban improvements (so-called “quick-wins”), which included the addition of new trees on Klobučnícká ulica and the expansion of the open area of Námestie SNP, through which pedestrians can safely walk. An architectural competition followed, which resulted in a winning design from the experienced team at Atelier LOIDL in cooperation with BPR traffic engineers. The proposal brought the return of stone paving tiles, maximum barrier-free access, blue-green solutions for alleviating the negative impacts of climate change, a sensitive approach to the history of the surrounding buildings and, in particular, the unification of three squares in the heart of Bratislava while preserving the special character of each of them.

Work on the first stage began today after months of thorough preparations, geological-engineering and surveys of monuments, selection of a contractor and transformation of the architectural study into a high-quality implementation project. The project is divided into the following phases: • South of Poštová ulica and the section of Námestie SNP near the church of the Milosrdní bratia [Brothers Hospitallers]; • The surroundings of the SNP Monument and the pavement between the Ministry of Culture of the Slovak Republic and the Polish Institute; • Námestie Nežnej revolúcie and the section of Námestie SNP from Treskoňova to Špitálska, including tram stops.

The total area to be developed within the first stage is 16,401 m².

Aside from the already mentioned new paving tiles, barrier-free access, planting of new greenery and installation of new furnishing and public lighting, a new natural pavement in front of the SNP Monument will also be added to the area, which is an important element of the project. This will make the route for those heading to the historic centre simpler, and it will also be widened in place of the original perpendicular parking spaces, which will be moved for residents to another location. This will make the monument not only more accessible from several sides, but also more visible.

As part of the project, parking will also be reorganised, with two new microzones created for residents – on Drevená and Klobučnícka streets. These will be smaller areas within the SM0 parking zone, where only holders of a special resident parking card will be able to park.

The project also sensitively approaches the history of the entire area, emphasising the facades of exceptional buildings that reflect the history and development of the capital city. Therefore, it includes landscaping and lighting for the facades so that these important city buildings truly stand out.

How did the Živé námestie project come about?

The intention of the Živé námestie project to reconstruct and unify the squares was launched on the initiative of the Aliancia Stará tržnica [Old Marketplace Alliance]. In 2019, the city, together with the Metropolitan Institute of Bratislava, announced an architectural competition in the form of a competitive dialogue. This was the first time a competition in Slovakia used a competitive dialogue as a form of architectural competition. As a result, the architects were able to work on their designs not only based on a pre-defined assignment but also to incorporate recommendations from judges, experts and local stakeholders.

Further information about the project is also available at: web Bratislava.sk ↗︎