Troja Basin Island, Prague

Troja Basin Revitalization Project
Prague, Czech Republic

Working with River Watch Network, an environmental organization that develops strategies for river restoration and protection, Michael Singer led a master plan team focusing on the preservation of Troja Island and restoration of the surrounding Vltava River environment as the centerpiece of a community revitalization program. The Troja Island Basin Revitalization Project was developed as a model for clean river initiatives by integrating natural resources protection and economic development with the community’s social needs. The project offered a fresh vision and solutions to ways urban infrastructure can enhance livability and foster community.

The initial focus of the master plan was a malfunctioning water treatment facility located on Troja Island. The master plan team identified strategies to rebuild the water treatment facility at its current site while the facility remained in operation. The Troja Basin Revitalization Master Plan addressed the technical challenges of odor control and water storage, as well as the visual appearance of the facility. As a result, the surrounding communities could be renewed and revitalized with parks, housing, eco-industry, studios for artists and artisans, recreation facilities and cultural amenities. The Troja Basin Revitalization Master Plan was adopted and included in the City of Prague Master Plan.

This project was funded by the Trust for Mutual Understanding, The Rockefeller Foundation, The River Watch Network and Renesance Trojske Kotliny and was hosted at the Bellagio Study and Conference Center in Villa Serbelloni, Italy and at Harvard University in Cambridge, MA.

Artist/Designer: Michael Singer
Singer Studio Project Manager: Sterling McMurrin
Project Team: Meg Ostrum, Cultural Historian, Elizabeth Courtney, Land Use Planner,
Michael Shaw, Bio-Engineer, Eva Nesmera’kova, Prague Engineer, Ken Radtkey, Architect,
Bohumil Beranek, Urban Planner, Karol Kawaky, Architect, Jaroslav Kosek, Architect,
Petr Stepanek, Consultant, Nancy Rutledge Connery, Infrastructure Specialist, Steven Dickens,
Water Specialist, Michael Horst, Strategic Planner, Eva Eisler, Project Coordinator,
Miroslav Kos, Engineer, Hydroprojekt, Inc. and Dalton Stansbury, Project Translator