The second round of the international urban design competition for the development of Winter Harbour is currently under way. Seven proposals selected by the jury have advanced to the second round. Public participation process was led by the Metropolitan Institute of Bratislava, the organiser of the competition.
Residents were able to share their views in April and May in person during walks through the otherwise closed port area, through focus groups at TU-BA, or via an online questionnaire. The public agreed that they imagine Winter Harbour as a lively, recreational, green, accessible, and authentic district with high-quality public spaces for everyone.
Among the most frequently discussed topics in the discussions and questionnaires were better access to the water and its use, preserving the industrial character of the area, more greenery and shade, safe movement on foot and by bicycle, a representative cultural venue, opportunities for water sports and other less traditional sports in the area, friendly community spaces, and accessible services for future residents and visitors. Some people would like to see the port become the centre of a true metropolis, with representative spaces and high-rise buildings, while others would prefer this section of the riverfront to remain wilder, with lower-rise development.
“Saunas, a bay, access to the water, incorporating the existing cranes into the visual identity, access for smaller boats or a port with a shuttle service. A pedestrian footbridge over the water with benches. Multi-level café spaces to maximise seating with views of and contact with the water. An area reserved for dogs. In short, it should be a publicly accessible and safe place,” says one member of the public who took part in the participation process.
At the same time, the public also shared concerns that Winter Harbour could become an overly elitist, commercial, or closed-off area, with monotonous or overly dominant architecture.
People Are Interested in Winter Port
The participation report summarises the needs, expectations, and concerns of Bratislava residents. The aim is for the final proposals in the current round of the competition to be based not only on expert and technical requirements, but also on the ideas of the people who will use the new public spaces.
“Bratislava residents are actively interested in the future of Winter Harbour, which is also evident in the strong public interest in taking part in the competition’s participation process. We would like to thank everyone who contributed their views to the discussion about the future of this part of the city,” says Petra Marko, CEO of the Metropolitan Institute of Bratislava.
The site is owned by Public Ports, a.s., a state-owned company under the Ministry of Transport of the Slovak Republic. “We welcome the active approach of residents, whose vision for the transformation of Winter Port provides important feedback. For the competition teams, this defines a clear challenge – we believe they will be able to successfully translate these expectations into authentic, yet economically feasible and sustainable solutions,” says Matej Danóci, CEO of Public Ports, a.s.
More information is available in the final public participation report – OPEN.