Praha Sobě failed with the request regarding the demolition of the brutalist building

Prague - Prague councilors today did not approve the proposal of the mayor's deputy Adam Scheinherr (Prague Sobě) to urge Prague 2 to file an appeal against the demolition of the brutalist building of Vojenské staveb by the Nuselský Bridge. After the council meeting, the deputy told reporters that coalition partners did not support the proposal. The owner of the building, the company Jizera Invest, plans to build a new house in its place.

The owner has already submitted a request for demolition approval of the building from the turn of the 1970s and 1980s to the building office of Prague 2. According to Scheinherr, historically valuable buildings in the metropolis should not be demolished without discussion. "I consider this building on the border of Nové Město and Vinohrady to be an important example of brutalist architecture," he said.

Councilor Vít Šimral (Pirates) stated that the Pirates did not support the item because it was not submitted in time and representatives of Prague 2 were not invited to the meeting. The mayor's deputy for United Forces for Prague (TOP 09 and STAN) Petr Hlubuček added that he would consider the approval of the call an interference in state administration. Scheinherr rejected this, saying the councilors were informed about the press in advance, and that self-government has the right to express its opinion. He added that he has not yet thought about further steps.

The building was created according to the design of architect Jan Hančl between 1973 and 1982. Previously, it was covered by an advertising banner and a large LED screen, and last year both advertising surfaces disappeared even after pressure from representatives of the magistrate. The National Heritage Institute does not agree with the demolition of the building, stating that its demolition is unacceptable from a preservationist perspective. On the contrary, the department of heritage care of the city magistrate granted permission for the demolition.

The media representative of Jizera Invest, Antonín Rosa, told ČTK that the house cannot be used in a standard way. According to him, eight floors are crammed into the building at the same height as the surrounding six-story buildings, which makes it impossible to modernize the object. "According to the heritage care department of the magistrate, it is an average representative of the period's construction, which does not exhibit any above-standard values. We intend to build an interesting modern house at this location according to the design of the renowned architectural studio Znamení IIII, which will contribute to the revitalization of the neglected area at the foot of the Nuselský Bridge," he stated.

He added that the only artistic-craft element is a sculpture on the facade by Jan Bartoš, which will be placed in a representative location inside the new building. "Additionally, other artworks from the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s will be placed inside the house," he added. A demonstration against the demolition was held on Sunday with about 50 opponents of the demolition.

Brutalism is an international architectural style from the turn of modernism and postmodernism, characterized, among other things, by acknowledged structural, material, and spatial solutions. In Czechoslovakia, buildings in this style were designed especially at the turn of the 1960s and 1970s. In Prague, there are examples such as the former Federal Assembly building, the Intercontinental hotel, the Kotva and Máj department stores, or the New Stage of the National Theatre. In the past, some of Prague's brutalist buildings, such as the Transgas building on Vinohradská or Hotel Praha in Dejvice, were demolished.