Architects presented the new design of the Ostrava skyscraper to the councilors

Ostrava – A skyscraper that is set to become a new prominent landmark in the city could rise in Ostrava within seven years. Architects presented its modified design to councilors at today's meeting. At the same time, they must negotiate changes to the original purchase agreement with the city, as the updated architectural proposal violates the established regulatory conditions. The building exceeds the originally designated area for construction and thus also affects access to the New Karolina area, which will be modified. According to the architects and the city leadership, however, the proposed changes are a positive development. The councilors should address the amendment to the contract at the October meeting.

"Today we discussed the intention to modify the purchase contract in terms of exceeding the originally set regulatory conditions. When we announced the intention to sell (the land), we defined that the construction should take place on a certain area designated in the zoning plan for residential and service functions. Based on the presented architectural design, we say that the accompanying buildings, which complement the main object, may also extend into areas designated for communication," said Deputy Mayor Zuzana Bajgarová (ANO).

The newly presented proposal differs significantly from the original plan, which included the construction of two towers, whereas now it features a dominant structure resembling the letter X or an hourglass. "I consider it a great benefit that the design now works with the surrounding public space and connects the Frýdlantské bridges directly to this structure," stated Bajgarová. According to her and the architects, the new design reduces the barriers that currently exist in the area.

According to architect Michal Krištof from the architectural studio Chybik+Kristof Architects & Urban Designers, changes in similar projects are quite common and were reached after collaboration with the city and other professionals, for example, on building statics. "We began to address more and more parameters of the proposal, which resulted in the change," explained Krištof. According to him, the newly designed building will much better connect with the surrounding space. "There are two major changes. One is in the shape of the object and the other is the entire ground floor solution of the object. Our main ambition was to create a piece of the city from the entire area and mainly to reduce the impact of the Frýdlantské bridges on the entire entrance to the city, knowing that it is a disaster. It is a huge barrier," said Krištof.

He believes that for many people, the original proposal of two towers was difficult to grasp and they did not understand it. The architects wanted the new design to be more comprehensible to the public. "We tried to give it a simpler form. We concluded that it is a building that essentially has the shape of an X, which is rotated in the middle, so something like an hourglass," added the architect. The skyscraper is expected to combine a number of functions. At the top, it will include a publicly accessible observation deck and restaurants, but it will also feature commercial and entertainment spaces, offices, a hotel, conference halls, as well as apartments and wellness facilities. The building is to be 235 meters tall and should have 56 floors, making it the tallest building in the Czech Republic.

The building is set to be located on land along 28. října Street, near the Nová Karolina shopping complex, which is nicknamed the Tear. Last year, the Ostrava company RT Torax purchased the land, intending to build a skyscraper on it. The city had already indicated during the sale of the land that it wanted a new high-rise structure on it. According to the media representative of the company, Jindřich Vaňek, costs are expected to be in the lower billions of crowns. "We are now waiting to finalize the negotiations for the purchase agreement. We face lengthy negotiations with all involved authorities, including the fire department. We estimate that the next two to three years will be spent on design, and then construction will begin. The rough construction itself could take around 20 months. The real completion date is set for 2027 to 2028," said Vaňek.