Centra a.s. provides comprehensive services in property management – from cleaning through greenery maintenance, transport and real estate services to engineering and investment activities and facility management.

We asked the Operations Director of Centra a.s., Ing. Jan Fichtner, Ph.D., what the year 2020 was like.

How do you assess this rather atypical year from Centra’s point of view?

The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly hit the operation of our company. With regards to the portfolio of services we provide, the impacts of the pandemics can be divided into two groups by fields of activities. The first big group covers the area of administration. We had to take on new measures and change the management system for administrative staff in order to ensure the continuity of the company’s operation. We have implemented preventive protective measures for our employees, equipped them with disinfectant material and protective aids. At the same time, we divided the teams and introduced home office where possible. Online teleconferences, document sharing, established electronic systems and other measures confirmed to us, during the pandemic, that we are able to provide our clients with services even in such a state of emergency. The second group is the area of ‘production’, that is the direct manual output. If there were no workers’ professions, then administration would be useless. We very much appreciate the cleaning staff, security guards, gardeners, drivers, electricians, etc., who could not ‘hide away’ in a home office during the pandemic and continued coming to work in times of increased emergency and desolate streets, thus not only supporting our company but contributing to the operation of municipal services.

You provide various services specializing mainly in facility management and real estate activities. Which field is doing best?

In general, the best performing fields are those that benefit from the current boom in construction production. That means divisions that provide design activities, investor construction supervision and related services, such as the principle element of our company – facility management. In this regard, we try to fully meet our customers’ requirements and the market and constantly improve the quality of services provided. We know that we still have shortcomings in some respects, but we are constantly working to eliminate them and provide our clients with maximum possible care.

Which fields were mostly influenced by the Covid pandemic and in which way?

We have noted a positive impact on the volume of provided services in the areas of hygiene, cleaning and disinfection. These are the services our clients order and we are able to respond to their requirements swiftly and at the same time to guarantee reasonable and competitive pricing. During the pandemic we have introduced, and currently dispose with, several kinds of new technologies in the area of disinfection and continue developing them. We believe that thoroughness and dutifulness represent the right way in the fight against negative economic impacts that the COVID-19 pandemic has as well as the way to achieve the best results of co-operation between the client and provider of the services.

How did you have to change the cleaning regulations in the buildings you manage due to stricter hygienic and anti-epidemic measures?

As a result of anti-epidemic measures, our services are more demanding, both when performing cleaning and when it comes to using protective work aids. In some medical facilities, we perform cleaning directly in areas with patients with COVID-19, where we must follow strict and well-defined procedures in order to protect cleaning workers’ health. The frequency of cleaning, including the application of disinfection plans, has also increased significantly at individual workplaces. We offer clients a new service – disinfection of premises based on nanopolymer technology using the so-called foggers. We are also thinking about cleaning robotics. In the near future, we would like to implement this solution for fully autonomous cleaning of common areas, for example in Na Homolce Hospital.

There is a lot of talk today about redundancies in some sectors – and conversely about labour shortages in other sectors. What is your experience?

The mentioned situation corresponds with the nationwide situation. The labour market has changed dynamically vigorously in connection with the coronavirus crises. Some 34% of companies confirm the deep and serious impact of the crises. Surveys and analyses by recruitment agencies show a major impact on working conditions for more than 37% of people. On the other hand, 23% of large companies expect an increase in recruitment. There are two extremes. There is still a huge shortage of candidates for the positions of drivers, storemen, welders, electricians, locksmiths and masons. But hundreds of CVs come, for instance, for one advertisement for assistant administrative positions. Hundreds, perhaps thousands, of laid off chefs, waiters, maids or saleswomen lack the essential – the capacity for new work. Companies are naturally interested in professionals. Unemployment is still kept low artificially by government allowances to employers within the Antivirus programme. Experts predict a more dynamic increase in the number of unemployed in the coming year, which will bring further changes in the labour market. And we can confirm the same experience in the field of recruitment. There are more people in the labour market, which is seemingly better for employers, but the quality does not always meet our requirements. Compared to the situation half a year ago, the interest in work is much greater. The current situation is much more difficult for recruiters with regards to selecting the candidates. On the one hand, a large number of candidates respond to any position offered. On the other hand, the relevance of the responses sent is debatable. We note that job seekers respond to all the positions we offer, whether it is an administrative, managerial or blue-collar position. As a humorous fact I can mention lorry driver’s, pilot’s, film director’s and cook’s respond to a management position. Despite the increased difficulty in selecting candidates, it is positive that we have a greater choice of job seekers than before the crisis. It also brought a certain settlement in the areas of wage and benefit requirements. Previously, applicants had exaggerated requirements. Now, job seekers are more aware that it is important not to focus only on benefits, but especially to work in a stable and financially sound company.

It is, of course, difficult to plan with the unclear development of the epidemic situation. Do you propose to set any goals for next year?

We face the challenges of modern times, such as electronic services, automatic document processing, software and mobile applications, communication and direct connection of customer requirements with our systems or archiving and easy online availability of all documents. And, of course, to expand the number of satisfied clients.

PR / photo: centra, a.s.

The residential district of Waltrovka with the administrative buildings Aviatica, Dynamica and Mechanica, the administrative buildings Florentinum and Churchill – those are just some of the projects from Penta Real Estate’s portfolio in the Czech Republic.

Petr Palička, director of Penta Real Estate, briefly assessed the year 2020 for us.

The end of the year is approaching and with it a period of reviews. What was this year like for your company?

It was actually quite good. We managed to complete buildings that we planned – Maison Ořechovka, Churchill, and received a planning permit for Nusle Brewery whereby we approached commencement of the development. I believe we were doing quite well all year except for certain exceptions caused by the coronavirus.

To what extent did you have to change your plans due to the pandemic?

The coronavirus naturally has a negative influence. Firstly, spring brought an overall slowdown – the situation took us all by surprise, we weren’t used to working online, administrative processes stopped for a while and it took some time before everything got back to normality again. And then, the pandemic had a relatively significant influence on the administrative market as it was negotiations with new tenants that primarily slowed things down. The question is, how long will it take but it certainly did have an impact on this year’s results…

How are individual projects currently progressing?

The administrative building SmíchOFF is finished and represents a typical example of what I was talking about. We get quite a few interested clients who like the premises but hesitate with final decision. They don’t reject it but they say they cannot make any decisions at the moment… So far, we have about 40% of the building unoccupied – three storeys. Waltrovka – in the original location – is completed, all the apartments are sold and the only thing we still own there is the nursery school. We are currently negotiating its sale to the city district of Prague 5. We are preparing construction of Waltrovka III, an area situated between the completed part and ČSOB. We have a planning permit and the relocation of a sewage system and other ground work is currently in progress there. As for the Churchill building, we are negotiating a purchase with a client and I believe that we will then conclude the transaction before the end of this year. We are building Maison Ořechovka; the first phase has undergone final building approval and the second should be completed in about half a year’s time. We have, so far, sold about 50% of the apartments. Another relatively interesting project with about one hundred apartments is the Victoria Palace project in Vítězné Square in Prague 6. We have already held a planning permit for two years but it was opposed by a local activist. The settlement is hopefully heading to the end and we will therefore be able to commence. Otherwise we are preparing different issues associated with Masaryčka and amongst others both architectural and urban tenders and competitions. We have plenty of work.

Projects in preparation also include the new district that is being developed in the brownfield of Nusle Brewery. At what phase is the preparation?

We have a planning permit for the northern part and the process for a building permit is in progress; as for the southern part – it is the one with a listed building and adjacent buildings – the process for a planning permit is in progress. The complex will comprise approximately 450 apartments and some commercial premises – shops, cafés, services and perhaps also atypical offices. The construction is to proceed in two phases. The timing will depend on the sale. By the way, we have recently launched the sale of the first phase. The buildings should also be interesting from an architectural point of view. The northern part was prepared by the studio CHYBIK + KRISTOF, whilst the southern one, the one with the reconstructed historical building of the brewery, is by David Chisholm and CMC Architects.

You have recently announced that the original plans in the Masaryčka project will be changed. What are they to involve and how will to influence the overall image of the area?

There are certain specific modifications. When we nowadays speak of Masaryčka, we think of two buildings that should be built in Na Florenci Street. There we have a planning permit and have applied for a building permit. This project developed in accordance with various technical observations, possibly in accordance with the results of participation until they got to the stage for which the planning permit applies. A change of outline plan is subject to change in another part of the project and it is impossible to clearly predict as to what it will look like at the end. Moreover, we agreed with the council that a public international urban-architectural tender will be held within the framework of this change and we would like to announce this next January or February. This should lead to a solution for the rear part of the area, which is mostly situated in Prague 8. We will stem from a concept, especially the transportation part, designed by Zaha Hadid. There, I mainly refer to the construction of a square and roads situated on the boundary of Prague 1, 2, 3 and 8, which must reflect the current situation, whether it is about the ownership of the plots – part is owned by ČSAD, which is also building there, or the agreement with the council for a new development according to which there should be at least 40 % of apartments. This will, no doubt, also influence urbanism of the area.

You are also planning to announce the urban-architectural tender for the landscaping of the area between Havlíčkova, V celnici and Na Florenci Streets within the vicinity of a station building.

The aim is to complete this square, or rather the public area, so that it gives a pleasant impression. Many buildings are, however, clearly determined there, whether they are those existing ones, for instance underground exits, or those that need to be built there in accordance with a planning permit. It is be an open tender, which will probably be announced before the end of this year. Anyone interested can enter.

In the past issue of Development News, we published an article by Tomáš Kadeřábek from the Association of Developers regarding development taxation. Do you have a suggestion as to how to allocate the money transparently so that it goes where necessary?

A methodology or recommendation for city districts on how developer’s contribution for development should be calculated is currently being prepared at Prague Council under the lead of architect Hlaváček. The methodology takes into account different aspects, for instance whether it is a location for which the outline plan presumes development or whether the outline plan has to be changed due to development. Deep discussions are held on this topic; individual city districts require different issues from the developers – requirements for square meterage, contribution, allowances for schools and nursery schools, infrastructure and others. Hardly anyone is aware of the fact that huge sums from taxes paid for residential development go towards public budgets. This is, for instance, done through VAT and with the present-day prices, it is basically CZK 1 million from every apartment. City districts also complain that building activities progress in their areas and that they have to invest in infrastructure, etc., but that they don’t get anything directly from development projects. And that is why they want developers to contribute to one thing or another. This arises the question as to whether it would be just to transfer part of the taxes collected back to the budget of the city district – or at least the city – and use these for costs that arise due to development activities. The only income that goes to the budget of a city district from development is currently the property tax, which is quite low in our country. Nevertheless, this is a matter that applies to the budget allocation of taxes, which is beyond the competence of the capital city.

What is the situation in Slovakia from this point of view? Is it similar?

Approximately two years ago, they introduced charges that stem from the overall area of newly built apartments. But that doesn’t solve the funding of infrastructure either. It is basically a new tax.

You have mentioned co-operation with the council. How does it proceed?

I would definitely like to acknowledge and appreciate the positive development at Prague Council with regards to politicians and office workers’ approach to our business. This is mainly evident from co-operation in the area of planning when dealing with individual changes or when organizing urban tenders. It is a transparent process, which leads to a particular result, though it does not eventually need to be positive for us. What is important is that things are developing and are not just stagnating, which is a significant change compared with previous administration. For instance, changes to the outline plan took too long or were not discussed at all. The council’s approach has changed considerably and they represent a respectable partner for discussion. We can only be pleased about that.

AK

The Slatina complex in the largest industrial zone Černovická terasa, Brno, provides leases of commercial premises, especially offices, storage facilities and outdoor areas, including comprehensive services and facility backgrounds.

Now there are 12 rental buildings for administration, storage, light industry, retail and services. Nearby the D1 motorway, there is a carpark for approximately 1,100 cars, a petrol station and several smaller buildings. In total, there are some 23,000 sq m of offices, 16,000 sq m of warehouses and 36,000 sq m of outdoor areas leased. Ing. Luděk Beneš, a member of the Board of AREAL SLATINA, a.s., with whom we last spoke at the beginning of this year, answered our questions.

When we last met, nobody had the slightest idea that the economy would be slowed down by the COVID-19 pandemics. How did it influence your plans?

The existing building GREEN BUILDING (hereafter referred to as GB I) remains stably occupied, reaching, by 1^st December, coincidentally 99.8% occupancy yet again. The second building GREEN BUILDING II (furthermore referred to as GB II) will undergo final building approval on 10^th December. This does correspond with the original plan from September 2019 but the meeting of this deadline required, and still requires, using our team’s and supplier’s total strength. I must also point out a very forthcoming and flexible approach from the workers of the financing bank, Sberbank CZ, a.s. considering the fact that the completion of GB II was fully commenced this year, on 2^nd March. The projects, co-ordination, financing, supply of equipment and work were all negotiated and agreed prior to this date. We did account with reserves in the schedule of the development but not with the coronavirus pandemic. What caused us most problems in the spring stage were delayed supplies of equipment from abroad. The building’s technically and technologically advanced level that depend on units and components from Finland, Italy, Germany, France, Switzerland and the USA delayed the schedule of the development. This time delay was biggest in May, arriving at a five-week delay. Thanks to increased contractor capacity, we managed to balance the schedule of the development but not completely. What was, however, encouraging was that all the supplies from abroad were here with us or at suppliers’ in the Czech Republic. When the second wave of the pandemic hit, it had a considerable influence on labour. As at the end of September, the construction is managed operatively, literally from day to day, according to the availability of the individual professions.

Did you consider stopping the construction or to postpone the final building approval?

It is certain that if the situation associated with the coronavirus epidemic required it, we would have no other option. Nevertheless, we have taken many organizational and material measures so that we didn’t have to stop or considerably restrict construction via the infection. But we did not discuss the ceasing of the construction or the postponing of the deadline.

Did clients’ requirements regarding the size or layout of the offices or common areas change due to the pandemic?

Yes, they did. There are no requirements for large open office areas. The layout and sizes negotiated last year changed due to the pandemic. The smaller open areas partitioned with screens, cupboards, partition walls and flowers turned into fully-fledged offices. The requirements for common relaxation areas also reduced considerably.

What development do you expect? They speak of the option that many companies will continue to place some or part of their employees (20–25%) to a home office…

We don’t arrive at these ideas with our clients, perhaps because our clients are often companies from the area of mechanical engineering, civil engineering, TZB, logistics and state administration institutions.

To what extent can the demands or requirements for space be changed operatively and to what extent are you prepared to do so?

Our buildings are designed in modules with practically the largest possible level of segmentation without the need to increase costs for safety, servicing, heating, cooling, air exchange, lighting, regulation, control and cabling. This excellent segmentation allows for the creation of individual 17-sq m units. So, we are prepared for it.

With regards to the unclear future of the administrative market: are you planning to continue designing buildings as administrative or is there also a possibility of another variant?

We haven’t dealt with this issue yet. We have contracts for the leasing of 62% of rental area in the GB II building, so there is still a lot of work awaiting us in the following period. It won’t be until years to come that we will see what the future of the administrative market is or isn’t. I believe that the trend will be rectified downwards but only within percentage units.

The Slatina Complex project became known to the public due to the broad utilization of ‘green technologies’. Nevertheless, the development progresses very fast. What do you think can still be improved?

Every solution or detail can still be improved. But if we are to remain in the level of economic return, then the varying of GB II from GB I brought us to the top of the reversal curve. With the minimalization of the overall carbon footprint, energy efficiency and water management and the current level of technology and their costs, it is impossible to achieve any further improvement. We see large reserves in the utilization of renewable resources in combination with energy storing. Under our conditions, it is mainly about locating solar panels above parking places or carports and about small vertical wind power stations. We have accounted with carports from the beginning but this unique solution has no support in comparison with other locations of photovoltaic panels.

Today’s clients are more demanding. They put more emphasis on particular bonuses. In the first building, you provided the tenants with further services via catering establishments and others. What can tenants of the new building expect?

There will be an extended range of services available for tenants from GB II, GB I and other premises, as well as visitors to the whole of the Slatina Complex. The number of public transport routes, which stop in front of the main entrance to the complex, was extended to eight lines. We responded to the increasing interest in online sales via Zásilkovna’s hand out place and an Alzabox. In January 2021, Tesco will open the grocery’s Žabka. A GP’s surgery and surgeries of specialist doctors and two cafes will be set up here during the first half of next year. One of the three main gastronomic operations, including an outdoor seating area with fast-food stand will be considerably expanded. We will also increase the number of charging stations for electric cars to six.

What is the situation with rental prices in Brno? Has there been some progress?

We naturally monitor the competition’s prices but we don’t know the exact price inclusive of all allowances and incentives. A significant aspect lies in location, realization, quality, transportation services and preferences. On our behalf I can confirm that A class administrative premises in our part of Brno do have clients. Our concept of buildings, which puts the emphasis on the quality of the interior environment, space variability, ecology, sufficient number of parking places and services will allow us to increase rental prices in GB II on average by 6% in comparison with GB I.

The impact of the first wave of the pandemic can be fully seen within the real estate market now. Is it possible to define the trends that will show up in months to come?

We can see that the administrative market froze. The market of office rents will not begin until the pandemic is supressed and the economy is fully functional. The situation will gradually return to normal. Home offices will play a more significant role in some segments but administrative work will continue being mainly done in offices. Working and social contact is important in order to achieve excellent team work results. Moreover, home offices require a certain type of environment and background which not every employee has.

The moving of Czechs into rental housing is a current trend. Isn’t it an opportunity for its development? How do you see the current situation?

Development of residential housing is very attractive these days. We are also considering complementing our portfolio with rental housing but we consider it a natural part of space where one lives, works and relaxes. Space for living.

Arnošt Wagner

Ing. arch. Jana Mastíková graduated, in 2012, from architecture and urbanism at the Faculty of Architecture at VUT in Brno. Since 2014, she has worked in the LOXIA studio where she worked her way up to the post of chief architect.

LOXIA has been in operation for a quarter of a century and their portfolio includes almost two hundred realizations of various types of projects, from family houses, housing blocks and polyfunctional buildings through reconstruction of historical buildings, construction of civic amenities to industrial and public premises.

Why LOXIA?

LOXIA means a curve in Latin. For one thing, it sounds lovely but I also think that it bears a bit of a secret. A curve is something of grace and elegance from a freely drawn line yet it has a mathematical and logical justification. The name represents that which LOXIA tries for: thought-out, functioning yet free and creative architecture.

Can you briefly introduce the studio?

LOXIA comprises architects and engineers. There are 50 of us there. It is a functioning formation of creative and technically skilled people. We don’t only want to design buildings and look at nice visualisations. We primarily want to build. And this cannot be done without technical knowledge, without searching optimal solutions and sometimes without compromise. That means that the architects and engineers at LOXIA are some kind of joined hands that create architecture and construct buildings together.

Isn’t it sometimes a bit lively between the two parties?

I am an architect and the engineer is my partner, sometimes as opponent. We respect our field’s philosophy. Architects can be creative but there must still be some rational basis to it. And that is why we have engineers, in order not to let our imagination run riot, in order not to promise our clients, developers and investors some pipe dream instead of reality. We work for people who keep their feet on ground and who expect the same from us. We can have our heads in the clouds but there must be some connecting line between the clouds and the ground.

You install modern technologies in your projects. However, the economy is eventually what plays the main role. How do you manage to persuade the client which is the right direction?

With regards to the fact that the approval process usually takes between five to ten years in our country, we are already designing for the future. The technologies we now plan in our projects can be obsolete when it is completed. We, therefore, look at it from different points of view: We do have an investor and a client, but then there are people who are actually going to live or work in the building. If the investor wants to build cheaply, the maintenance and consequence upkeep will then be more costly. We are trying to find some balance between the two. Engineers make sure that the construction is optimal from a technical and economic point of view and we, the architects, make sure it fulfils the required function and can still be beautiful. Technology development progresses incredibly quickly. The projects that are nowadays being built were drawn up some 10 years ago when no one, for instance, expected such a boom in the field of electric cars. So, we are trying to retrospectively implement various smart solutions, equipment for the utilization of grey water, photovoltaic and others. The building is alive so we cannot just draw it now and then completely shut it away from new development. There are always new materials, new technologies, new economic conditions to come up with. There are many buildings that we designed as brick ones. However, it eventually needed to be redesigned, for instance from monolithic concrete, due to a lack of qualified labour. The process simply never ends.

With regards to lengthy approval processes, it is impossible to change some projects much, especially within the state and public sectors. Technologies installed there are already past their prime at the time of their final building approval. Isn’t that a shame?

Some projects are luckier than others. We, for instance, have one lucky one – the new town hall for Prague 12 – Modřany. The population of this Prague district is 60,000 people, just like Kladno or mostly where they have interesting town halls. It was an enormous task but it will really be a very lucky and happy building! Prague 12 tendered a design and build project, which prevented lengthy delays. We started working on the project at the end of 2016, now it is under construction and is to be inaugurated in April 2021. It is a miracle, because under Czech conditions, a building has to be built within five years! For me, it represents the symbol of a genuine public building, which is wonderful. Modřany is a very specific city district – on one side, there are villas and family houses and on the other side is a housing development. We were trying to create something that would somehow join the two different worlds together. We have managed to include all the attributes that the building of a town hall should have and act as its symbol. A clock, a tower, a gathering area, a ceremonial hall, an entrance hall across two storeys… We have managed to include all that within a relatively tight budget. The council of Prague 12 decided to build an austere, yet elegant, functional and a sort of monumental building and I think that it is a good thing.

Where do you see the genius?

I say the townhall comes with a tower but it’s actually not there. In the past, town halls had towers because the clocks needed to be visible from all directions. People didn’t wear watches and had to look out from their windows to see the time. We naturally have the clock but it is basically only indicated in a line that is to be lit – and the tower will thus stand out. I like that, putting such niceties into a project…

Can you mention other projects you are working on?

This year, we have achieved final building approval on the Chateau Troja project situated within the immediate vicinity of Troja chateau. The project comprises housing blocks, a mix of reconstruction and newly constructed buildings. It is the top standard housing where a new complex emerged within an area of a former lordly manner. Several buildings from the 17^th century were preserved but were in a disastrous condition after the 2002 floods. LOXIA attended to this project over the long term, since 2007. The project got both planning and building permits and then actually ‘fell asleep’. When I joined the company in 2014, it was revived after the previous crisis. So, I spent a relatively long time with the project in the second half of its life. It is remarkable that someone mustered the courage to put both resources and time into it. And it is the reason why the preserved Baroque sights, where some needed to be completely taken apart and reassembled, are to remain here for future generations. But it would be impossible to only preserve the sights and not build anything new as the new partially finances the revitalization of the old. Another very nice housing project is in Smíchov, in the mouth of the railway bridge by Strakonická Street. The aim is to build a part of the street there. It is extremely interesting. Once again, we are under the scrutiny of conservationists as Smíchov is a protected heritage zone. We are only building one relatively large building there. We decided to analyse Smíchov’s blocks of flats, their proportions, resulting in the dividing of the long building into five. That means that we are actually coming up with five buildings, five different façades. Sort of 5in1 with services within its parterre.

Would you like to mention another project?

Yes, I would. We are preparing a nursery school in Modřany. When I went there for the first time, the plot looked like a jungle. I thought to myself that we should retain it. That it is a mysterious garden… We placed the nursery there in such a way as to retain as much vegetation as possible, so that the building blends well with the jungle. It will be a kind of an ecological nursery, sensitively embedded amongst the trees, with animals grazing on the roof. It will simply be different…

What is it like when you see the building finished as per your project?

Architects come up with something, the engineers build it and someone lives there. We (architects and engineers) will probably be forgotten but people will continue living there – and the building will either keep them happy or annoy them. I myself go to see our projects. I just sit down and watch the people function there. Today, it is also possible to follow it on social network. There are already several thousand people living in Suomi Hloubětín and when you follow their discussions, you understand things. It’s not that I would be going there asking them physically.

Nowadays, architects don’t only deal with just the building but mostly also with comprehensive preparation of the area. Can you see some sort of progress from this point of view?

I think it improved incredibly. I have been involved in architectural studios for 10 years. At that time, they didn’t deal with public areas and we would probably find it difficult to persuade an investor to invest their money into some park as it creates added value. Today, this comes as standard. And that is a good thing because the town needs to be cultivated… We try to do so and I think that we also paid attention to it in the past. Urbanism always needs to be at the start: To decide where to place the structures. The façade and windows can be fixed but if you positioned the building wrongly, one would overshadow the other, an entrance would be put somewhere where no one would ever enter… how would it actually work? It is like opening a baker’s in a place where nobody goes… Poor baker! I find these the functional attributes of a city and public area. What the buildings look like is also important but it is secondary. As we work on relatively large complexes, we always consider the positioning of the building primary as it is invariable. If it is placed badly, it’s wrong.

So, it is not only about ‘designing a building’…

It is necessary to analyse the market and the environment. You must take into consideration whether the building is primarily intended for families with children or whether it is rather to serve workaholics who only come there to spend the night. That is what the concept is then adjusted to: A family with children will appreciate an inner block with playground where everybody meets, children have a trampoline, parents join in the barbeque and the whole place works as a community. But a housing block situated somewhere in the centre, near Anděl within the vicinity of the underground, will be attractive for people who are always on the go. Those won’t have barbeques in the garden. Those will pop over the street to a garden grill. They live in a slightly different way and we often discuss this with the investors. There is a relatively high number of foreign investors in the Prague market. They hire a local architect so that he discloses the local life to them – that is where his added value lies as each nation comes with their own specifics. There is no universal cookbook of a residential project that would work all over the world.

How do you prepare the projects when you want to beat the competition?

Most of what we now design is in BIM, which I consider revolutionary in design, just as it was when we moved from a draft board to computer. The townhall in Modřany, for instance, is in BIM, basically from documentation all the way to the planning permit. We have already been through several projects designed in BIM. It is a very sophisticated method. It allows you to define various details, properties and information so the investor and/or the user knows exactly where everything is to be and what it is to look like. You can’t miss anything in BIM…

You come from Pardubice, studied in Brno and now work in Prague… Can you see certain differences?

I think that, in comparison with Brno, Prague is a metropolis. I studied in Brno because the local school and people who taught there then made a better impression on me. I like functionalism that pervades everything in Brno but I always wanted to work in Prague. I wanted to do that ‘big urbanism’. I like versatility and I am glad that there is no project we would be afraid getting into in LOXIA!

Arnošt Wagner