In the first part of the reconstruction of Florence, 15 architectural studios will be working

Prague - The first phase of the reconstruction of Prague's Florence will be worked on by 15 architectural firms. Among them is the Danish firm Adept, which is preparing the skyscraper Ostrava Towers Complex in the Moravian-Silesian Region, as well as Aulík Fišer architects, who worked on the design of the Bořislavka center in Prague. The company Penta Real Estate is behind the new vision for Florence. Today, representatives of Penta, the city of Prague, and the architectural firms presented the results of the competitions. Penta plans to invest approximately 20 billion Czech crowns into the entire new district. The company aims to start construction in 2028.

Several new blocks will replace the railway brownfield in the western part of Florence. Along with the previously completed competition for the administrative block B06, the first phase of the revitalization has now been finalized. Architects from the Czech Republic, France, Germany, Denmark, Italy, the Netherlands, and Poland will participate in the first phase.

"This architectural competition has brought the top names of world architecture to Prague. The competition follows the successful urban planning competition from 2021, during which the resulting concept of the area was incorporated into the planning agreement with the investor, which we approved in June,” said Petr Hlaváček, the mayor's deputy for urban and strategic development.

The new district Florenc 21 will connect Karlín with the New Town and will primarily feature residential units, complemented by offices, services, and a hotel. A pedestrian zone with public spaces will also be created, which, according to Penta, should contribute to the cultivation of the area around the Florenc metro station. The total area of all new blocks is 108,000 square meters of floor space.

"Florenc 21, with an estimated investment from Penta of about 20 billion crowns, will offer hundreds of apartments, offices, hotels, retail, and a modern bus station with a new departure hall. We would like to start construction in 2028 and in 2031 we would like to see the newly revitalized Florenc 21 standing, which will seamlessly connect Karlín with the New Town," said David Musil, the CEO of Penta Real Estate.

The winner of the competition for the design of part B01 on Na Florenci Street is the architectural office Adept, collaborating on the project with the Czech studio ohboi. It will consist of two office buildings surrounding a boulevard with a total floor area of over 20,000 square meters. The aim was for the design of the block to respect the historical appearance of the nearby Desfours Palace, which is a cultural monument.

In the second block, which has a total area of 22,900 square meters, Aulík Fišer architects, Machar & Teichman, and reactor studio will collaborate with the landscape design studio Partero. The design divides the block into three sections, primarily intended for residential use. There will also be a private courtyard. To the north, it will connect directly to the exit from the Florenc metro station.

Block B03, over 16,000 square meters, will be constructed according to the design of the group of Czech offices Edit! Architects and A69-architects in collaboration with the Dutch NL Architects. Block B04 is located next to the railway line and directly connects to the Masaryčka office building designed by Zaha Hadid. It will include residential buildings and a hotel, with contributions from the French office LAN and the Polish studio P2PA.

For the design of Block B05, which forms a single unit with Block B03, the jury selected the German studio Kempe Thill, the Czech studio re:architekti, and the Italian baukuh studio associato. The building along the railway promenade will provide collective housing, where smaller housing units are complemented by shared community spaces. Studio A8000 will work on the design of the sixth block, which will primarily consist of offices and retail areas.

Results of the architectural competitions for Florenc 21: Western Stage

Block B01

1st place: ADEPT (DK) | ohboi (CZ)

2nd place: Barkow Leibinger (DE)

3rd place: CHYBIK+KRISTOF (CZ) | Mfs Group (CZ)

4th place: Kuba & Pilař architects (CZ)

Block B02

1st place: Aulík Fišer architects (CZ) | Machar & Teichman (CZ) | reactor studio (CZ) | Partero (CZ)

2nd place: LAN architecture (FR) | P2PA (PL)

3rd place: A69 – architects (CZ) | ADEPT (DK) | Edit! Architects (CZ)

4th place: Vietzke & Borstelmann Architects (DE) | Jakub Klaska Ltd (GB)

Block B03/B05

1st place Block B03: Edit! architects (CZ) | A69 – architects (CZ) | NL Architects B.V (NL)

1st place Block B05: re:architects (CZ) | baukuh studio associato (IT) | Atelier Kempe Thill (DE)

3rd place: Morris+Company (GB)

4th place: AllesWirdGut Architektur (AT) | creatura studio (CZ) | DnD Landschaftsplanung (AT)| AED project (CZ)

Block B04

1st place: LAN architecture (FR) | P2PA (PL)

2nd place: Pavel Hnilička Architects+Planners (CZ)

3rd place: Baumschlager Eberle Lustenau (DE)

4th place: A69 – architects (CZ) | ADEPT (DK) | Edit! Architects (CZ)

Block B06

1st place: A8000 (CZ)

2nd place: Pantograph (SK)

3rd place: Jakub Cigler Architects (CZ)

4th place: Bogle Architects (CZ)