Developers: Prague needs new high-rise buildings

Prague - Prague needs the construction of new high-rise buildings. It would bring a higher concentration of residents, which would result in lower transportation, operation, and maintenance costs for the city. Additionally, the development would not have to expand into the surrounding countryside. This is indicated by the responses from developers contacted by ČTK. According to them, the most suitable locations are Pankrác, Holešovice, or Vysočany, with a combination of apartments and offices often considered ideal. The Institute of Planning and Development of the Capital City of Prague (IPR) also anticipates the construction of high-rise buildings in the Pankrác plain and in Vysočany.

"Today, Prague has 610,000 apartments, and by 2030, an increase to 700,000 apartments is expected. Alongside the transformation of brownfields, the construction of taller buildings is an ideal option for expanding the housing stock. The city cannot constantly expand into the surrounding landscape, because then it cannot provide the services, amenities, and comfort of urban living to its residents and visitors," said Finep spokesman David Jirušek.

The population density in Prague in 2015 was 25 people per hectare, and by 2030, Prague plans for it to be 29 people per hectare. "Which is still a very low figure. For example, in Munich, it is 47 people, in Vienna 45 people. And in Barcelona, even 158 people per hectare. A higher concentration of residents means lower operational and maintenance costs for the city," Jirušek added.

According to Petr Herman, Director for the Czech Republic at HB Reavis, the construction of high-rise buildings will densify the city and increase the prestige and confidence of the city. "Skyscrapers are built by good architects, and something interesting will remain here after our generation. Holešovice is ideal for high-rise development. It is close to the center, with a river on three sides. For true skyscrapers over 200 meters, mixed-use including services makes sense. This can then create a city without traffic demands," Herman stated. HB Reavis plans to complete the Varso project in the center of Warsaw in 2020. The building will measure 310 meters and will be one of the tallest in Europe.

General Director of Skanska Reality Petr Michálek considers Vysočany, Holešovice, or the future metro station D to be the most unsuitable locations for high-rise buildings. According to him, dense development is more efficient in terms of infrastructure investment. In the case of development in fields outside the city, tens of kilometers of roads must be built, he added.

According to Marcel Soural, Chairman of the Board of Trigema, Prague lacks architectural gems, and most buildings are rather average. "High-rise buildings belong in modern cities. Rising land prices also force builders to construct high-rise buildings and make better use of land," added Tomáš Matýsek of Flow East.

The metropolitan plan, according to IPR spokesman Marek Vácha, anticipates high-rise construction, for example, in the Pankrác plain or in Vysočany. "The construction of buildings taller than 12 stories, which is the height of a typical Prague panel building, will be banned on 99.4 percent of the territory of Prague," Vácha added. A sociological survey by IPR from 2016 shows that 60 percent of Prague residents do not mind high-rise buildings.

However, the construction of high-rise buildings in Pankrác has previously met with disapproval not only from civic associations but also from heritage advocates. Whether high-rise buildings can or cannot be built in Prague was even addressed by the UNESCO committee at the request of the Czech side. The historic center of Prague has been on its list since 1992.

Five years ago, the AZ Tower, primarily an office building, was completed in Brno, which at 111 meters is the tallest building in the Czech Republic. The second place is held by the City Tower in Prague at Pankrác with a height of 109 meters. In terms of purely residential buildings, the Residenza Eliška in Prague's Vysočany holds the record with a height of 94 meters. However, this record will soon be taken over by the V Tower in Pankrác with a height of 104 meters. The building was supposed to be completed in February, but it is still awaiting its first residents. According to the latest reports, apartment owners will start moving into the building in the spring.