Prague - For two weeks, the reconstructed area of the Obecní dvůr in Prague's Old Town will be open to the public. The long-abandoned buildings near Haštalské náměstí have undergone reconstruction, complemented by a new building designed by Spanish architect Ricardo Boffil and the Czech studio TaK of Marek Tichý. Until November 8, all buildings are accessible as part of the accompanying program of Designblok. Several exhibitions are held there, and visitors can see an uninhabited apartment furnished with designer furniture, decorative home accessories, and art.
The Obecní dvůr was built on the footprint of a late Gothic building that was gradually expanded and completed. The current appearance of the area dates back to the mid-19th century, when it served for stabling horses and storing city inventory and furniture, such as fire engines. Additionally, there was also the svatohaštalská school on the site. During the reconstruction, three historical buildings with an inner courtyard were restored and completed, while a new apartment building stands in the site of a gap. The authors designed it to be modest, with a symmetrical shape and a regular arrangement of windows. Its metal front façade is divided by organic motifs, which are applied during the shifts of shading parts.
Above a two-storey apartment furnished with luxury furniture and accessories, interested parties will find an exhibition of photographs by the duo BoysPlayNice. In the ground floor of the former school, Hauch Gallery has settled for two weeks, while various seminars and workshops will take place in the attic. Visitors can also look forward to yoga lessons. There is an exhibition about Prague architecture over the last hundred years in the area.
In other parts and floors, a bistro with a café, a bookstore, and sales pop-ups of smaller brands will be prepared for the public. The bistro space will host breakfasts with designers, discussions with personalities, and pop-up dinners from restaurants outside Prague.
The new building, although rather unassuming, did not have an easy path like most new constructions in central Prague; the investor applied for a zoning decision as early as 2009. The house was completed last year. Only a few dozen meters away, another building is set to be constructed, which has caused discontent among citizens. Next to the Anežský monastery, a residential building with six above-ground floors is to be built. The investor is changing, but the new construction has been in the works for 20 years in total.
The original Italian investor Augusto Razetto previously came up with a proposal whose visualization presented a façade in white and pink colors. Based on this, the project earned the nickname "marshmallow" and was met with a wave of criticism. Earlier this year, the Czech company V Invest bought the project from Razetto, but the land under the building is owned by Prague. In the summer, the city decided not to sell the land to the company. V Invest stated that it would seek a new version of the residential building by the end of the year.
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