Competition

A formerly inaccessible industrial zone is set to become a modern, accessible urban district in the coming years, following the example of other European harbour redevelopments—familiar in concept, yet unique in character.

Public Ports Company, together with the Capital City of Bratislava, announce an international masterplanning competition to develop an urban proposal for the transformation of the Winter Harbour in Bratislava. The competition is organised by the Metropolitan Institute of Bratislava and is a two‑stage, open, and anonymous process.

The masterplanning competition will run from February to October 2026 in two stages. The results of the Stage 2 and the winning design are expected to be published in October 2026. The only communication platform for competition participants and the organiser is the Josephine portal (please follow it for future updates).

The submission deadline for Stage 1 is 25 May 2026 at 5:00 p.m.

To access full competition documentation, to ask questions, view answers and register as participant please visit: https://josephine.proebiz.com/en/tender/74764/summary ↗

Register

Competition schedule

Prizes and honoraria

Once the results of the competition have become final within the period specified in the competition conditions, the announcer will pay the following prizes and honoraria to the awarded participants:

1. prize: 135 000 €
2. prize: 105 000 €
3. prize: 80 000 €

Among the remaining participants of Stage 2, a total of 90 000€ will be distributed.

Subject of the Competition

The competition invites proposals for the urban redevelopment of the Winter Harbour Bratislava.

The objective is to convert a currently inaccessible, monofunctional, and actively operating logistics and cargo transshipment area into an open, vibrant, and compact urban district in a direct dialogue with the river.

The competition seeks a proposal that most convincingly embodies the public interest and fully activates the site’s potential.

The competition site is defined by Prístavná and Košická streets, Apollo Bridge, Prístavný Bridge and the Danube River to the south. The 65-hectare site is distinguished by its spatial composition: 45 hectares of land, with the remaining area consisting of water surfaces in the form of harbour basins on the river Danube.

Competition context

The transformation of Winter Harbour was initiated by the decision of the site owner, Public Ports company (Verejné prístavy, a. s.), to relocate port operations from Winter Harbour to the Pálenisko area.

The competition is intended to build consensus on the area’s future form and produce a comprehensive masterplan—an urban template that will serve as the strategic framework for the transformation. The masterplan will coordinate investment processes, guide follow-up urban and architectural studies, and form the basis for partial architectural competitions focusing on key buildings that will shape the new skyline and identity of the waterfront.

This competition seeks multidisciplinary teams with expertise in masterplanning, urban design, heritage preservation, landscape and placemaking, supported by technical, environmental and economic insight. Teams are expected to respond sensitively to the unique spatial, cultural and environmental conditions of Winter Harbour, translating the competition brief into a coherent and deliverable proposal that combines strong design with strategic, visionary thinking.

After the competition, the winning team will further develop the competition proposal into a comprehensive urban masterplan that will serve as the long-term framework for the redevelopment of the Winter Harbour and will establish clear principles, spatial structure and quality standards for decades to come.

Public Ports company (Verejné prístavy, a.s.) and the City of Bratislava seek a proposal that convincingly embodies the public interest, establishes investment predictability, and ensures long-term continuity of quality.