The repair of the seat of Prague planners is expected to cost 1.39 billion CZK, they are looking for savings

Prague – The planned reconstruction of the headquarters of the Institute of Planning and Development of the Capital City of Prague (IPR) in the Emauz area is expected to cost around 1.39 billion crowns including VAT, and will be carried out by the companies PORR and Metrostav DIZ. Representatives from IPR, Prague, and the contracting firms told journalists this today during the contract signing. The companies will ensure not only the reconstruction but also the project documentation, which will take about a year and a half to prepare, with construction expected to take about two years. The price may still change, as IPR is tasked with seeking savings, and it will also depend on the condition of the internal structures.

"For us, after six years of preparation, this marks the culmination of a very important phase and the start of a significant project," said IPR Director Ondřej Boháč today. The reason for the repairs of the three architecturally valuable buildings, known as the "Prager cubes," designed by architect Karel Prager from the turn of the 1960s and 1970s, is their poor condition. The buildings have never been renovated, they have structural issues, they leak, and they are very energy inefficient.

The institute awarded the contract using the so-called design and build method, whereby the construction companies first provide the project documentation and then carry out the construction work. The city also received a grant of 320 million crowns from the Modernization Fund for the repair. According to the contract, the design work is expected to cost about 147 million crowns and the construction 1.24 billion crowns.

Preparation for the reconstruction encountered delays mainly because the city councilor for finance, Zdeněk Kovářík (ODS), had reservations about its price. Furthermore, due to proceedings at the antimonopoly office, the work was tendered in two rounds. According to Boháč, IPR was also tasked by the city leadership to seek further savings.

"Our ambition is to carry out a sensitive reconstruction of the complex; we respect the original design by Karel Prager and wish to return to it," Boháč added. Co-author of the reconstruction study from IXA studio, Benedikt Markel, mentioned that the greatest weakness of the buildings is their energy consumption, which will require a complete replacement of the facades, ventilation, cooling, and so forth.

The architect added that new architectural interventions are designed to be clearly contemporary, so it is clear what is original and what is new. He further noted that IPR has secured all documentation that could be obtained prior to revealing the structures. "In reconstructions, there is always some surprise awaiting you, but what could be processed in advance has been prepared," he stated.

A complete reconstruction awaits all administrative spaces intended for IPR employees, as well as parts of the complex accessible to the public. IPR established the Center for Architecture and Urban Planning (CAMP) in the area in 2017, which is visited by 120,000 visitors annually. According to Boháč, it will be significantly expanded throughout the entire ground floor. In addition, the ground floors of all the cubes and a terrace with seating and a restaurant will be made accessible to the public.

The three administrative buildings nicknamed Prager's cubes were built in the garden of the Emauzy Monastery at the turn of the 1960s and 1970s. Upon completion, they housed the Project Institute for the Construction of Prague. Also working there was the designer Karel Prager, who is also the author of the former Federal Assembly building. Architect Miloslav Pavlík, who was a member of the original building's design team, was also involved in the preparation of the reconstruction.