Flood-affected Karlín is becoming a prestigious address

Prague - The most affected area of Prague during the floods in August 2002 was the eighth district, Karlín. A unique urban area with a system of right-angled intersecting streets, which is flat and unfavorably positioned in relation to the Vltava River, was flooded in places up to three meters deep. According to some experts, the flood paradoxically helped Karlín to cleanse itself, start reconstruction, and become a "prestigious address." Others believe, however, that some buildings were demolished or improperly reconstructed unnecessarily, and that Karlín lost its charm.
     "Karlín survived the flood and seems to have done so successfully. The district was brightened up; it looks revitalized. On the other hand, from the perspective of heritage conservation, objects of urban or architectural value have irretrievably disappeared," said Ondřej Šefců from the National Heritage Institute to ČTK.
     Just after the floods, according to him, the situation was very dramatic. "Some investors or homeowners wanted to use the floods to get rid of existing tenants. It also seemed that many more buildings would be demolished than ultimately were," stated Šefců. Late classicist buildings, such as vaulted passages built on sandy alluvium, on which all of Karlín stands, were significantly damaged by the flooding. However, due to pressure from conservationists and the public, the demolition was not as dramatic, according to Šefců.
     "Incredibly, it was possible to restore the facades and commercial ground floors very quickly. The district was not orphaned," added the conservator, who noted that modern constructions were maintained within "reasonable limits." "Most of the buildings fit into the entire district, do not disrupt its panorama, and create new points that enhance the functioning of the district," the conservator added. The big water irretrievably took 25 buildings from Karlín.
     Architect Benjamin Fragner from the Faculty of Architecture at CTU questions the necessity of some demolitions or renovations. "The demolition of some historically significant buildings or interventions, such as the conversion of so-called Corso or CornLofts, where only a hollow shell or backdrop remains from historically and structurally interesting industrial buildings, is highly controversial," Fragner told ČTK. According to him, the conversion of the former rapeseed oil press into the modern residential complex CornLofts Šaldova is a questionable decision. Today, only the historic facade remains of the industrial hall. "From a longer-term perspective, we are preparing to lose not only cultural but also material values, including the uniqueness of places," Fragner pointed out.
     Fears that Karlín would become an office-residential area have not come true. "It is correct that there is a mix here. There is housing, an office building among them, a facility with light manufacturing, a school. People of various ages and different focuses move around here; it is lively," Šefců believes. With new construction, there has also been a transformation in the demographic structure. From the originally working-class district, where a lower-income group lived, it is now a wealthier area where only middle to wealthy residents can afford more expensive apartments.
     "Karlín would surely have become a prestigious address not primarily because of the flood and the demolition interventions, but mainly because it is indeed a completely exceptional Prague district, which grew on classicist foundations and later with an unparalleled industrial atmosphere. However, we should have thought about this earlier," Fragner added.