Winning Project Karolina

The project for the expansion of the center of Ostrava on the site of the former Karolina coke plant includes a partial reconstruction of the existing center of Ostrava by the company Multi Development. One of the largest European development companies participating in the competition for the use of the former site of the demolished coke plant in the center of the Moravian-Silesian metropolis aims to change the current form of Smetanovo náměstí and 28. října street.
"Our project assumes that Karolina seamlessly connects to the historical core of the city and does not aim to compete with it. The project includes connecting 28. října street to the pedestrian promenade at Karolina. The street from Masarykovo náměstí, through Smetanovo náměstí, to the Dvojhalí building should create a compact, pleasant communication full of life. Smetanovo náměstí will thus become an important link between old and new Ostrava," said one of the project's authors, architect Vladimír Kružík from the architectural company Helika.
Smetanovo náměstí could thus see a complete redesign of the pavement, the appearance of new greenery, and new benches for relaxation. Furthermore, the pathway for residents and visitors from Smetanovo náměstí to the newly reconstructed Dvojhalí building should be accompanied by artworks. "These should primarily be works by significant Ostrava visual artists," clarified Vladimír Kružík.
The Multi Development project also includes the creation of an extensive green belt near the Ostravice River with residential nature functions and an excursion restaurant. To the west, towards the Central Bus Station and the Ostrava-Střed railway station, a unique modern pedestrian bridge should lead visitors to Karolina.
The entire project significantly draws from the proportions of contemporary Ostrava. "It is a very distinctive architectural solution at a high level that respects the current center of Ostrava, with which it tries to maintain harmony. Our team studied life in Ostrava for weeks, literally absorbing the atmosphere of the city. Perhaps that is why the Multi Development project does not contain a large number of impersonal skyscrapers that would compete with the current height dominants of the city. The proportions of the new squares, streets, and promenades in Karolina are based on the proportions of the streets of the current center, and the new public spaces do not attempt to compete in size with the existing squares in Ostrava," explained Kružík.
Multi Corporation (formerly AM) is composed of a group of companies operating in various fields of real estate development (Multi Development), investment (Multi Investment), asset management (Multi Asset Management), and shopping center management (Multi Mall Management) in Europe. Recently, the company became part of the Morgan Stanley Real Estate Fund, one of the funds of the massive global financial organization Morgan Stanley. Morgan Stanley's activities are concentrated in three main global business areas: investing, banking, and lending. Currently, Morgan Stanley manages real estate worth $43.1 billion for its clients and is a leading global financial organization in the field of real estate financing. In 2005 alone, with its own capital, it provided commercial mortgages worth $26 billion.
Multi Development, headquartered in the Netherlands, is one of the largest European development companies, operating through local offices in eighteen countries in Europe. In the Czech Republic, Multi Development is behind the successful multifunctional complex Centrum Chodov in Prague, which won the prestigious "Best Overall Development" award, and the Olympia centers in Plzeň and Olomouc. Currently, it is preparing large multifunctional projects in the center of Ústí nad Labem and in Liberec. Multi Development has a reputation as a creative developer placing great emphasis on urbanism, architecture, and the creation of public spaces; its projects are traditionally well received by both professionals and the general public. This is also reflected in the numerous international awards for Multi Development projects, such as ICSC Full Design, MIPIM Award, Quatrium Award, Best of Reality, ICSC Award, and others. Multi Development works on its projects not only with its own studio T&T design and local designers but also often collaborates with prominent global architects like Rem Koolhaas, Santiago Calatrava, or Joan Busquets.


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Second position of ČKA >

First position of ČKA >