Central Group, the company that is building the modern residential Park District in Prague 3, has just completed the reconstruction of Basel Square (Basilejské náměstí). The first city block of the new district, the rough construction of which is currently being completed, has also completed the entire square, which remained unfinished since its creation in 1932 until now. The trio of functionalist apartment buildings has now been joined by a partially rounded apartment block, which will be characterised by a façade clad in luxurious white stone.
The renovation of Basel Square included, in particular, the construction of a new intersection and the shifting of the tram line. “In accordance with the plans of the Žižkov City Hall, Central Group improved the space of the long unfinished square. The CZK 200 million reconstruction, which would otherwise have been a public investment of the capital, is largely complete in the adjacent parts of Malešická Street. By next year, it will continue in Jana Želivského Street as well,” says Michaela Tomášková, executive director of the largest residential builder.
Thanks to the renovation, the busy Žižkov square, which is crossed by the Jana Želivského thoroughfare with the tram line, has received a clearer intersection with a new surface and traffic signals, safer pedestrian crossings, a new cycle lane and public lighting with smart elements. The public space will now be complemented by greenery and mature trees. The site has also been enlivened by wider pavements fitted with granite paving stones with mosaic tiles.
Basel Square in its modern form was created in 1932, when it was sculpted on three sides by functionalist apartment buildings. However, the south-eastern side towards the station remained unfinished. It is in this place, which forms the tip of the until recently completely neglected brownfield of the former freight station, that one of the first apartment buildings of the Park Quarter was built, whose unique architectural design was designed by the A.D.N.S. architects studio.
“Thanks to the new Park District, the fourth quadrant of the square could be completed, thus closing the urban style of the place from the 1930s,” says architect Jakub Cigler. His studio developed the overall urban concept of the Park District, taking inspiration from the traditional urban development of Žižkov and neighbouring Vinohrady. Based on this, Central Group announced a large architectural workshop, which resulted in 21 architectural concepts for houses from nine different studios.
The entire first block of houses includes a total of 390 apartments and commercial space on the ground floor. It is now nearing completion of rough construction. It will be completely finished by the middle of next year.
Thanks to the Park District, Žižkov will not only get new flats, but also a 1.5-hectare public park and a pedestrian zone with water features that will improve the living comfort of new and existing residents of the locality. The project also includes a six-class kindergarten, which Central Group will build at its own expense and transfer to the ownership of the district. The nursery will be built together with the last block of the residential area, which is expected to be completed in approximately 10 years.
The Park District is the largest new residential district in the Czech Republic built on a brownfield site. The area of the Žižkov Freight Station, in the northern part of which the district is being built, is one of the first large brownfield sites where the municipality will use the methodology of investor contributions to public infrastructure. On the basis of this method, it will collect more than CZK 1.5 billion in money or investments in public infrastructure from investors in the entire transformation area of the wider Žižkov Freight Station. The contribution for the three sites that Central Group is preparing in Prague 3 amounts to CZK 651 million.
