In Bohnice, an ecological center with a lookout tower could be established

Prague - An ecological center with a lookout tower could be built in Bohnice, Prague. It is to be located near the north entrance of the botanical garden, with which it intends to cooperate. The Czech News Agency learned this from the documentation for the environmental impact assessment EIA submitted by United Architect Studio. The botanical garden also has its own lookout tower in the area. The new one would be about half a kilometer away from it.

"The proposed area with the ecological center and clubhouse will be connected to the existing area of the botanical garden, not only in terms of transportation but especially thematically," the document states. In addition to the center, it will include a clubhouse, a children's playground, and a restaurant. Construction is set to begin this December and be completed by September next year.

The irregularly shaped building of the ecological center will exceed the crowns of the surrounding trees by an average of five meters, while the clubhouse is planned to be glazed. "In terms of architectural design, there is an effort for a proposal of simple modern structures that would blend aesthetically into the forest surroundings," the investor states in the document. The lookout tower will be a steel tube with a waterproof plywood cover.

The botanical garden also opened its own lookout tower two years ago. The six-ton steel lookout tower, designed by Čestmír Suška, is located in the northern part of the botanical garden, about 500 meters from the proposed new building. Inside the tube is a spiral staircase, and the surface of the tube is decorated with decorative openings that offer views outside. The garden paid more than three million crowns for the work.

The adjacent botanical garden is also planning further development of the area. The new director of the botanical garden, Oldřich Vacek, outlined four major investment projects worth hundreds of millions of crowns in his concept for further development. In addition to expanding the areas West, North, and constructing an exhibition pavilion in the South area, he is also planning to ensure a sufficient supply of irrigation water, as currently drinking water is used for irrigation.