01/ Oblong and circular benches

There are 85 benches on the square today. How did you choose them?

We have two types of benches on the square—long, more grandiose ones and smaller circular ones. The long, double-sided benches in front of the church are intentionally large structures. Together with the rows of plane trees, they create a transitional scale between the towering mass of the church and the flat expanse of the square. It’s more pleasant for people this way; the eyes move gradually, not in a sudden jump. Smaller street furniture wouldn’t be able to achieve this. Even Jože Plečnik felt that such a transition was necessary and painted tall trees along it in his sketches of the church. Moreover, the Prague benches—which emerged from the IPR Prague design competition—are very similar in style, so they blend together naturally.

The circular benches around the tree trunks are a great idea! You can sit with your back to the trunk if you want some peace and quiet, or with your legs facing inward, which allows even a larger group of people to chat. And thanks to the trees, there’s also pleasant shade. We were delighted that people figured out both ways to use them on the very first day. We’ve seen them in several places, but Copenhagen was our main inspiration.

02/ The Pyramid as an air vent

The new subway vent sparked intense emotional debate. Why wasn’t it possible to preserve Petr Šedivý’s original iconic structure?

The original vent had a number of negative impacts on the surrounding area. It blew warm exhaust air out to the sides, which no longer meets today’s hygiene standards. As a result, neither trees nor grass could grow in its vicinity. In recent years, part of the tree-lined avenue has died, and only bare ground remains where the lawn used to be. Furthermore, the unsanitary conditions made it impossible to spend time near it.

The new vent discharges air straight up, thereby eliminating all these problems. Furthermore, it uses technology that requires a smaller structure. Metroprojekt also considered renovating the original vent, but this was not technically feasible.

Of course, it would be best if the vent didn’t have to be on the square at all, especially in such a prominent location near the church. We even explored the possibility of relocating the equipment, but it would have been too costly. Our philosophy, therefore, was to design a technical structure that would have the least possible impact on the public space—both visually and in terms of people’s comfort and conditions for greenery.

The original vent was perceived as a sculpture. The new structure is criticized for not being sculptural…

Yes, there have also been opinions comparing the original and new exhaust vents as two sculptures. But that, in my view, is precisely the problem. The original designer merged a technical structure with a work of art, which then created a tendency to protect it regardless of its impact on the surrounding environment.

The new exhaust vent was not intended to be a sculpture in that sense. It is an artistically designed technical structure whose form has been carefully considered both aesthetically and in terms of meaning. The lattice of narrow pyramids surrounding the concrete vent serves a clear function—it protects the structure from damage. Moreover, the pyramid is a motif that recurs in the architecture of Plečnik’s church, on the surrounding buildings, and in other details of the public space. Today, the structure stands out more prominently, but once the trees grow, it will naturally recede among them.

And if technology is ever developed that allows the vent to be completely hidden or significantly reduced in size, there will be no reason to preserve this structure at all costs. It is not a sculptural work, but a technical structure intended first and foremost to serve its purpose effectively.

03/ Plane and other trees

There are now 170 new trees on the square. What will Jiřího z Poděbrad Square look like in ten or twenty years?

The new trees are species specially cultivated to better withstand climate change. According to our collaborator on trees and blue-green infrastructure, David Hora, the change will be noticeable in just three to five years. I trust him; in my opinion, he is one of the top experts in the Czech Republic.

The plane trees in front of the church are particularly significant. Once they grow, they’ll begin to provide shade and create a massive green canopy that will naturally anchor the church in the space. There are approximately 22 meters between their trunks. If they eventually grow as large as the plane trees on náměstí Míru (Peace Square), their canopies will cover up to two-thirds of that area.

04/ Smart paving

All asphalt surfaces have been replaced with paving featuring a permeable base or a compacted gravel surface. Is the square now prepared for climate change?

Previously, all surfaces were asphalt, so they did not allow water to permeate, and it drained directly into the sewer system. Today, all paved areas have a permeable base and wider joints. In the area in front of the church, the joints make up four percent of the surface; for the stone paving in the streets, up to ten percent; and for the sidewalks, as much as twenty percent. There are also special permeable compacted gravel surfaces. Thanks to this, rainwater seeps into the ground instead of flowing into the sewer system.

Today, however, it is difficult to say that any place is sufficiently prepared for climate change. It seems that its pace is outpacing us, and we do not know what the coming years will bring. The extreme temperatures this past June took everyone by surprise. I believe, however, that given our current knowledge, the maximum possible has been done at Jiřák.

The next step would be to abandon the very essence of a town square. That would mean having no large paved area in front of the church. But then we’d also lose everything we normally do in town squares—namely, people gathering, cultural and social events, and the ability to move about freely. All of that is part of urban culture. I often wonder how they deal with this in Italy, for example, where stone squares are common—people love them and use them, even though it’s usually much hotter there than it is here.

05/ Water-efficient irrigation

One of the biggest hidden innovations is the storage tank that allows the greenery to be watered with rainwater collected from the roof of Plečnik’s church. What makes this system exceptional?

The rainwater management system isn’t exceptional in concept alone; these technologies already exist. However, some of them are relatively new and have not yet been widely used in Prague on this scale. Jiřák could thus serve as an inspiration for other public spaces. The system includes retention tanks that slow the runoff of stormwater, as well as a storage tank that collects water from the church’s roof. This water is then used to irrigate the greenery.

06/ Drinking fountains, misters and puddle basins

Alongside the new drinking fountains and misters, the square also features several puddle basins. What exactly are they?

Misters provide refreshment, while puddle basins retain water. Both help improve the microclimate. The puddle basins also provide water for birds, which drink and bathe in them. They are a joy to watch. These are small details, but they bring a surprising range of benefits.

07/ Vinohradská street crossing

Another new feature is the crossing on Vinohradská Street. Why was it important to bring pedestrians back to street level?

The new crossing allows people to move around the city naturally. They can safely cross at street level without having to go down into an underpass or climb over railings. This should be a given. At the same time, the intersection has been seamlessly connected to the square. Previously, it was separated from Jiřák by a terrain barrier and red-and-white railings. Thanks to this, the square has also been naturally connected to the adjacent Svatopluk Čech Gardens.

08/ Larger playground

The renovation also includes a new playground. How does it differ from the original one?

There was already a playground on the square before the renovation, but it was small and outdated. The new one is significantly larger and offers everything expected of such a space today—a natural outer bark surface, wooden play structures, plenty of seating with tables, a water pump with a mill, and integrated shrubs and flowers.

Some have even argued that even this playground isn’t large enough and doesn’t offer attractions for all age groups. But we’re on a square. Large, fully equipped playgrounds belong more in recreational complexes. After all, most of Prague’s large squares don’t have any playgrounds at all.

Here, the playground fits into the overall philosophy of the place, where everything is interconnected and supports one another. It’s adjacent to cafés, green spaces, and farmers’ markets, so parents and children can enjoy everything at the same time.

09/ Restored paths

New pathways have been added around the church. Why did you place them here?

The paths along the church’s longitudinal facades aren’t actually new. They already existed in the 1930s but later disappeared. So we restored them. They are an integral part of the church’s composition and also create an important pedestrian connection.

10/ Space for outdoor seating areas

How has the space for café and restaurant outdoor seating areas changed?

It has been significantly expanded, connected to the rest of the square, and is also ready for potential future expansion. This is one of the things people usually don’t even notice. The roadways at the intersections have been significantly narrowed, which has allowed the sidewalk curves to be widened.

We’ve also connected Lucemburská Street to the square: the sidewalks and the roadway are now at the same level. Although Prague 3 wanted to preserve through traffic and parking, both have been reduced. If the district decides to further calm traffic in the future, the infrastructure is already in place. All that will be needed is to change the traffic regime.