Prague Central Station | Henning Larsen

Nový hlavák reconnects the historic central station and terminal hall with Vrchlického Sady Park to become a welcoming gateway to Prague. Redefining the city’s landscape and propelling its vision to becoming a more sustainable, livable place, the design champions low-emission mobility options, adaptive reuse and timber construction.  

Driven by the introduction of a new tram line and anticipated 200% increase in the number of visitors, the new future mobility hub signifies a transformative milestone in Prague’s urban development. Seamlessly connecting three transit hubs into one unified and inviting destination with optimized pedestrian flows.

The new station prioritizes low-emission transport and micro-mobility, making public transit and travel by foot and bike the most desirable mode of transport. The station will connect to the city’s planned bike network with easy bicycle access and parking, supporting Prague’s ambitions to lower the city’s carbon emissions.  

Breaking down the borders of the complex, former station, Nový Hlavák is a dynamic space that welcomes visitors to the city and invites them to take a pause in the station or the heritage of the surrounding park with its ancient trees.

Celebrating the architectural heritage of Prague’s central station and its historic surroundings, Nový Hlavák will preserve and transform the Hlavni Nadrazi station. The Hlavni Nadrazi terminal hall’s iconic design elements will be preserved, reimagined and extended to accommodate the increase in capacity. The terminal’s striped paved flooring and iconic curved design elements will remain, paying homage to Hlavni Nadrazi’s original playfulness and unique modernist architecture. 

On arrival at Nový Hlavák from the city center visitors are greeted by the park and a bustling pavilion that acts as a gateway to the Fantova Building, creating a lively destination to pass through and explore. Central to the design is a large, open-roof timber canopy, unifying the surrounding park, central station, and communal transport center. To host a new tram stop and city transport plan, the glulam roof will be lifted 13.8m above the terminal floor replacing the existing steel girder and parking deck. The structure will feature lightwight ETFE roof cladding and allow for improved views of the park, the Fantova Building and surrounding skyline, easing pedestrian flow and safety, and inviting people to enjoy the space.  

The terminal hall features an improved layout implementing intuitive wayfinding for visitors with ample daylight and direct visual connections to all surrounding areas. The design prioritizes climate comfort and the roofed station plaza. Safety is an integral part of the design, covering user well-being, traffic management, and crisis scenarios.  

The Vrchlického sady Park will be revitalized, divided into cultural zone, activity zone and the central arrival plaza, creating areas for Christmas markets, a quick commute, or an afternoon picnic providing easy and direct access to the station. Preserving the historic identity of the park and reflecting it in the new design is key to its success, an abundance of native vegetation will be planted and existing historic trees preserved. The landscape will incorporate stormwater management and mitigate the heat island effect.  

The team was awarded 1st place on 27th November in the draft design competition for Prague Central Station.

The project bid was by devised by Henning Larsen and Ramboll, bringing together Henning Larsen’s world leading architectural design and Ramboll’s extensive experience  on complex international projects and mass timber engineering.

Project: Station

Location: Prague, Czechia

Site size: 103,000m2

Building size: 24,400m2

Client: The Capital City of Prague, Správa zeleznic, Prague Public Transport Company

Urban Design: Henning Larsen

Architect: Henning Larsen

Landscape Architect: Henning Larsen

Local Architect: A8000

Engineer: Ramboll

Renders: Bloom, Kvant, Vivid Vision