The functionalist building by Machoň in Pardubice is nearly restored

Pardubice - The modernization of the old post office building on Míru Avenue in Pardubice is nearly complete. The building, designed by architect Ladislav Machoň, is an example of late functionalism in Czechoslovak interwar architecture, the investor stated in a press release. The object has become the headquarters of a company operating in healthcare.

Machoň designed several buildings in Pardubice and influenced the appearance of the city center. The post office building was completed in 1938. It belonged to Czech Post, which sold it in 2023 to the Fons JK Group holding. The branch on the ground floor remained.

"The interior has undergone a complete renovation. Czech Post will continue to operate on the ground floor, while the rest of the building serves as support for the holding company. In the original Machoň design, the building also included a residential section. We are returning to that 90 years after the building's completion, with 11 small apartments planned here," said Vojtěch Jirsa, a member of the board of Fons JK Group and project manager of the renovation.

The renovation has created nearly 70 rooms. Most of them are offices for software developers, customer support staff, and other predominantly administrative professions. There are also workshops for technicians, storage rooms, meeting and presentation rooms, as well as kitchenettes, lounge areas, and chill-out zones. Besides two open-space rooms, most workspaces are situated in smaller offices.

"Our goal is for the space to create conditions for better collaboration and communication among individual teams and the company. At the same time, we were clearly told that no one would appreciate open-space. Ultimately, we have separate offices, but most doors are glass and have side light fixtures," stated Leoš Raibr, managing director of STAPRO, a company that belongs to the holding.

In the basement, the construction company is completing a gym, sauna, and a club in the former civil defense shelter. The renovation included the installation of a set of rooftop solar panels and a battery storage system. "Photovoltaics will allow us to reduce the reserved capacity for the entire building. Thus we save energy and the distribution network. We will use rainwater for flushing, for which we have built tanks with a capacity of 24,000 liters under the courtyard," Jirsa said.

The holding purchased the building at auction for 85 million crowns, and invested approximately the same amount in its restoration. The modernization design was created by the Pardubice office Med Pavlík architekti. The owners named the building Posta to reference its original purpose and architect Machoň. Since April, the building has housed companies belonging to the holding, which achieved a turnover of over 1.5 billion crowns last year. It also has branches in Prague, Brno, Ostrava, Košice, and Bratislava, employing over 800 people.