The area around the Prague Intercontinental Hotel is undergoing a significant transformation

Prague - The area surrounding the Intercontinental hotel in Prague's Old Town is set for modifications that include the expansion of public spaces around the building, the connection of Paris Street with the waterfront, and improvements to the traffic situation. Part of the plan includes construction in the southeastern part of the adjacent Miloš Forman Square. Jakub Dyba, director of new investments at the investment office R2G, stated today that the interior of the brutalist building is also planned for renovation. The exterior is to remain preserved.

The hotel, located in a heritage conservation area, was purchased this January via R2G by billionaires Oldřich Šlemr, Pavel Baudiš, and Eduard Kučera from the Slovak group Best Hotel Properties. R2G organized a competition for the design of the modifications, which was won by the Czech architectural studio TAK, led by Marek Tichý. They prepared a study based on which documentation for a building permit is now to be created, which the company aims to apply for as soon as possible. Dyba mentioned that the first estimates of the costs for the modifications around the hotel are 30 million euros (765 million crowns).

According to the new owners' vision, the area should be connected and opened up to the public. The project envisions relocating the existing indoor pool of the hotel, with a new square being created in its place, slightly below the level of Paris Street. This square will be connected to the Vltava River via a tunnel through the embankment. "It is a factual extension of Paris Street all the way to the river," Dyba stated. The area in front of the hotel entrance is to be transformed into an urban avenue with a tree-lined walkway and commercial ground floor, and on the roof of the relocated pool, a green terrace with a garden of a new restaurant is to be created.

In addition, the project proposes the construction of a glass structure on Miloš Forman Square at the corner of Paris and Bílková Streets. The possibility of building on the piazzetta has previously met with resistance from experts and the public. The hotel owners' project plans for the new building with a footprint of 380 square meters to be complemented by additional smaller structures housing shops, cafes, and cultural spaces. On the square itself, which according to the project will cover an area of 4600 square meters, the owners aim to build a memorial to Czechoslovak film.

One of the main reasons the company chose the design by Czech architects, according to Dyba, is the significant expansion of spaces accessible to the public. Their area is to increase by 40 percent. "We perceive that this is a sensitive topic, and this element seemed very important to us," he stated. He added that the plan includes planting greenery, green roofs, and water features.

He also noted that improving traffic is essential. "The design diverts entrances and exits to the garages from the square, so traffic will no longer inconvenience people as it has so far. It also addresses chaotic parking in the piazzetta," he stated. According to the project, drivers will now access the garages from Dvořák's embankment. The ventilation structure of the garages, which currently takes up a large part of the square, will also be removed.

Dyba further stated that changes are also expected for the operation of the hotel. R2G is, according to him, finalizing an agreement with the new hotel operator. Next on the agenda will be the preparation of the project for the interior renovation. Given that the owners want to preserve the original appearance of the brutalist building from 1974, the changes will not affect its exterior.

The proposal was praised by the first deputy mayor for urban development, Petr Hlaváček (for TOP 09). "I am pleased that this high-quality architecture from the team of architect (Karel) Filsak (co-author of the hotel design) is once again in Czech hands. The owners guarantee to me that the hotel will not meet the same fate as Transgas," he told ČTK.