The council of Prague approved the next steps for the reconstruction of the municipal planning headquarters

Prague - The City Institute of Planning and Development (IPR) will complete the tender for the reconstruction of its headquarters in the Emauzy complex and sign a contract with the contractor. The city council approved the procedure today and at the same time allocated seven million crowns to the institute for the costs of completing the tender. The reconstruction of the so-called Prager cubes is expected to cost over one billion crowns, and the project's preparation stalled due to criticism of the price from the city. According to today's resolution, IPR is also to negotiate a reduction in costs with the contractor. The actual work is expected to start for the design phase next year.

The reason for the repairs of the three architecturally significant buildings by architect Karel Prager is their poor condition. The buildings have problems with statics and are leaking. The tender was designed using the so-called design and build method, where the same company prepares the project and also undertakes the construction work. According to IPR director Ondřej Boháč, the design work will take about a year after the contract is signed, so the start of repairs can be expected in the second half of next year.

The costs for the work were particularly questioned by the city's finance councillor Zdeněk Kovářík (ODS), which led to prolonged negotiations. At the beginning of this year, during the discussion of a petition for the preservation of the buildings, the council was tasked with ensuring the start of the project work still this year. According to recent information, the city has received a grant of 320 million crowns for the reconstruction.

During the reconstruction, the roof, facade, and insulation of the building are to be repaired. The internal spaces, including a new office layout and meeting rooms, will also be renovated. The work will also include adjustments to the outdoor areas between the buildings, where a park will be created.

The three administrative buildings nicknamed Prager cubes were built in the garden of the Emauzy Monastery at the turn of the 1960s and 1970s. Once completed, they housed the Project Institute for the Construction of Prague. The author of their design, Karel Prager, who also designed the former Federal Assembly building, worked there. IPR has been located in the complex since 2013, and in 2017 it established the Centre for Architecture and Urban Planning (CAMP) in one of the buildings, intended for the public.