Architect: The Dvorecký Bridge mainly needs to blend in with the other Prague bridges

photo: Jiří Šebek

Prague – The architects aimed to design the new Dvorecký Bridge to blend in with the other Prague bridges over the Vltava River. This organically led to the use of cubist elements. During a tour of the bridge, its designers Radek Šíma and Štěpán Braťka from the Atelier 6 studio told journalists that the bridge, intended for public transport, pedestrians, cyclists, and integrated rescue services, will open for regular traffic on Saturday, April 18, with a public event taking place the day before. Construction began in 2022 and is expected to cost around two billion crowns.

According to chief designer Šíma, the architects drew inspiration from the shape of all Prague bridges over the Vltava, which share several characteristics. "None of those bridges have a structure above the deck; all work with some principle of an arched bridge, and the third principle is that the bridges have pillars in the river across the entire width of the deck," the architect explained.

He added that the wide pillars allow for dual perception of the structure, as they appear slender from a river viewpoint but massive from the bank. According to him, the design also reflects that the bridge runs diagonally to the Vltava and, thus, to the two pillars in the water, which must be positioned along the river due to hydrodynamics. At the same time, the bridge from Podolí rises almost ten meters because the Smíchov side is higher. These diagonal lines played a significant role in the design process, according to Šíma.

"When we sketched it and thought about it, we realized that there was an aesthetic principle that works excellently with skewness, and that is cubism. But it wasn't like that from the beginning; at first, the desire to fit into the group of Prague bridges was paramount," the architect said. Nearby the bridge, near the Vyšehrad Tunnel, there are uniquely world-renowned cubist houses designed by architect Josef Chochol. "So it seemed to us that the place actually called out for that shape," Šíma stated.

Although the bridge will soon open, work will continue on the spaces around it on both the Podolí and Smíchov sides. In Podolí, a space will be created along the bank under the structure with a skatepark, climbing wall, refreshment areas, restrooms, a cultural amphitheater, and steps leading into the water for swimming. One of the lamps on the bridge, which is leaning outward from the deck to illuminate the area, draws attention to the place. Nearby, a new boating clubhouse will be built from boards used during the bridge's concrete pouring, replacing the old one that had to give way to the construction.

On the Smíchov side, south of the bridge near Strakonická Street, an illuminated garden created by artist Krištof Kintera will feature 120 lamps of public lighting from around the world. Šíma added that a complete transformation is also planned for the adjacent gas station, which will be replaced with a new one that includes a restaurant and a seating area on the roof with a view of Kintera's installation. A space with an information center for the transport company, a café, and restrooms will also be added at the Lihovar bus stop heading south.

The construction of the bridge has become more expensive due to unexpected complications related to geological conditions at the bottom of the Vltava, which had previously been reported. The total costs, including design, increased from 1.57 billion crowns at the start of construction to 1.97 billion. The construction timeline also extended; it was originally slated for completion last year.

A debate was held regarding the naming of the bridge; the city council organized a poll where Prague residents could vote for either the name Dvorecký Bridge or the bridge of Anežka Česká. The first option overwhelmingly won the vote, and the city leadership respected the poll's result, which was also supported by the leadership of Prague 4 and Prague 5.