27. October 2026
The public now has an opportunity to contribute to shaping the future of the former Istrochem industrial site. As part of the Nové Nové Mesto initiative, a public consultation process is being launched, offering an online questionnaire, guided tours of the site, and face-to-face meetings at information stands. The consultation is being organised by Istrochem Reality and Penta Real Estate in expert cooperation with the Bratislava Metropolitan Institute (MIB), which will process and evaluate the feedback received. The findings will serve as one of the inputs for the brief of the upcoming international urban design competition.
The launch of the public consultation follows the announcement in May of the cooperation between Istrochem Reality and Penta Real Estate on the expert preparation of the site’s transformation. Covering approximately 1.6 million m², the former industrial site is the largest brownfield in Bratislava. Its gradual transformation aims to create a fully functioning urban neighbourhood offering housing, employment opportunities, services, public spaces, and greenery, seamlessly connected to the surrounding city.
Penta Real Estate’s role is to establish the urban design and planning framework for the site’s future transformation, covering everything from public spaces to the layout of residential areas and community amenities. The company draws on its experience in redeveloping large urban areas, with a particular focus on integrating the future neighbourhood into the surrounding city. Early public involvement is also an important part of this process, helping to identify residents’ needs, priorities, and concerns before a specific urban design proposal is developed.
The main way to get involved is through an online questionnaire available at www.novenovemesto.sk, open from 26 October to 15 November 2026. Anyone who lives or works in Bratislava, or has an interest in the city’s future, is welcome to participate. The questions cover public spaces, services, transport, greenery, leisure activities, as well as expectations and concerns regarding the site’s transformation. Residents of neighbouring areas will also have the opportunity to answer additional questions about everyday life and local needs.
The consultation programme will also include free guided tours of the site on Saturday, 7 November 2026, offering the public an insight into Istrochem’s history, its current condition, the wider urban context, and the planned transformation process. The approximately one-hour tours will take place in small groups, and advance registration via the initiative’s website is required due to limited capacity.
Additional opportunities to meet the consultation team in person will be available at information stands on 5 and 6 November at Polus Bratislava and 12 and 13 November at Nová tržnica (New Market Hall). Visitors will be able to learn more about the planned process, discuss the future of the site, and complete the questionnaire on the spot. No registration is required.
The Bratislava Metropolitan Institute serves as the expert partner for the consultation process. Its Department of Participation and Urban Studies is responsible for the methodology, facilitating selected activities, and independently processing and evaluating the feedback collected. The questionnaire will be followed by focus groups to explore key topics in greater depth. Expert consultations are also taking place in parallel with representatives of the city, the local municipality, relevant institutions, and specialists.
The results of the public consultation will serve as one of the expert inputs for the brief of an open, two-stage international urban design competition. The competition will seek a comprehensive concept for the future neighbourhood, including its spatial structure, land use, public spaces, transport and landscape solutions, and connections to the wider city. The City of Bratislava and the Bratislava-Nové Mesto municipal district are expert partners of the competition and will act as guarantors of the public interest. The winning proposal will subsequently be developed into an urban study to support further planning processes.
The results of the consultation will be published on the initiative’s website and presented alongside the launch of the urban design competition, including an explanation of how the main findings have been incorporated into the competition brief.
Further information about the public consultation, the online questionnaire, and registration for guided tours is available at www.novenovemesto.sk.
