The high-rise buildings in Pankrác will be designed by architect Pleskot for Central Group

Among the addressed architects were Radan Hubička, Josef Pleskot, Cigler Marani Architects, A.D.N.S., Aulík Fišer Architekti, CMC, Šafr Hájek, Kuba & Pilař Architekti, Petr Hlaváček and ADR.

Prague - The high-rise apartment buildings on the Pankrác Plain next to the Czech Television headquarters will be designed by architect Josef Pleskot for the development company Central Group. His AP Atelier won the architectural competition for a project called Residence Park Kavčí Hory, said Dušan Kunovský, chairman of the board of Central Group, at today's Construction Forum meeting. Several hundred apartments will be constructed in the area in the future.
    Central Group has building permits for five apartment buildings with about 500 apartments. However, these occupy a significant portion of the three-hectare site, which does not please the developer. Some time ago, they announced an architectural competition and invited ten Czech studios to prepare their vision for the entire space. The winner was selected by a jury made up of architects and other professionals.
    Architect Pleskot designed a complex of several buildings on the brownfield site next to the public park, of which four tallest ones, according to one of the competition designs, have 22 floors. Between the buildings, there is more space than originally planned, which is intended to be filled with greenery. Central Group now wants to present the results of the architectural competition to the leadership of Prague City Hall and the city district of Prague 4, and only then plans to present the project to the public. This is expected to happen at the beginning of next year.
    "The concept brings very strong architecture and expands public greenery in the area. In addition to apartments, there will also be areas for small shops and services, such as restaurants or cafes," Kunovský stated. The exact number of apartments that will be built in the area is not yet known to the developer. It will depend, he says, on what size they decide on. However, there will definitely be several hundred.
    The head of Central Group expects that due to the prominent location, the project will spark a large discussion and reactions. Therefore, the developer wants to present and explain it in detail. He even promised the local city hall a significant investment in the neighboring park. Nevertheless, he is prepared for a scenario where public opposition would prevent changes to the project.
    "I set about four to five years during which we will fight, argue, and explain. Either we will manage to push it through by then, or if not, we will send in the excavators and build 500 apartments for which we already have a building permit," Kunovský noted.
    Central Group purchased the three-hectare site with the Residence Park Kavčí Hory project, which shortly before had received building permission, in 2012 from Hochtief Development. At that time, they estimated the investment costs at 2.5 billion crowns.