Panel housing estates can also have advantages, says Švácha

Prague - As quick and affordable housing, panel houses emerged in the last century. While Western Europe abandoned their construction as early as the 1970s, countries of the communist block continued to indulge in this style of construction practically until the fall of totalitarian regimes. Renovation and modernization attempts of these housing estates are often commented on with hesitation by architects. However, they do not exclude that living in such an environment can have its advantages.
"Housing estates can provide a feeling that you live in a park. There is usually a lot of greenery that is missing in the historical center. It can be perceived as something positive. However, it depends on the proper maintenance of green areas. That is a condition," said architecture historian Rostislav Švácha to ČTK.
He pointed out that the Czech Republic likely has the highest percentage of panel housing estates in Europe. "This huge mass of panel buildings creates a difficult-to-solve situation. They are aging from a technical standpoint and need reconstruction due to decay. Additionally, most of the population does not like panel estates, and there is a natural desire for a change in appearance," Švácha noted. He emphasized, however, that attempts to revive the panel gray are not always the happiest.
The first panel houses in the Czech Republic were built in 1956 in Prague. They were constructed until 1990 and were perceived as a quick solution to the housing crisis. Thanks to them, a new urban district was rapidly created on green fields. However, after about twenty years of operation, serious problems emerged. Construction continued, but today experts do not know how to deal with them.
"In the first half of the 90s, a process called humanization began. However, it was not well-managed or controlled. Top architects did not participate in it. It was a kind of wild humanization. It consisted of constructing pseudo-baroque roofs on panel houses that resembled contemporary construction in millionaire villages around large cities. It caused more harm than good. The environment of the housing estates worsened further," Švácha stated.
Later, architects tried to show some possibilities for improvement. "This is the case of Ladislav Lábus and his experimental insulation on the Bohnice housing estate in Prague. He decided not to change the shape of the panel building, to keep its boxy form, and just paint it cleverly. He attempted to change it with an ornamental pattern that respects the geometry of the panel house. That looks significantly better," said the architecture expert.
According to Švácha, colorful changes can benefit panel housing estates. "The houses began to be painted with abstract patterns, and the estates now play with vibrant shades. It may turn out that such an environment will feel more inviting," he stated. He also warned that more fundamental transformations are costly.
"Other things could also be done. In Prague - Hostivař, there is an interesting extension by architects Vrbaty and Drexler, which changed the panel house in a neo-modern spirit. There is no strong contrast between the boxy shape and pseudo-baroque roof. It is thus possible to cleverly extend the panel house. However, it is expensive," Švácha said.
He pointed out that when renovating housing estates, it is necessary to consider that it is a whole. "When only one building is renovated, the intervention can have a negative effect. It may not look bad on its own," he remarked.
However, according to Švácha, quality projects for the reconstruction of panel housing estates are rather rare. "There is definitely no mass movement for the rehabilitation of housing estates here. However, when entire estates are changed at once and even according to a certain plan, then the results may not look bad," he noted.