Štvanická Lávka, which connects the Prague districts of Holešovice and Karlín with the island of Štvanice, won the title of Construction of the Year 2023. The judges appreciated both the architectural and urbanistic value of the footbridge within the centre of Prague, as well as its unique technological solution. The bridge, whose investor is the City of Prague, has been open to the public since July.
“The footbridge certainly deserves an award, it is unique in several ways,” said Petr Hlaváček, Deputy Mayor of Prague for Territorial Development. “In contrast to bridges made of ordinary types of concrete, we used a material on this construction that does not absorb water, which would freeze in winter and gradually disrupt the footbridge. At the same time, the subtle construction is sensitive to the panorama of the Vltava. Along with the use of high-strength concrete, this means the bridge will last longer and be much easier to maintain than other structures. And since the footbridge will make Štvanice accessible, we have created a manual for the development of this island. The people of Prague can look forward to some changes in Štvanice – such as the creation of pleasant seating by the water – in the near future.”
“This elegant footbridge, which has been intensively used by the public since the first day of its commissioning, definitely deserves it,” said Zdeněk Hřib, Deputy Mayor of Prague for Transport. “Last year, the Clam-Gallas Palace reconstruction project in Prague won this prize in two categories. We have not rested on our laurels and I am looking forward to being able to register the Dvorecký most, which is currently being built, in 2025.”
Štvanická lávka won the prestigious title alongside the family care pavilion at Pelhřimov Hospital and the Kapka multifunctional sports hall in Vsetín, as part of this year’s 31st edition of the competition, run by the Foundation for the Development of Architecture and Construction. The awards were presented on Friday, 24 November, at a gala evening in Prague’s Rudolfinum.
Among the 110 buildings entered into the competition this year, the footbridge clearly stood out in several respects, according to the jury. “A white, very lapidary in shape, subservient to the artistic effect, structurally unique footbridge, which impressively dematerializes the used reinforced concrete structure and enriches Prague’s public space in a unique way,” the expert jury wrote in its explanatory statement.
Construction of the bridge began in January 2022 and it was handed over for use in July 2023. It provides a simple connection for pedestrians and cyclists between the city districts of Prague 7 and Prague 8, with the advantage that there is also direct access to Štvanice Island. The 300-metre structure of whitened ultra-high-quality concrete with anti-graffiti coating is unusual in its curvature. Its walking width is four metres, and three metres at the ramp to Štvanice Island. The bridge is lit by LED strips hidden in the handrail, so there is no unnecessary light smog. The end of the handle on the Karlín side is in the form of horses, and on the Holešovice side it is in the form of bulls, while Štvanice island is decorated with hares.
Between Karlín and Štvanice, the footbridge spans the 38-metre-wide Vltava riverbed, and between Štvanice and Holešovice, the width of the riverbed is 149 metres. The last span of the bridge on the Holešovice side can be raised so that it can withstand the flow of 1000-year-old water. The structure also has small joints through which rainwater drains. The construction of the footbridge, funded by the City of Prague, cost a total of CZK 352 million. It was designed by Petr Tej, Marek Blank, Jan Mourek and Vít Najvárek, and constructed by Skanska a.s. The sculptures and ornaments were designed by Aleš Hvízdal and Jan Hendrych.
“Štvanická Lávka is a bridge of world-class parameters, and the Construction of the Year title is another award for all our great colleagues who participated in this important project,” said Michal Jurka, president of Skanska Central Europe. “The biggest challenge is the combination of unique technologies on Štvanická lávka – so far, ultra-high-quality concrete has not been used on such a large structure, and in white colour, too.”
The main organiser of the competition was the Foundation for the Development of Architecture and Construction, together with the Czech Ministry of Industry and Trade, the Czech Chamber of Authorised Engineers and Construction Technicians, and the Czech Association of Construction Industry Entrepreneurs.
