UNESCO: The proposal for the wavy towers in Prague 3 must be revised by architect Jiřičná

Prague – The design of the wavy towers, rising up to 100 meters in the New Žižkov Center project in Prague 3, must be changed by architect Eva Jiřičná. This was decided by the world organization UNESCO. In its statement, it demands that new buildings on the site of the former Telecom complex with a 96-meter tall telecommunications tower do not exceed the surrounding development and can be a maximum of 54 meters tall. Dušan Kunovský, the owner of the development company that owns the area, said this at a meeting with journalists today.

"Although this new condition from UNESCO is very specific, we must respect it in order for construction to proceed at the site. However, since the design of the wavy towers cannot be lowered, as reducing them would completely spoil their proportions, the office of Eva Jiřičná and Petr Vágner will now completely redesign the entire locality. The buildings will be significantly lower and designed in the form of urban blocks with a strong emphasis on greenery, public space, and lively ground floors with many small shops, services, restaurants, and cafés," Kunovský stated.

The original project, which Central Group presented two years ago, planned the construction of approximately 1000 apartments for about six billion crowns. The lowest of the towers was to be around 80 meters, the middle about 90 meters, and the highest was not to exceed 100 meters. Central Group purchased the building from Czech telecommunications infrastructure company (CETIN) of the PPF group in 2017.

A new park with water features and artwork is planned to be established at the intersection of Olšanská and Jana Želivského streets. The locality will also feature rental apartments compared to the original proposal. "The office of Eva Jiřičná and Petr Vágner is currently working on the new concept for this project so that this intention can be officially presented to politicians, authorities, and the public by the end of the year, and discussions can begin," Kunovský added.

According to Kunovský, the concept of wavy towers with original architecture and integrated greenery is so interesting and unique that the architect and the investor have agreed to jointly search for another suitable location for its realization. "We are already negotiating other suitable locations in Prague. However, there are not many, as high-rise buildings are always a very sensitive issue in the capital. If a suitable location is not found in Prague, we have already received some offers to purchase land in Brno or Bratislava. And if we do not agree there either, we will look further abroad," Kunovský added.

Central Group also announced today that Jiřičná will become the main architect of the new residential quarter Westpoint in Prague 6. She will design eight apartment buildings, including an entrance building with a vertical park. Kunovský stated that the area is currently undergoing a process to change the zoning plan from industrial use to mixed use. "The project has the support of both the Prague 6 district and the Institute of Planning and Development and the Prague City Hall," Kunovský noted.