Repair of the IPR headquarters in Emauzy will cost 1.16 billion CZK

Prague – The reconstruction of the headquarters of the Prague Institute of Planning and Development (IPR) at the Emauz complex will cost approximately 1.16 billion crowns. This year, the organization will complete the procurement procedure and begin project work. The actual reconstruction will start in 2023. This information comes from a document approved by Prague councilors today. The reason for the repairs of the architecturally valuable buildings by architect Karel Prager is their poor condition, as they have structural issues and water leaks. The cost of repairs has been criticized by the opposition movement ANO.

IPR is a municipal organization responsible for city planning. Besides IPR, the municipal investment department is also located in the buildings.

During the reconstruction, the roof, facade, and insulation of the building will be repaired. The interior spaces will also be renovated, including a new layout for offices and meeting rooms. The work will also include modifications to the outdoor areas between the buildings, where a park will be created.

The schedule presented in the document approved by the councilors this year anticipates the completion of the procurement procedure and the commencement of project work. Next year, additional necessary documentation will be prepared, and the organization plans to obtain a building permit.

The reconstruction will begin in the autumn of next year, when preparatory work, surveys, probes, and earthworks will start. In 2024, the repair of the supporting structure will be completed, and the repair of the roof, facade, and waterproofing will begin. The reconstruction, including the transformation of the outdoor spaces, is expected to be completed by September 2025. A reconstruction and opening of the historic stairs leading to Podskalí and the street Pod Slovany is planned around the buildings.

All three of Prager's 'cubes' are in poor condition. Issues arise, for instance, from the hanging structural system used, which does not comply with today's standards. Architect Karel Prager also designed the buildings of the former Federal Assembly. The buildings were constructed in the late 1960s in the so-called brutalist style.

The city will fund the reconstruction of the buildings in Emauzy from its budget. Today, the price of the repairs was criticized by the chairman of the opposition councilors ANO, Ondřej Prokop, who claimed that a large number of other issues could be resolved with the mentioned amount. However, according to the deputy mayor Petr Hlaváček (TOP 09), the repairs cannot be postponed due to the very poor condition of the buildings.