The core idea of the proposal is to restore the square’s role as a place for staying, meeting, and cultural life. In the case of Zbraslav Square, this means nothing less than pushing private car traffic—both moving and parked—into the background and prioritising pedestrians, cyclists, culture, and social activities.

The design emphasises permeability, aesthetic quality, and comfort for everyday use, as well as a favourable microclimate. Visitors are no longer squeezed in by surrounding heavy traffic nor turned into targets in the middle of a roundabout. Two active ground floors and a generous central space are created.

An integral part of the proposal is blue-green infrastructure, working with open water features, permeable surfaces, rain gardens, and shaded areas formed by large-canopy trees.

The key element of the design is the redesign and traffic calming of the central intersection, while maintaining the existing capacity for both private and bus transport. The central crossroads is transformed into a forked intersection. The route of the historic road, which has diagonally crossed Zbraslav Square since time immemorial, is preserved.

The space is divided into three areas for staying and social use: the central square itself and two revitalised ground-floor zones in close contact with building façades featuring active frontages.

The location of the central public space, positioned in front of the brewery, has been chosen with several factors in mind. The north-western corner of the square represents the highest point of the area, offering pedestrians a clear overview of the entire square. Thanks to this elevated position, the space sits above the adjacent intersection rather than being dominated by it, making the traffic easier to overlook—or simply ignore.

The site also offers a beautiful view across the lowered rooflines of the surrounding development towards the slopes of the Šance nature reserve. Traffic calming on Bartoňova Street connects the existing community area with the active ground floor along the western edge of the square.

Along the calmed street, parallel and longitudinal parking is proposed, including accessible parking spaces, charging station columns, and bicycle racks. The corner of the site also accommodates underground containers for separated waste, with an adjacent loading area. Parking is visually and physically separated from surrounding public spaces by bollards.

The space then continues into a market area shaded by the canopies of mature pagoda trees. Via six steps—or two wide seating terraces (2 × 40 cm in height)—visitors reach the main community space with a café. This area is conceived as a versatile “dance floor”: a venue for vintage car gatherings, rides organised by the Veteran Bicycle Club Zbraslav, or evening screenings of cult films and documentaries. During market days, it can host a lively accompanying programme.

The northern strip behind the café is conceived as a quiet retreat with seating integrated into perennial planting beds. The area is shaded by the crowns of three transplanted dove trees. From the south, the café terrace is partially shaded by a steel pergola overgrown with wisteria. The entire forecourt in front of the café is bordered on the southern side by a small water feature composed of low water jets.

Further south, an open space is dedicated to the Memorial to the Victims of the First World War. This commemorative site is given a dignified, generous setting, enclosed by a group of three mature pagoda trees. The eastern edge of the square’s central space is lined with two rows of pagoda trees, whose canopies provide shade for market stalls.

Moving westwards, the space transitions into a shaded area with an expansive water basin. The basin is partially divided by a low weir, separating the main water surface from the planted filtration zones. The water feature is supplied by rainwater collected from the roofs of surrounding buildings. Granite stepping blocks allow the basin to be fully traversed, leading via three wide seating steps (3 × 40 cm) to a shaded corner that remains comfortable even during extreme heat. Alternatively, the water feature can be bypassed along the pavement next to the bus stop, or crossed using the seating steps (3 × 40 cm), which also resolve height differences across the site.

Along the full length of the brewery, a perennial infiltration planting bed is proposed, widening near the eastern corner at the lowest point of the site. Crossing the street, one enters the eastern ground-floor zone. The existing marble staircase with its retaining wall is preserved. This parterre is conceived as a place of active everyday life. Its perimeter is defined by a pavement and a tree-lined edge, while the centre is animated by rain gardens with perennials accompanying the trees. Space is also provided for a row of market stalls, allowing the entire square to come alive during market events.

The eastern space is bordered to the north by a transfer bus stop and to the south by angled parking with underground containers for separated waste. The parterre along the southern side of the square follows a similar concept; however, greater emphasis is placed on perennial planting beds, no stalls are proposed here, and the existing Freedom Tree planted in 2018 is preserved.