Café Re:public = a different perspective on Petřín

A different perspective on the Petřín lookout tower is offered to visitors of the café Café Re:public, which transformed the original technical building at the foot of Prague's landmark. The glazing from Schüco aluminum facade systems opened views to three cardinal directions not only of the surroundings and the park but primarily upwards into the amazing geometry of the steel structure of the Petřín lookout tower.

The original transformer station of Czech Radiocommunications has stood in direct proximity to the Petřín lookout tower since the late 1970s, and its use was strictly technical in nature. "We can only speculate about what this glazed building was actually used for. The large copilit walls were supposed to let in not only light but also radio signals. It should be noted that throughout the construction of Café Re:public, the operation of the transformer station and the radiocommunications equipment, which provided BBC broadcasting among other things, had to be maintained," says co-author of the design, Ing. arch. Marek Pyszko from Nodum Atelier.

Several design variants were created depending on the extent to which the radiocommunication technologies would remain preserved. The result is the transformation of an ugly, anonymous building into an open, three-story café and bistro with a view of the lookout tower and the surrounding restored park. "In addition to technical limitations, there were also restrictions imposed by heritage conservation. The new building was supposed to retain as much of the original character as possible, and its architecture was not supposed to stand out in any way. Similarly, it should not differ significantly in color and material. Therefore, it may be shocking that after the complete reconstruction the building is actually quite similar to the original," continues Ing. arch. Marek Pyszko.

Amazing views of the surroundings and especially the wonderful geometry of the lookout tower's structure

For these reasons, the original massing was preserved during the reconstruction, but the architects incorporated a new operation of an industrial café and bistro at the client's request. The main space is in the glazed floor and offers panoramic views of the entire park and its greenery. On the roof terrace, guests can literally reach out to the Petřín tower.

"If you cannot change the appearance, you are left with little room for architecture, but thanks to the extensive copilit walls, the main space was completely opened to the surroundings. The resulting effect is an amazing view of the surroundings and particularly into the wonderful geometry of the lookout structure," continues the architect. "We chose the glazing to maintain the industrial character. At the same time, we needed to fill relatively large areas. This was the reason we chose the system solution used for transparent Schüco FWS 50 facades. We wanted thin outer frames, and a separate chapter was the selection of glass, which had to merge essentially opposing requirements for natural glass color, ideally clear, which simultaneously should have maximum radiation reflection to prevent overheating of the spaces. On top of that, safety glazing was required from both sides. Therefore, we chose the mentioned aluminum systems Schüco, which met our vision for a comprehensive solution."

Industrial style with a subliminal reference to the Art Nouveau elements of the Petřín lookout tower

The character of the building invited the entire interior to be designed in an industrial style. "At the same time, we wanted to subliminally relate to the Art Nouveau elements characteristic of the Petřín lookout tower. The stairwell itself is also inspired by the tower, not only in the characteristic structure but also in the design of two interlocking spirals. The result is that one staircase leads up and the other down, just like it is in the lookout tower," adds Ing. arch. Marek Pyszko.

Thoughtful is also the name of the café Café Re:public, which on the surface refers to our state, to the republic, but this is explained by Ing. Jakub Maca, the branding creator: "In creating the café, we tried to involve local craftsmen and designers who represent the best that our country has to offer. Therefore, in the interior, you will find iconic chairs 14 from the company TON, freely blown Bomma Tim lights by Olgoj Chorchoj, which are a showcase of our glassmaking mastery, or a unique bar made of perforated concrete from the family company CRÉER, which can be illuminated with light panels. On a deeper level, "Re:public" is an abbreviation for "Redesigned for public" and symbolizes the revitalization of Petřín for the general public."

Project details

Project title: Café Re:public, Prague, Petřín