On the roofs of the Křižík Pavilions in Prague, green living spaces will be created

Prague - Living spaces in greenery will be created on the roofs of Křižík's pavilions at the Prague Exhibition Grounds. After the roof repairs, the areas will be freely accessible to the public, and seating will be complemented by refreshments. The costs of transforming the roofs and renovating the metal towers and buffets on the walkable areas will amount to approximately 100 million crowns. The new green spaces are expected to open to visitors in the first half of 2023. This was announced to reporters today by the Deputy Mayor of Prague Pavel Vyhnánek (Praha Sobě) and the Chairman of the Board of the Prague Exhibition Grounds Tomáš Hübl.

"The roofs (of Křižík's pavilions) have enormous potential that has remained partially untapped. It was essentially a heat island. The goal of this reconstruction is to transform the area into a green oasis in the middle of the Exhibition Grounds, where there will be a place for leisure activities," said the deputy responsible for the revitalization of the Exhibition Grounds.

Workers will first remove the existing concrete tiles from the roofs of the buildings, which will then be replaced with wooden elements and plants, the roofs will be insulated and waterproofed. The buffets on the roofs and the towers with metal structures will also undergo revitalization. The living spaces on the roofs will be created according to the project assignment prepared by the architects of the Prague Exhibition Grounds. According to the company's chairman, a contractor for the work is currently being sought. The budget for this work is, according to Vyhnánek, in charge of the city's finances, approximately 100 million crowns. Cultural and social events will continue to take place in the pavilions even during the revitalization of the roofs of the buildings.

The revitalization of the roofs of the pavilions and the creation of living zones on them follows the reconstruction of Křižík's pavilions, which Prague began renovating in 2020. The first completed renovation was that of Pavilion D, which reopened last year after reconstruction. In May 2021, the gradual reconstruction of the remaining three pavilions began. Work on Pavilions B and C has now been completed, and the buildings have been approved. Builders have newly installed electrical wiring in the pavilions, and there is also new heating and air conditioning. The last of the four pavilions, Pavilion D, is expected to be repaired at the turn of autumn and winter this year, according to Hübl. The costs of the reconstruction of the pavilions were around 190 million crowns excluding VAT.

Křižík's pavilions were built in the lower park area of the complex according to the design of architect Michal Brix in 1991 on the occasion of the General Czechoslovak Exhibition. The pavilions have a simple steel structure with a white coating and are glazed around the perimeter. Buildings B and E have an area of 1900 square meters, while the central pavilions C and D have an area of 844 square meters.

The owner of the Exhibition Grounds is the Prague City Hall, and the area is managed by the city-owned company Výstaviště Praha. This company has leased the area from Prague and pays rent to the city for the use of the space. Many buildings in the area are currently undergoing renovation. The City Hall is financing the work from its budget. Currently, workers are transforming the Bohemia restaurant building into a representative hall for approximately 110.8 million crowns and are repairing the Spirála theater for around 200 million crowns, which has been out of operation since the floods in 2002. The reconstruction of the Industrial Palace and the completion of its burned wing began in February. One of Prague's largest current investments is expected to cost 2.64 billion crowns and should be completed in 2025.