The city’s vision was to transform Prague’s riverbanks into a high-quality, well-managed public space. However, there was no document that viewed the Vltava River in Prague as a whole and enabled its development to be planned within a citywide context. The Prague Riverbanks Concept therefore defines a comprehensive approach to the river as a fundamental reference point for the city and the landscape and addresses the river area as a public space of citywide significance.

It is a strategic and initiatory document of the City of Prague that opens a discussion on the values of the river area, its current and future form, and its role in the structure and life of the city, while simultaneously serving as a call for its gradual improvement. It serves as a coordinating framework for all urban and architectural planning projects, investments, management, maintenance, and use.

The concept outlines principles for working with the river on a citywide level, as well as specific suggestions for improvement that make sense within the broader context. It thus defines the scope for follow-up projects or the preparation of organizational, administrative, or economic measures. It also proposes new management and organizational tools (riverfront manager, suburban park).

Particularly innovative is the concept of the so-called “river space,” which encompasses not only the banks themselves but also the surrounding areas within the width of the river floodplain, including places whose character is directly influenced by their connection to the river or, conversely, places that influence the river themselves. A careful analysis and description of the diverse characteristics and potentials of the city and landscape along the Vltava River within the territory of the capital city of Prague provides a comprehensive picture of the river within the city.