Zažít město jinak: 20th edition full of neighborhood stories and civic courage

The jubilee 20th edition of the neighborhood festival Zažít město jinak once again showed that the city can belong to its local residents. The concept, brought to the Czech Republic by the AutoMat association, has over the years been embraced by volunteer organizers from all over the country. They used it to prepare a day full of fun activities for their neighbors together with AutoMat, but also to highlight the issues that concern them, such as excessive car traffic or the degradation of public spaces. Here are some stories of tactical urbanism and civic courage.

Parking—from the word “park”?

Parking lots, where people leave their private property for a minimal fee or even for free, often mar public spaces in the centers of our cities. In times of climate crisis and housing shortages, such parking lots become unwanted remnants of a 1990s approach to urban planning. During Zažít město jinak, several locations chose to replace parking lots with spaces that could serve many more local people. Using tactical urbanism, they opened the eyes of neighbors and politicians alike.

Karlín

“Many people were shocked that the parking lot at Karlín Square is free. Usually, cars are parked in two to three rows, blocking each other, and parking spots are slowly inherited from generation to generation… Some cars are moss-covered, one even has export transit plates. Personally, I can imagine a better use for the 2,000 m² right on the square,” describes Jiří Sekera, one of the organizers of Zažít město jinak in Karlín.

For the festival, they wanted to highlight the abandoned cars that would remain after clearing the space. “We borrowed stands, bought a rope, painted it red, and prepared signs—each wreck was to be marked like a museum exhibit. And lo and behold—before we even set it up, a tow truck came and took away everything it could. We don’t know if it was divine intervention, institutional foresight, or pure coincidence… but now we’re worried that at least one car might stay there,” Sekera said with a smile just before the event.

Cars as museum exhibitsSome cars remained on the square in the end, each receiving its own “museum label,” but otherwise the newly freed space was filled with a piano concert, local stalls, workshops, and communal sausage roasting.

Hradčanská

A large parking lot also frustrates residents of one of Prague’s most beautiful areas – Hradčanská.

“When I moved to Hradčany, I was immediately struck by the large parking lot right on the route to Písecká Gate and Prague Castle. The area is inhospitable, inaccessible, and confusing, and in summer it creates an unpleasant heat island. A P+R style parking lot in our residential area, which is part of the Prague Heritage Reserve, also causes excessive traffic in the form of noise, pollution, and dangerous traffic situations,” explains local Zažít město jinak organizer Anna Borovská. “That’s why I came up with the idea to organize a neighborhood festival in this space to show its potential to become a cultivated public area, usable for community events and, above all, safe and welcoming for all users,” she adds.

Zažít Hradčanská jinak

Táborská / Pod Terebkou

“A few years ago, Táborská Street in Prague 4, Nusle, underwent a major reconstruction. The project included plans to revitalize the small square at the bend of Táborská and Pod Terebkou, but unfortunately Prague 4 chose to keep it as a parking lot instead of a welcoming public space. At least once a year, let’s show how nice and pleasant life on the square could be, and maybe send a signal for future change,” says Hana Panochová from the association Probuďme Nusle, who organizes Zažít Táborskou jinak. She also contributed to several years of pressure on the local council to finally create a safer crossing in front of a nearby school after 10 years of participatory efforts. “It makes sense—not just for politicians and officials, but also for the local community and businesses. People often don’t realize the huge potential of the places where they live and spend time. Zažít město jinak is a tool to point this out gently,” she adds, inviting everyone to Nusle on September 27.

A car like in cotton

A street full of parked cars usually goes unnoticed. However, when one driver doesn’t move their car as requested, it can literally turn into a work of art. At the Academy in Prague 7, organizers dealt with an obstructing vehicle by wrapping it in plastic to protect it from damage.

As architect and urbanist Peter Bednár writes, the words “park” and “parking” are more connected than they seem. Originally, “parking” in Washington referred to small green strips with trees between sidewalks and streets. Only with the advent of cars did these green areas become spaces for parking vehicles. Perhaps it’s time to return the word parking to its original meaning.

Life in the shadow of traffic

Perhaps the boldest event of this year’s festival took place on V Holešovičkách Street, which sees over a hundred thousand cars pass daily.

Organizers from the Holešovičky pro lidi association described the situation bluntly: “In the morning, you open your window and instead of birds, you hear the endless roar of cars. A quiet villa neighborhood? That’s history. Today, over a hundred thousand cars pass here every day. Smog, dust, zero peace. This isn’t a movie. This is daily life on V Holešovičkách.”

They added, “We wanted to give the Zažít město jinak neighborhood festivals their original spirit of civic and local community happenings, in contrast to commercial festivals.” So, for the first time, they moved the festival from Hercovka Park directly to the highway. This year, locals closed part of the street, which is usually illegally parked. A large street-art mural appeared on a neighbor’s fence, and workshops and a concert by a bicycle band took place. For a moment, residents could breathe. “We showed that when neighbors come together, they can achieve the impossible. Together, we took back a piece of the city.”

Holešovice happening

Looking forward to the promenade

Not all local Zažít město jinak initiatives focus on pessimistic traffic scenarios. In Strašnice, residents have been eagerly awaiting the Drážní Promenade for several years. In spring, it seemed that preparations had stalled, but thanks in part to a petition by the initiative Save the Drážní Promenade, work has picked up again.

The topic was also addressed by the affiliated association Na Padesátém as part of this year’s Zažít město jinak, including a discussion attended by the Deputy Mayor of Prague for Transport. “The Drážní Promenade engages and unites residents (not only) of Prague 10—and we are grateful for your support and participation in the discussion about the promenade’s future. Many thanks also to the main panelists. The debate brought up many important suggestions, which we will examine in more detail,” write the festival organizers on their profile.

Debate about Drážní promenade

You can do it by bike too

The Zažít město jinak festival was first held in 2006, when people from the Auto*Mat initiative closed Smetanovo Embankment to through traffic and opened it up for people. The date was chosen to coincide with European Mobility Week, which encourages prioritizing sustainable and active mobility.

This spirit of active transportation was embraced by the organizers of several bike rides held as part of this year’s festival. The rides went through Prokopské Valley to Studio Bubec, as well as Hořice in Podkrkonoší, Ostrava, and Blansko.

Cyclegreetings from Blansko, photo: Martin Fořtík

Different every day

This year, the Zažít město jinak festival once again showed that even twenty years after the first edition, there is still much to reclaim. Thanks to AutoMat and hundreds of volunteers, streets were opened up to people for a day.

And while we look forward to the 21st edition, the best scenario would be if it didn’t even have to happen—if cities simply functioned in a way that meets the needs of locals without complicated negotiations and exhausting bureaucracy. To everyone who selflessly joins us in this effort each year, we wish that their civic courage endures.

Support the neighbourhood festivities and its next edition and buy a virtual Neighbourhoodie. Thank you.