KCAP Present Design of Istropolis, in Bratislava

Istropolis is a cultural and residential development taking shape in Bratislava that’s set to become the new heart of Trnavské Mýto. Containing nine buildings with offices and residential units, and a landmark cultural venue with a capacity for 3.000 visitors, it is an urban destination in the city prominently positioned at a busy crossroads, adjacent to a transit mobility hub. Key aspects of the venue, are its multi-functional use, and its integration of terraces that connect directly to its foyer spaces. The flowing lines of its façade, with folding panels that integrate media and light, also connect to various public spaces on the square. Together with the nearby market halls and retail centre, Istropolis will form a lively district in the city. Over time, this area’s prominence had faded as its infrastructure aged and the site’s vitality had diminished. Now, the redevelopment of this strategic corner seeks to reignite its former role as a focal point within the city—connecting its storied past to a forward-looking future. Designed in collaboration with CITYFÖRSTER as a winning competition design, Istropolis will become an exciting, vibrant neighbourhood, with extensively landscaped squares, creating a meaningful new place of 4.3 hectares. 

The large trapezoid-shaped site, bound by streets on all sides, will be transformed into a car-free sequence of interconnected public spaces that seamlessly integrate into the existing city grid, reinforcing its role as a key social and transport hub for a revitalised Bratislava. The urban design extends the building block morphology, establishing a clear base height and defining a network of pedestrianised squares and public spaces that connect to the broader context. Height accents step up towards a landmark tower of approximately 115 metres, adding a distinct presence to the city skyline. The development consists of nine carefully designed buildings, each with a distinct function, which form a mixed-use ensemble that integrates housing, offices, culture and commerce. At the ground level, active public spaces are framed by lively plinths that house cultural venues, retail and gastronomy, with terraces and green edges enhancing the urban experience. While each building expresses its individuality through its materiality, façade articulation and form, they are unified by a shared architectural language that prioritises sustainability, spatial quality and a strong visual connection to the city’s historic and contemporary identity.

The project’s layering of public and private space transforms the site into a landscape on multiple levels, where life unfolds across scales, and activities. Residential units offer expansive views of the city and surrounding landscapes, with floor-to-ceiling windows and terraces—while ground-level spaces host cafes, shops and informal meeting areas. For the office buildings, the focus is on creating and interactive working environment with spacious floorplates. Designed for employee well-being, they offer high-quality work environments with smart energy-efficient systems, ample natural light and access to green courtyards for relaxation. The cultural venue, positioned as a unified hall on this prominent corner site, becomes a ‘living-room’ for the city. Its sinuous form and integrated media façade make it a contemporary landmark for the city, while also allowing for numerous different venue stage positions, imbuing the interior with flexibility for various events. With a capacity of 3.000 standing and 1.800 seating, it can host a broad range of events such as concerts, conferences and cultural activities. The porous ground floor links it with the adjacent public squares, creating a multi-purpose venue which can simultaneously host indoor and outdoor events.

The landscape design extends sustainability into the public realm, by weaving pathways through diverse public spaces that enhance urban life, and creating spaces for leisure, play and community engagement. Native and adaptive plant species will provide year-round variation and visual interest, blending functionality with aesthetic appeal. The landscape is structured as a sequence of interconnected public spaces, each with a distinct identity and its own unique programming. The 'Event Square' is positioned in front of the main entrance to the multifunctional hall. This lively, tree-lined plaza features a central fountain and is designed to accommodate large-scale outdoor events, such as open-air concerts and markets. Moving inward, the 'Art Square' offers a more intimate setting; ideal for smaller cultural gatherings like outdoor cinema screenings. The 'Urban Square', enclosed by surrounding buildings, provides a pleasant atmosphere for gastronomy, with one of two fountains as its centrepiece. The 'Green Courtyard' acts as a serene meeting place for the neighbourhood, offering play areas for families and relaxation areas for the office workers.

Lush green edges extend into the adjacent streets, enhancing the district’s permeability and reinforcing its connection to the surrounding city. These fluid interplays between architecture, nature, playful urban spaces together with many sustainable aspects, transform the site into a living extension of the neighbourhood. Specifically, the landscape is designed to be both nature-inclusive and climate-adaptive, by integrating native and adaptive plant species to support local biodiversity. Sustainable urban drainage systems (SUDS) are implemented throughout the area to efficiently manage rainwater, preventing urban flooding while replenishing groundwater. A combination of tree canopies, green roofs and permeable surfaces enhance cooling, by mitigating heat islands. These strategies ensure that New Istropolis becomes a dynamic and inclusive public space that is simultaneously also a resilient and ecologically responsible new urban environment.

Istropolis has been designed as a flagship project in Central Europe for following ESG principles. A key sustainability feature is the central energy concept, which optimises energy use across interconnected buildings through modern technologies such as heat pumps, renewable energy sources and smart energy storage within concrete structures. Recycled materials used during construction will minimise the project’s carbon footprint. Bike storage and bike pathways, electric vehicle charging stations, and pedestrian areas all work to create inviting public spaces that encourage sustainable modes of transport. This also reduces dependence on cars while enhancing the site’s sense of openness, and inclusivity. That aligns with the principle of the 15-minute city, where all daily amenities are within a short walking distance; paralleling Bratislava’s broader ambitions for its future, positioning Istropolis as a model for human-centered development within the city.

The project adds a world class venue to the city while creating a lively new destination for culture and events, informed by experience that brings a nuanced understanding of how to reenvision this existing urban environment. Istropolis is therefore also tailored to Bratislava’s unique geographic and microclimatic contexts, by its addressing universal themes of urban vitality, future resilience, and timeless urban design. By transforming a significant though underutilised site, Istropolis sets the stage for a new era of public life in this portion of the city. Through its bridging the gap between the city’s past and its bold future architecture aspirations, a new landmark becomes a destination and a living, evolving part of Bratislava’s, currently emerging modern-architecture-identity. Trnavské Mýto, therefore, will soon become a place where the everyday and the extraordinary, coexist and flourish.

​Location: Bratislava, Slovakia

​Client: Immocap Group

​Year: 2018-

​Status: Ongoing

​Program: 133.000 m² of gross building area, including 70.000 m² of office space (60.000 m² leasable), 52.000 m² for residential, with c. 600 apartments; 5.500 m² of retail, and a 5.500 m² multifunctional venue hall

​Team: CITYFÖRSTER, Pantograph, Marko&placemakers, Pictury

​KCAP is a leading international design firm specialised in architecture, urbanism and landscape architecture. KCAP was founded in 1989 by Kees Christiaanse, and now led by seven distinguished partners: Xavier Blaringhem, Jeroen Dirckx, Ruurd Gietema, Anouk Kuitenbrouwer, Irma van Oort, Ute Schneider and Edward Schuurmans. KCAP has offices in Rotterdam, Zürich, Paris and Shanghai, and works with a staff of more than 100 international professionals on a wide range of projects throughout Europe and Asia.

​KCAP Communications

​​​Tel. +31 10 7890 300

For interviews or more information please contact: ​pr@kcap.eu​​​​