Competition for the future of Budějovická has four finalists

The international urban design and architectural competition Nová Budějárna is entering Competition Round 2. Following presentations by eight Czech and international teams, the Jury selected four to develop their proposals further. The four finalists are A8000 (CZ), Hamonic + Masson & Associés (FR), Howells (UK) and UNIT architekti (CZ). The competition is seeking a future vision for an area of approximately 40,000 m² around Budějovická metro station, which is to be gradually transformed into a new urban district predominantly residential in character, complemented by services and high-quality public spaces.

The second Competition Workshop took place on 10 and 11 September 2026. Eight teams presented their initial concepts from Competition Round 1 and discussed them with the Jury and invited experts. In the subsequent closed Jury session, four teams were selected to advance to Competition Round 2 and will now develop their proposals further based on the Jury’s recommendations.

The competition addresses not only new development but the functioning of the entire area. The brief places emphasis on high-quality and legible public spaces, better pedestrian connections and access to the metro, transport, greenery and rainwater management, safety around Poláčkova Primary School, as well as a mix of housing, retail and services. The new development will be predominantly residential and will bring new residents and a higher quality of urban life to the area. The competition also examines high-rise development and its relationship to the surrounding urban structure and the Prague skyline. The DBK department store will be sensitively integrated into the future transformation of the area.

Four teams will now develop their proposals further

Advancing to Competition Round 2 are A8000 (Czech Republic), Hamonic + Masson & Associés (France), Howells (United Kingdom) and UNIT architekti (Czech Republic).

The selected teams will now develop their concepts further based on the Jury’s recommendations. In Competition Round 2, they will develop in greater detail the urban design of the entire area, public spaces, transport and greenery, as well as the architectural design of Development Phase 1.

The third Competition Workshop is scheduled for November 2026. The teams will present their developed proposals to the Jury, which will then determine the final ranking. The results and competition proposals will be published only after the competition has concluded and will subsequently be presented to the public in an exhibition.

The planning of the area will not end with the selection of the winning proposal. The winning proposal for Development Phase 1 will form the basis for the subsequent project design process. The concept for Development Phase 2 will serve as a basis for further discussions between the City of Prague, the Prague 4 Municipal District and the landowners on the coordinated long-term development of Budějovická.

Public input became part of the competition brief

The public was also involved in the preparation of the competition before it was launched. Through a map-based public meeting, an online questionnaire and a consultation group, people were able to describe what they value about Budějovická, what does not work for them today, and what needs or concerns they have regarding its future transformation. Feedback on public spaces, transport, greenery, safety and community facilities was summarised and provided to the competition teams as one of the inputs for their work.

About the Nová Budějárna competition

The international urban design and architectural competition covers an area of approximately 40,000 m² around Budějovická metro station, bounded by Budějovická, Olbrachtova, Poláčkova and Antala Staška Streets. Development is envisaged in two phases. In Development Phase 1, the competition addresses in greater detail the new development and associated public spaces in the part of the site along Olbrachtova Street. In Development Phase 2, the competition examines the long-term urban transformation of the wider area.

The competition Client is BP Olbrachtova, s.r.o., a joint venture of Penta Real Estate and DBK Praha. The competition is being organised in cooperation with the City of Prague, the Prague 4 Municipal District and the Prague Institute of Planning and Development (IPR Prague). The Prague Public Transit Company and other key stakeholders in the area also contributed to the preparation of the Framework Brief. The General Competition Brief was approved by the Prague City Council. The competition is organised by ONplan.