The proposed building fills a vacant gap site of a city block, which is situated along one of the main arteries leading to the old city center of Prague. The site was originally used for a heating plant, built for the needs of the adjacent tram depot in the courtyard space. The 81.4-meter-long sloping land is filled with ten 8.1-meter structural modules of the new building.
The volumetric concept reconnects the terraced cornice levels of surrounding buildings.The building opens towards the street by a recessed two-level parterre along the enlarged sidewalk with retail units and the main entrance. The upper floors with office spaces are pragmatically structured by a regular facade grid; additionally, each tenant unit is highlighted by an inserted large-format window – screen to support a better communication along the busy high street.
The external building skin reflects the dynamicity of the context and is sculptured by a geometrical network of conical forms oriented in different directions. This façade cladding constructed by folded and perforated aluminium panels absorbs and breaks noise reflections from the heavy traffic.
The entrance lobby in the middle of the plan provides access to all tenant spaces and underground parking through the main circulation core.
The deep morphology of the external envelope is spatially continued in all public areas and lift lobbies. Office areas in upper floors are designed as open space allowing maximum flexibility for future tenant fit-outs and installations.
Team:
1. Jan Schindler, Ludvík Seko, Ondřej Dušek
2. Client: CPI
3. Photographer: Ondřej Polák
