Employing strategic city and metropolitan planning using digital and innovative tools.
I. Genesis
The metropolitan plan for Prague plays a key role in curbing uncontrolled urban sprawl while preserving the city’s unique identity. It provides clear directives on building heights, protects public spaces, and revitalizes ageing industrial areas into new multifunctional districts, fostering the creation of green spaces and parks.
This strategic initiative harnesses digital tools to address diverse urban challenges and leverage the city’s strengths for sustainable growth and development. (For valuation and verification of future developments in Prague IPR used mobile data operators from period 2029-2021. These data are used to currently prepare Urban study for Analyses of Metropolitan coordination in Infrastructure and settlement hierarchy. Modes of commuting between the center of Prague and other subcenters in the metropolitan region were tracked.)
As a thriving metropolitan area, Prague faces contemporary challenges associated with rapid urbanization, population growth, and the need for sustainable infrastructure and services to support its inhabitants. Prague’s metropolitan area holds substantial economic importance regionally and globally, necessitating a comprehensive plan to ensure continued growth and competitiveness. With a growing population, there’s a need to prioritize sustainability, environmental conservation, efficient transportation, affordable housing, and quality public spaces to ensure a high standard of living for residents.
Moreover, the plan underscores Prague’s regional and global economic significance, mandating a comprehensive approach to sustain its growth and competitiveness. It emphasizes sustainability, environmental conservation, efficient transportation, and affordable housing to cater to the needs of its burgeoning population.
Initiated in 2012, the six-year development process involved extensive consultations with various stakeholders. Presently, a second round of feedback from institutions, landowners, investors and residents is being meticulously evaluated, ensuring an inclusive and diverse perspective integration. The process involves diligent review and incorporation of the received comments into the plan’s framework. The Metropolitan plan draft was publicly accessible for review and commentary from April 26 to June 30, 2022, both physically at the Center for Architecture and Urban Planning and on the online platform. This transparent and community-driven process, facilitated by an electronic platform for proposal collection, showcases the commitment to collaboratively shaping Prague’s urban landscape. It aims to foster integration between Prague and its surrounding regions, facilitating coordinated development, connectivity, and resource allocation.
II. Triggers
The development of the Metropolitan Prague Plan was initiated due to multifaceted challenges—environmental, socio-economic, and spatial—coupled with shortcomings in the existing 1999 master plan.
The current 1999 master plan faced several shortcomings: its functional division into work, housing, and recreation zones became obsolete as zones fragmented into numerous smaller areas, complicating the urban planning of the whole Metropolitan region. The instability of the existing plan was evident through over 2000 amendments between 2000 and 2012, delaying development planning and compromising the plan’s credibility. Frequent changes undermined the plan’s binding capacity, necessitating a stable, sustainable growth and development framework.
The current plan’s inadequacies for the city’s needs led to significant waste management and infrastructure challenges, hindering urban growth and efficiency:
- A lack of comprehensive recycling programs resulted in inefficient waste disposal and environmental degradation.
- Insufficient emphasis on green initiatives led to a scarcity of designated areas for waste recycling facilities, impacting the city’s environmental sustainability goals.
- Moreover, the existing plan lacked vital provisions for upgrading ageing infrastructure, causing congestion in transportation networks and complicating public transit systems, ultimately affecting the city’s ability to accommodate its growing population’s needs, addressing safety and security concerns in public spaces, equitable resource access, and ensuring inclusivity in urban planning processes.
Disaster preparedness was another critical area overlooked in the existing plan. The absence of specific emergency response strategies left the city vulnerable to potential crises like floods, lacking specific contingency measures.
While the primary focus remains at the city level, the metropolitan area also faces climate and environmental issues transcending borders. Collaborative efforts in regional pollution control or climate change mitigation should become imperative.
IV. Transformational context
The Metropolitan Plan aimed to reduce ambiguity, establishing clear and protective regulations to foster sustainable development while maintaining Prague’s distinctiveness. Addressing these deficiencies was key in formulating an updated plan that could better serve the needs of the growing urban population while ensuring the city’s resilience and sustainability in the face of evolving challenges.
Thinking of Solutions to Address the Challenges:
The city of Prague approached the multifaceted challenges posed by the growing city’s needs with a comprehensive strategy and using digital tools to collect data and engage different stakeholders. Recognizing the inadequacies in waste management, ageing infrastructure, and disaster preparedness, the city engaged in an inclusive planning process. It involved stakeholders in extensive consultations and brainstorming sessions, including city administration, resident associations, civic organizations, and relevant authorities using digital platform for cooperation. There were two rounds of discussion during the period of Joint Hearings that happened in 2018 and the Public Hearings that happened in 2022. Comments could be submitted electronically through an online form with identity verification. All materials are available on the Portál pražana in the “My City – My Proposals” section. These efforts aimed to identify the root causes of the challenges and envisage innovative, sustainable solutions.
How the Challenges are Being Addressed:
The city administration collaborated with urban planners, environmental experts, and infrastructure specialists to devise a revised Metropolitan Plan. Furthermore, the plan encourages better pedestrian accessibility through footpaths, trails, and city parks.
The Metropolitan Plan aims to protect Prague’s unique diversity, respecting the distinctiveness of various neighborhoods characterized by historical layers, unique terrains, and different ways of life. The plan meticulously defines each locality to preserve its character, appearance, and architectural nuances. The plan also proposes height regulations to safeguard Prague’s iconic vistas. Public spaces are a focal point in the Metropolitan Plan. The plan categories public spaces into metropolitan, district, local, and neighborhood types, emphasizing their protection, development, and creation in emerging areas.
A fundamental principle of the plan is ensuring sufficient and high-quality public amenities. It protects existing facilities and encourages the construction of new ones, favoring fixed locations for amenities in new neighborhoods. The plan aims for maximum amenities in each Prague district, ensuring residents can access essential services close to home.
Balancing development and preservation, the plan protects existing housing estates, courtyard blocks, and gardening settlements. It defines new residential districts within the city, contributing to alleviating the housing crisis and considering ecological and economic aspects. Residential locations are preserved, ensuring that the intended use aligns with the neighborhood’s character, promoting a quality and varied environment.
The Metropolitan Plan delineates the city’s boundary, preserving open areas and preventing uneconomical expansion into the countryside. It defines biocentres, bio-corridors, forested areas, and recreational spaces, contributing to ecological stability, flood protection, and the retention of water in the landscape. The plan emphasizes the protection of the riverbed and surrounding areas. Disaster preparedness was addressed, with specific provisions for emergency response strategies, infrastructure resilience, and risk mitigation measures to ensure the city’s preparedness for potential crises.
Approaches for Addressing Future Challenges:
In contemplating future challenges, the city had reflected several additional plans and strategies that, although not implemented, were considered for inclusion in the revised Metropolitan Master Plan. The city is considering more advanced waste-to-energy conversion technologies to maximize energy generation from waste materials while minimizing environmental impact, particularly with the Association of Operators of Technologies for Ecological Waste Utilization.
Prague is exploring integrating smart city technologies for efficient waste management, infrastructure monitoring, and disaster response. These initiatives aim to enhance the city’s resilience and responsiveness in the face of urban challenges.
Future plans involved exploring innovative transportation solutions, such as implementing electric or autonomous vehicles, to alleviate congestion and reduce carbon emissions. While these ideas showcase potential benefits, practical considerations and infrastructural readiness require further evaluation.
All these plans can be potentially integrated into the final Metropolitan Plan. Their consideration demonstrates the city’s commitment to embracing innovative solutions to address future urban challenges.
V. Action Journey
The Metropolitan Plan is a key roadmap for Prague’s future development, dictating where growth occurs, what amenities arise, and how the city evolves. It balances public interest with private needs, aiming for sustainable urban expansion.
The process of developing the Metropolitan Plan for Prague was long, consisting of several stages involving various stakeholders. It is not just a project but a framework that will determine the development of the capital for the next ten to twenty years. It defines where you can and cannot build, shaping the future landscape and infrastructure of the city.
One of the important sources of data for the creation of the Study for Metropolitan Region was data from mobile operators, which provided a new insight into the way people move around the city. It helped to analyze the flows of people to and from Prague (source and destination municipalities) and also to analyze the total number of people present in Prague during the day (300-500 thousand more than the official population). The project in which the data was collected was called “Lokalizační data mobilních operátorů pro plánování města” and was financed by the EU funds: Operational Program Praha – pól růstu ČR.
Initiated in response to the imminent expiration of the existing plan, the Metropolitan Plan emerges as a commitment to curtail urban sprawl, ensuring ample quality public facilities.
The Prague City Council spearheads the plan’s submission, outlining its primary objectives and ensuring the ultimate approval of the final draft. Ensuring impartiality from political shifts, this department orchestrates the plan’s legality, manages discussions, and integrates inputs from various stakeholders. Crafting the blueprint, aligning it with the assignment, territorial development principles, and Czech Republic laws while incorporating feedback into the proposal. The Metropolitan Plan significantly impacts the lives of Prague’s inhabitants, providing insights into their future neighbourhoods’ potential changes, amenities, and developments. Understanding land usage regulations, potential developments, and adherence to investor guidelines is crucial for property owners and investors to align their strategies with the plan. The creation process encompasses a spectrum of contributors: politicians, architects, urban planners, conservationists, district representatives, and the public at large.
The new Metropolitan Plan reflects a thorough approach, dissecting the city into over 700 localities, each falling into one of 20 types of developable areas, delineating buildable (13 types) and non-buildable territories (7 types). Localities are categorized into four utilization types: residential, recreational, productive, or natural, stipulating permissible activities within.
The joint Action Phase included discussions with state bodies, the public, and city districts to resolve initial comments and produce a revised plan. The next one was the Public Hearing Phase, which opened the floor for broader public comments and objections on the revised plan, held in two sessions for interpretation and detailed discussions. After was a process of evaluating public comments, integrating them into the plan while ensuring alignment with the plan’s core objectives and maintaining continuity in spatial planning.
Moreover, it introduces stringent regulations on building heights, mandating any new structures to harmonise with existing surroundings. It emphasises the marriage of development and preservation, setting clear demarcations between urban space and the surrounding landscape. Public spaces claim a prominent spotlight within this plan, signifying their critical role in the urban fabric. The hierarchical categorisation of public spaces ensures their optimisation for civic life, mirroring the essence of Prague’s historical gardens, parks, and other communal areas. Metropolitan Plan defines land usage rules for owners, mandates investor compliance and shapes Prague’s physical landscape and development.
One of the focuses of this plan is its allowance for phased implementation, ensuring a coordinated and gradual fulfilment of development priorities. This strategy seeks to control urban expansion, channelling growth away from pristine landscapes on Prague’s periphery.
Flood Protection
Prague has been affected by several major floods in recent decades, and the city has prepared detailed plans to mitigate the negative consequences of floods in the future.
For the purposes of territorial planning, based on the 2D flood model, City of Prague defined overlapping areas that divide floodplains from the point of view of land use into individual categories: designated for protection – provided by the city, designated for protection – provided individually, non-flow, flow and active zone. To select these categories, the USBR (US Bureau of Reclamation) methodology is used, which evaluates the combination of depths and velocities at each point of the floodplain and, based on knowledge of these flow characteristics for the given flow, defines the following areas – high danger; places where the degree of danger needs to be assessed individually; low risk. 2D flood model of Prague is updated as needed or in case of significant changes in the catchment area.
The determination of flood risks in flood-prone areas is closely related to societal requirements caused by the need to mitigate the adverse effects of floods. After the flood risks have been evaluated, maps of flood danger and flood threats are prepared. The flood hazard maps show the extent of the flood, the depth and possibly the speed of the water flow in the flooded area and are linked to the hazard scenarios for Q5, Q20, Q100 and Q500. The flood risk map divides the floodplain into four categories according to the level of risk, which allow the suitability of the current or future functional use of areas to be assessed based on recommendations to limit possible activities on areas in the floodplain with a higher degree of risk.
The flood protection system on the Vltava and Beroun rivers in Prague has been under construction since 1997. In response to the floods of August 2002, the 2D flood model of Prague was updated for the flows from the flood in question and on based on this update, the inundation area of the highest recorded natural flood Q2002 (culminating flow 5160 m3/s) was redrawn and the proposal of anti-flood measures for the protection of the capital was re-evaluated. In Prague, anti-flood measures consist of permanent anti-flood earth dams or reinforced concrete walls, mobile anti-flood barriers and anti-flood protection made of sandbags. Flood protection of Prague represents a very extensive complex of measures, which has been implemented for a long time from the funds of the capital city. These anti-flood measures have fulfilled their protective function more than once. In summary, it can be stated that the anti-flood measures to protect Prague fulfill their purpose without major problems. Nevertheless, there are several important topics to be addressed. One such is the flood protection of the Prague Zoo in Prague-Troj. Currently, the Prague Zoo is protected from minor floods up to the Q20 level by a flood barrier, but a flood protection design study for Q100 is being processed.
However, this journey has seen its share of challenges and modifications, marked by shifts in leadership, evolving methodologies, and adjustments due to delays. Despite these hurdles, the plan has remained resilient in its vision to preserve Prague’s essence while accommodating modern necessities.
VI. Future
Anticipating the future development of the Prague Metropolitan Plan, several strategic policies, regulations, and measures will likely be implemented to priorities security considerations in various areas.
Disaster Preparedness and Resilience involves conducting thorough risk assessments to identify vulnerable areas to natural disasters and implementing strategies for disaster risk reduction. It also includes establishing robust emergency response mechanisms, such as evacuation plans, early warning systems, and coordinated agency responses. Additionally, the program focuses on investing in resilient infrastructure, like flood barriers and green spaces, to act as natural buffers against disasters.
Regarding Environmental Sustainability, the plan aims to introduce building requirements that promote eco-friendly architecture and encourage energy-efficient and sustainable construction practices. Measures to protect and enhance the city’s green spaces, parks, and natural habitats are also on the agenda. Furthermore, waste management initiatives, including recycling programs and efficient waste disposal methods, are being promoted to minimize environmental impact.
A main focus for future detailed urban planning is to formulate plans to mitigate the effects of climate change, like reducing greenhouse gas emissions, improving energy efficiency, and promoting renewable energy sources. Such measures as clean energy mobility are already the focus of city development. The plan also aims to increase green infrastructure, expand tree cover, and implement nature-based solutions to mitigate heat islands and adapt to climate change.
Leveraging smart city technologies for enhanced surveillance, public safety, and efficient management of resources and infrastructure is the next step for Metropolitan development. Strengthening cybersecurity frameworks to safeguard critical infrastructure and data against potential cyber threats is also in the pipeline.
Social Resilience and Community Engagement are the main focus of a strategic city’s development. This includes conducting educational programs and community drills to enhance public awareness, preparedness, and resilience during emergencies. Additionally, fostering partnerships between public, private, and community sectors to address security concerns collectively and implement shared security initiatives is a priority.
Planning for resilient and sustainable transportation systems and prioritizing public transit, cycling infrastructure, and pedestrian-friendly zones are crucial. Encouraging mixed-use zoning to create inclusive, resilient neighborhoods with diverse amenities, thereby reducing vulnerability and fostering local economies, is also on the agenda of Metropolitan Plan development.
Annex I. Additional Links
https://metropolitniplan.praha.eu/jnp/cz/aktuality-ipr_se_vraci_do_ulic_predstavi_novy.html
https://cs.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metropolitní_plán_hlavního_města_Prahy
https://arnika.org/praha/nase-temata/uzemni-planovani/metropolitni-plan
https://www.e15.cz/metropolitni-plan-praha-harmonogram-2022-2023
Annex II. Stakeholders
Government and Municipal Bodies:
- City of Prague (Prague City Hall, MHMP)
- Local Government Representatives: Elected officials from different districts or municipalities within Prague.
Urban Planning and Development Agencies:
- Institute of Planning and Development (IPR): Responsible for preparing the Metropolitan Plan and overseeing its execution
- Transportation and Infrastructure Departments: Departments handling transportation, roads, utilities, and infrastructure development.
Citizen Groups and Communities:
- Resident Associations: Groups representing the interests of residents and communities. (different “SVJ”s – Joint unit owners)
- Civic Organizations: Non-governmental organizations (NGOs) advocating for specific urban development causes or environmental concerns. (e. g.Arnika)
Business and Economic Entities:
- Local Businesses and Chambers of Commerce: Representing the business community and its interests in economic development and growth.
- Real Estate Developers and Investors: Stakeholders involved in property development and investment within Prague.
Environmental and Conservation Groups:
- Environmental NGOs: Organizations focused on sustainability, conservation, and environmental protection within the city. (Arnika, Zelený Kruh (Green Circle)
- Heritage and Preservation Societies: Advocating for the preservation of historical and cultural landmarks. (Klub za starou Prahu (Club for Old Prague))
Transportation and Infrastructure Stakeholders:
- Public Transit Authorities: Organizations responsible for public transportation systems like metro, buses, and trams. ROPID – Regional organizator of transport, Letiste Praha, a. s. (Prague airport, AG), Dopravni podnik hl. m. Prahy, a. s. (DPP – Prague Municipal Transport Company)
- Road and Infrastructure Construction Companies: Entities involved in building and maintaining urban infrastructure. Technická správa komunikací hl. m. Prahy, a. s. (TSK)
Educational and Research Institutions:
- Universities and Research Centers: Academic institutions contributing expertise in urban planning, architecture, environmental studies, etc.
- Think Tanks: Research organizations providing insights and recommendations on urban development strategies. Centrum dopravniho vyzkumu, v. v. i. (CDV)
Tourism and Hospitality Industry:
- Tourism Boards and Associations: Stakeholders concerned with tourism development and its impact on the city’s infrastructure and economy. Prague city tourism.
- Hospitality Sector: Hotels, restaurants, and tourism-related businesses invested in the city’s attractiveness and accessibility.
