TBG METROSTAV is one of the largest concrete producers in the Prague region and operates four concrete plants.

We were talking to Ing. Jakub Šimáček, the Director of TBG METROSTAV, about the current situation in Prague’s development and the future of concrete plants in the capital.

You are the company director of three plants: TBG METROSTAV, TBG Pražské malty and Pražské betonpumpy a doprava. Can you introduce them in more details?

TBG METROSTAV, which is one of the largest concrete producers in the Prague region, where it operates four concrete plants, has the longest history. TBG Pražské malty and Pražské betonpumpy a doprava are subsidiaries and are engaged in the production of mortars and cast floor mixtures, respectively the pumping of concrete. The division, into three companies, has proven practical over time – each company focuses on ensuring that the work results are of the highest level. At the same time, all three entities work closely together and as a group supply customer with professional services and quality products.

Last year was difficult. What was it like for your companies?

The beginning of last year was very similar to previous years. But then the first wave of the pandemic came out of nowhere and construction in Prague ceased. There were several reasons. Borders were closed, foreign workers were absent on construction sites, the operation of offices was reduced and some investors were thrown out of balance. Moreover, in recent years, there hasn’t been any large infrastructure contract under construction in Prague that would help overcome fluctuations in commercial investment. The construction of administrative buildings and hotels was almost halted within the market and the commencement of apartment buildings was postponed by several months.

How did you respond to the sudden drop off in demand? Did you have to lay staff off?

We didn’t have to lay staff off. Our goal was to retain jobs, because we knew that construction would start again and then we would be needing staff. Our people are highly qualified and hardworking and it would make no sense at all to lay off a third of them and then look for new people with difficulty and to have to train them as well. We managed to apply cost-saving measures and reduce wage and fixed costs accordingly. In this way, we kept the company in shape during the summer and were prepared for the autumn start of the postponed constructions.

So how did 2020 turn out for your companies?

In the end, well. Although we didn’t manage to compensate for the production outage from the summer months, even with higher production at the end of the year, our results remained only slightly behind the original plan. What I consider extremely positive is the fact that we managed to reaffirm the good name of our company and the high quality of our services, especially thanks to the retention of experienced employees with their diligence and commitment.

What do you think 2021 will be like?

I presume that it will continue to be dominated by apartments in Prague. The interest in buying one’s own apartment is, despite high prices, still extraordinary. It also seems that the construction of housing blocks for rental accommodation will begin. Investment in administrative buildings will probably stagnate a bit this year, but I assume that from next year, this segment will also start gradually going again. Based on my experience, I don’t think that home office is a permanent solution, because only a few employees are able to achieve full work commitment and high performance at home – without social ties, it just doesn’t work. The construction of administrative buildings will continue after the temporary decline. This can also be seen in the just launched Masaryk Centre project by Penta Investment, where we currently supply our colleagues from Zakládání staveb and Zakládání Group with concrete for the foundation of the building and will supply the concrete workers of Metrostav a.s. who are starting to build monolithic structures. We are waiting to see if the next stage of the Prague metro will be launched. In recent years, it is the only large transport contract in the capital – and Prague would certainly deserve such a major investment in its development.

What new innovations have you prepared for your clients?

We launch a new product basically every year. However, we do not want to just come thoughtlessly with some mixtures that have no application in the market, or that only promote a standard product under a flashy name. Each of our branded products bestow customers with certain benefits or is part of a systematized solution. For example, fresh MALMIX mortars – a proven solution where we supply fresh mortar to construction sites every day, ready for immediate processing. Without any further adjustments. When a client orders MALMIX, he knows that the mortar is top quality, a fine structure and will be on site in time and in the right quantity. The same goes for PERMACRETE concrete. With this product we responded to the non-systemic addition of crystallizing additives to fresh concrete under the pretext of improving the watertightness of white tubs, or even to improve protection against radon, erratic currents, etc. PERMACRETE is a special concrete for white tubs designed in accordance with German and Austrian standards. It develops a minimum of hydration heat and, thanks to its composition, significantly reduces the formation of cracks. This solution is cheaper than using crystallizations and has been tested successfully on dozens of buildings.

These are proven products. How about new ones?

We always put the client above everything we do. We constantly work on modernizing and developing new products. This year, we are planning to present an interesting
TERRAFLOW filling material, which is suitable for filling construction pits around pipelines or filling joints around the foundation of the building, etc. We are also constantly improving our branded products, especially our most durable and strongest product TOPCRETE, an ultra-high-quality concrete (UHPC), which has incredible potential for renovations, bridges, footbridges as well as architectural use. And we must not forget the protection of the environment and long-term sustainability. We also develop concretes from recycled aggregates, but no major use can be considered just yet. Current regulations, logistics and achieved parameters of concrete produced in this way do not allow for the fully-fledged replacement of ordinary aggregates, but certain types of structures can be made from recycled aggregates.

And what about your concrete plants? How do you deal with the increasingly stricter environmental regulations and restrictions?

As I have already mentioned, we have four concrete plants, which are conveniently located throughout Prague. In the north we have the Libeň concrete plant, in the west Radlice, in the south Písnice and in the central, slightly eastern area, the Rohanský ostrov concrete plant. These locations are advantageous for our efficient logistics, because we always choose the nearest establishment for the supply of material for a particular construction site, so that the concrete mixers do not unnecessarily burden the already complicated traffic in Prague. What comes as a matter of course is wastewater management, the recycling of residual concrete, waste management, dust filters, landfill sprinkling, etc. However, the fact that two of our facilities have a dock for cargo ships is also related to ecology. We use ecological shipping to the maximum extent possible. As a result, the Libeň and Rohanský ostrov concrete plants fundamentally help reduce the amount of lorry traffic in the metropolis. Thanks to their direct connection to the river, all underground stages, road tunnels and railway corridors were built with a minimal impact on Prague’s traffic. The ship’s supply has already saved Prague over 250,000 lorry loads.

You are promoters of shipping in Prague. From where do you get your inspiration?

The shipment of aggregates and sand for our establishments has been operating for a very long time, but few people realize how many positive effects it has on the city. There are several inspirations: Paris, Brussels, Vienna and other cities that are similar to Prague and where the river flows through them. For example, there are nine concrete plants and 11 loading bins for ship waste and debris situated directly on the banks of the Seine in Paris. There are also several compact mini-transhipments in operation, where river boats bring containers loaded with consumer goods. Or Brussels with the Charleroi Canal, which transports up to 3 million tonnes of material a year. After all, in Vienna, one cargo ship after another goes on the Danube River, transporting soil, rubble, wood and aggregates.

So, do you see a future in supplying buildings with raw materials along the river?

Shipping cannot be the only supply route in itself. A large part of raw materials and goods will always be transported by road. It is just a matter of making the most of the possibility of river transport and not only using it marginally. After all, in Prague we are actually the only ones using freight shipping.

So, when someone buys concrete from TBG, it means that they have helped reduce the number of lorries, is that right?

Actually, yes, even though I wouldn’t put it that way. Our goal is to supply concrete of the highest quality parameters and to be a reliable business partner to our customers. And the fact that we produce concrete economically and with respect to the surroundings, thanks to shipping we also save roads and relieve citizens from harmful emissions, I see this as our contribution to global efforts to improve the quality of the environment.

PR

Jindřichův Hradec has long struggled with the absence of a city architect. Last year, a selection procedure was finally held and was attended by 13 candidates. 

The winner was Ing. arch. Lukáš Soukup, a graduate of the Faculty of Architecture of the Czech Technical University Prague, who worked there as a lecturer in doc. Rothbauer’s studio. Since 2011, he has been authorized by the Czech Chamber of Architects. He has experience from an architectural studio, a development company and also experience gained during an internship in Tampere, Finland. He currently works for the international real estate and consultancy company Knight Frank, where he manages the construction of office buildings and specialist opinions from the areas of architecture and urban planning.

How did you convince the committee that your vision of a city architect’s activity is best for Jindřichův Hradec? Did you bet on tourism where there is the third largest castle complex in the Czech Republic following Prague and Český Krumlov?

I think Jindřichův Hradec as such is not a classic tourist destination. You can apply double standards there: On the one hand, the town potentially loses income from the tourist trade but, on the other hand, it was spared the situation in Prague centre, for instance, which is considerably damaged due to the number of tourists and stalls with souvenirs with no relation to the city and the place (for instance Russian fur hats and other items that, in my opinion, have nothing to do on the Royal Route).

So, where do you perceive the potential of the town?

The town centre is romantic – with many historically valuable and well-preserved buildings. But at the same time, more conceptual interventions in individual, mostly public spaces, are needed. I myself have an idea for a better background for residents as well as tourists. According to statistics, their visits mainly lead them to the castle grounds and the rest of the town seems slightly neglected.

And other fields aside from tourism?

I have a feeling that the town offers relatively few pleasant outdoor places that would allow for just sitting quietly or for some other activities even when it comes to its inhabitants. There is no comprehensive system of greenery, no suitable orientation system, etc.

What do you consider to be the most important thing at the moment?

There is no comprehensive transport system or parking in the town centre or in its wider surroundings. The cycleways do not have any logical connection to individual peripheries, especially to the Vajgar and Hvězdárna housing estates, which requires long-term care and conceptual thinking. If we start to look into it now, we will be able to leave something to our children and grandchildren. Something that we are able to prepare within the scope of just a few years.

How did the selection procedure actually proceed? Can you describe it further?

The first round of the selection procedure consisted of meeting formal prerequisites, such as university education, authorization and some practice. The second round included personal interviews with the presentation of a common task, which was to design a solution for the Ladislav Stehna Embankment on the bank of the Vajgar Lake. The next subject for discussion was the applicant’s awareness of Jindřichův Hradec and his ideas as to how to utilise the town’s potential. For instance, the chateau brewery – right next to the chateau – is situated in the protected town centre and is difficult to access. This is currently one of the biggest problems in historic centres of other Czech towns as well. Any function you place here will require an access. At the construction stage, it will require the availability of equipment, supply of material, etc. Even the subsequent operation can cause a disproportionate burden on the protected centre, if not even maybe collapse. This needs to be taken into consideration at the beginning when setting up the building programme. Reconstruction as such is expensive but that is nothing atypical. What I see decisive is a correctly chosen function and naturally project funding, ideally divided into stages.

Let’s go back to your proposal for the use of the Ladislav Stehna Embankment.

It’s a huge opportunity. However, the idea that the embankment will be reconstructed and that tourists will thus start going there is wrong. We need to take a step back and think about the concept of transport solution within the town and its surroundings. I think that that is the most important, not only here, but in most Czech towns. As for Jindřichův Hradec, renovations took place in the second half of the 20^th century where many of which were not entirely pleasing. One of the less successful is the road along the Vajgar Lake, the Ladislav Stehna Embankment. According to traffic statistics, several thousand cars go through here daily in latter years. The traffic load is disproportionate to the location and if traffic is not prevented and reduced to a necessary minimum, the embankment will remain cut off from the town centre.

What do you find crucial then?  

Considering the solution and concept of transport in the centre, the wider town centre and its surroundings. To try to adapt the centre more to the needs of the population in the form of gradual measures. Let’s realize that it is very easy to walk in a town of this size. I consider this to be one of the main qualities of a town such as Jindřichův Hradec, where there is also an optimal terrain for cycling. That is what I really enjoy about it.

Does this mean a priority modification to the transport solution and the embankment as such?  

It will certainly be necessary to amend urban greenery – part of the town does not even hold the status of green area but, according to the outline plan, it is ‘insulating greenery’. That means that maintenance of the areas and access to them are subject to this. This is a matter that should also be addressed. Residents need to be more involved in this process and where possible, it is also necessary to come up with other barriers than the existent steel railings between the Vajgar Lake and the sidewalk for cyclists and pedestrians. As you walk through there you will probably realize that pedestrian crossings are not in places where it is logical in connection with pedestrian routes, but are located in places common from the point of view of comfortable driving.

How is it related to the historical centre?

From my point of view, the transport solution used in a town with more than 20,000 inhabitants corresponds conceptually with the 1960s. However, from today’s point of view regarding the use of public areas I think that this solution is outdated, obsolete and needs to be modified.

So, how should a town of this size work optimally – including visitors?

I would certainly not build the quality of the town and life in it on tourism. I don’t think it is the most important thing for such a town. I believe the city as such should first and foremost be a pleasant place for its inhabitants. In this respect, Jindřichův Hradec is smaller than Prague and Brno, etc…, but still experiences similar trends as West European towns, this being the displacement of the centre. Based on available figures I know that in the last few decades, the number of permanent residents has reduced to approximately one third. And then comes the classic issues – it is difficult to park here, it is difficult to shop, there is noise at night, which is something you do not want for family life. These issues bother your life so you would rather move to the outskirts where you can have a bigger house, bigger garden and perhaps also a garage. And the town centre as such can easily become a kind of mausoleum in the future, especially with the strengthening of tourism. This needs to be carefully thought through because the steps we take today will reap fruits for future generations. That means that the town cannot do without a more fundamental concept of tourism solution.

How do you personally see the total concept?

As soon as we manage to successfully plan and implement one public space, which can be, for instance, Míru Square or the Ladislav Stehna Embankment, I am convinced that we will set the standard for other public spaces within the town. If the residents identify with this space, we will be able to extend the quality solution to at least the rest of the centre. Another thing that I consider important is the solution of parking in the centre and the transport connection between the town periphery and the town centre. Therefore, it is a matter of solving the functioning of the combination of car traffic, cyclists and pedestrians. Building a town for cars, as we can, for instant, see in the town of Most, which today looks like a 1960s small American town, where walking through the centre on foot is difficult due to long distances because there are motorways, is a long-overdue model. It’s something that can be aesthetic for some, mostly architects, but research has long shown that the most pleasant are winding streets, pleasant nooks – and that’s why historic town centres are popular.

However, panel housing estates were built here on the outskirts, just as in other Czech towns. How do you see their inter connection with the historical centre?

A part of the centre was preserved thanks to the new prefabricated housing estates located outside the historical centre because in the 1960s, it was a great time to demolish twice as many houses as eventually happened. Of course, I’m sorry about those houses, but I can be relatively satisfied that no more was destroyed. I don’t want to perceive the housing estate negatively, especially when you see how many inhabitants in the Czech Republic live in panel houses. It’s a huge amount. And housing estates as such do not always have to be solved as so-called ‘rabbit hutches’, if you look at Brno – Lesná or other good examples, such as Prague – Pankrác with lower-storey houses, cultivated greenery, etc. The parterres of some buildings at the housing estates are lined with stone, somewhere there are works of art, accessible civic amenities and lots of greenery…

What do the housing estates in Jindřichův Hradec look like in this comparison? 

Unfortunately, they are not that nice, but, on the other hand, there is greenery and it is close to the centre. I would not perceive it completely negatively. If they need anything, it is more cultivation of public areas and better connection to the centre for cyclists and pedestrians. What bothers me most in housing estates, not only those in Jindřichův Hradec, is the fact that they are often only visible from the historical centre. And it was enough to build two floors less or design the whole development in a different fashion.

Where do you see the real basis of each town?

In the locals and I think they are the ones who should be involved in what is being prepared by the town, especially with regards to long-term plans and investments. I think that it is a priority to give space to discussions in the form of panel meetings and present upcoming projects … everything must have a clear plan and the specific responsible person who is preparing the project must be determined. However, it is necessary to involve both the public and town residents because as a weekend visitor, I cannot have the same point of view as the locals and I am interested in the opinion of both children and youth, university students, mothers on maternity leave, pensioners and workers. They are the inhabitants of the town and they all have the right to have their say on these issues. How the concept will work once completed, what the town takes into account – all this can determine residents’ satisfaction with the town’s plans and gradual transformation and improvement. I don’t like to say problems, but the use of the potential that is there at the moment.

How do you yourself see the function of a city architect?  

The main task is to actively participate in the concept of town development. At the same time, it is also important to popularize architecture and to convey the council’s plans to the inhabitants. At this time, Czech society lacks discussion as such. When someone disagrees with us, we take it as an invective and a personal attack. I myself got used to discussion when defending projects as an architect. I am convinced that when a logical counter-argument is heard, it will force me to rethink the solution. The issues that had not occurred to me till then can also be termed in this way. I see two options: You either defend the concept and confirm your opinion, or you do not defend it and therefore have to rethink the solution and rework it.

Is this about better communication then?

Communication is generally required: I do not yet know how the public will be involved in the discussion, but I hope that it will be as much as possible so that their views can be taken into account. The worst scenario I can imagine is that in a year – when you walk through Jindřichův Hradec – you will see residents laughing at the prepared solution and feeling that the person who came from elsewhere and never lived here spent their money and that they are not to be identified with the concepts and plans. That’s wrong and it certainly shouldn’t work that way. Towns are different, but problems recur. It is important that local people adapt to the upcoming projects. That is the key to success.

How do you want to help with regards to the solving of these difficulties?  

In the future, I would like to address my former colleagues from the Faculty of Architecture and together assign selected tasks within the town as term work for students. This is the experience I had when working as a lecturer in the studio of Mr. Rothbauer, the senior lecturer, where we processed similar assignments of randomly selected towns. They were projects of individual buildings and groups of these buildings, but often also more extensive urbanism.

Arnošt Wagner / Photo: archive

JORDAHL & & PFEIFER Stavební technika, s r. o. was founded in 1998 and represents the German producers Jordahl, H-BAU (Pohl-Con) a Pfeifer.

We asked Ing. Michal Voplakal, Ph.D., MBA, company director, for a short review of the finishing year.

How do you see this as a very different year?

When I look at all the varied realizations – offices and shops, the Bořislavka Centrum, the footbridge in Svatošské skály, visitor’s centre Bernard and the State Regional Archive Louny – I see that the most important thing is to find a quality solution and supply it in time. We are able to accommodate the need for the soundproofing of foundations, staircases and lifts as well as thermal insulation for balconies and the suspension of modern facades. We have a longstanding experience with the realization of so called white tanks, that being waterproof structures against ground and pressured water. What is also successful in the market are elements that can save on floor areas, such as the Hybridbeam girder. Our large production facilities and constant development allows us to find solutions that are consequently cheaper than traditional processes for investors. There is a lack of qualified workers on building sites so it does pay to reserve their energy. It is necessary to provide them with a quality ‘building set’ from which they can build safer and quicker.

What has lately made you pleased?

When I was, as a member of a committee, assessing competing dissertation work under the auspices of the Czech Concrete Society, some of them were so good that I would offer their authors positions in the JORDAHL & PFEIFER, Stavební technika, team.

Are you able not to lose track when you have more projects on the go?

The work on the construction of the new headquarters of ČSOB in Hradec Králové was commenced in co-operation with Syner and last week we fitted the Hybridbeams for the Senior’s Home in Karlovy Vary – is it sufficient proof? At the end, I would like to give thanks to our partners and wish them good health and unrelenting energy for future development!    PR

By the end of next year, it will be 30 years since CASUA was entered in the Register of Companies. Nevertheless, the real co-operation between Oleg Haman and Aleš Poděbrad commenced a bit earlier, on 1^st July 1990. That means that this year is also a jubilee one.

The company has, over the years of existence of the architectural and planning office, expanded – from a two-member consortium to a limited company for which 70 architects and civil engineers work.

So, you had a reason to celebrate all year…

AP: We have actually been celebrating the whole 30 years… De facto, we started before 1^st July 1990 when we both left our jobs – Oleg from Karel Prager’s studio and me from Karel Koutský studio. We both each came with a contract. I needed an architect and Oleg needed a civil engineer. So, we sat down together and started designing claiming that we had gained our freedom and could decide for ourselves. We enjoy freedom with regards to the choice of commission, clients and work. Starting with the 90s, we commenced drawing something that was later stratified. Both work and people were piling up (we didn’t look for it). We really enjoyed the work we did during those 30 years and we enjoy it still.

Can you remember the first procurements?

OH: Aleš was supposed to do the first BMW showroom in Průběžná in Prague 10. When I was leaving Karel Prager, there was a condition upon my leaving: to secure the project for the completion of the primary school Jitřní in Prague 4. So, we both needed to finish our commissions. One was looking for an architect and the other for a civil engineer. We knew each other so we had already started working together some time in March 1990. The name CASUA had already originated then.

What does CASUA actually mean?

AP: We didn’t know what to come up with so the name emerged abbreviated from the Consortium of Architectural Building and Urban Studios. And as Coca Cola was better than Kofola, we turned Kasua into Casua.

It sounds quite exotic…

OH: We knew we couldn’t put full stops there as we wouldn’t be able to register it as an abbreviation, but in the world today, it is possible to register a name but it cannot have a geographical significance and this was not the case. And also, we also found it pleasant from a phonetic point of view.

What was your mutual vision for the future after the first projects you had realized?

AP: I will try to sum it up from my point of view. The two of us complement one another quite well: firstly, we are both different from a character point of view and secondly, we both have our own profession. Our aim was to produce pleasant architecture, bring it to the building stage and ideally be present at the construction. This took the first five to six years until a turning point on my side. In 1996, we started talking with our client about a commission and a year later we concluded contracts for a project in Prague 10, Na Vinici. That really made us shift. We worked on it from the stabilization of the outline plan (there used to be white places in the outline plan then) up to 2004, that being the last final building approval. This project educated us professionally resulting in the expansion of our studio. Then we said that the company wouldn’t have more than 25 people. When we got the procurement, we made the first mistake in our professional life as architects and planning engineers as we focused on one client and didn’t deal with other commissions. We had a lot of work at that time and didn’t have time to think of the future – what was going to happen once the client built it. So, sometime around 2000, we were a little stressed and started expanding our client portfolio in order to always have a principal procurement and some smaller ones to go with it. From a personal point of view, the years between 1996 and 2000 were crucial for me with regards to the growth of the company.

Let’s get to current projects. You participated in the tender for the hospital in Zlín. What else is, figuratively speaking, on your desk?

OH: We won a public business tender in Zlín for a new regional hospital as a member of an association of four entities. Such large procurements always need some sort of co-operation. We were, in this case, the guarantor of the BIM structure, co-ordination of the project and consequently we guaranteed about half the buildings there. More or less, we went through all appeals, confirmations from the Office for the Protection of Competition. We won, which we are proud of, but the political situation has changed and we are awaiting the signing of the work contract. Building a hospital on green land is something you don’t see every day. What is absurd is that they have a shortage of beds in Zlín due to the epidemic and Covid patients are being transported to Brno. So, everything that is going on is just politics…

How were you better in the tender than your competition?

AP: The assignment of the project for the hospital stated the use of BIM. Our advantage was, that in 2004, without having an idea what it was actually about, we had one IT visionary in our company and he brought to our attention the fact that there is software, which can design in 3D. And we bought 27 licences then. We started designing with this software and now, 16 years later, we are able to harvest the fruits of our work where architecture unites technology and information in a model. They are procurements that originated thanks to the fact that we started working this way. That is why we can do projects such as the one for Zlín Hospital or the Bořislavka project. We are working on this with the Aulík Fišer architekti studio. As planning engineers, we are working on the Bořislavka project for KKCG in BIM.

Let’s get back to the issue of your studio’s specialization…

AP: Classically we emerged as an architect and civil engineer – and as we kept gradually expanding the studio, there are about 70 of us there now. We have a particular number of architects and a particular number of civil engineers. They all design on computers with full licences. The architects come up with projects and we draw them. We also accept service procurements, which means that we work for clients and companies who have their own architects.

What projects have you recently realized?

OH: This year, we completed Waltrovka North, a residential complex, including family houses. The residential Project Karlínské dvory II, an interesting project situated between Křižíkova and Sokolovská Streets underwent final building approval and one project in Stodůlky changed hands and we redesigned it completely. This year, we participated in many tenders and with 70 people in our studio we also have many smaller procurements where some are successful and some are not. Which can also happen when a developer is unsuccessful. We, for instance, designed the reconstruction and conversion of a prison building in Mladá Boleslav, turning it into a new centre with a high dominant point. The project is simply lying fallow, but not because of us. So, sometimes we also face frustration that something is not working out, but everyone goes through that. We must be strong and keep going and be able to bear these losses that we experience along the way.

What do you expect in a short-term horizon?

AP: I would stem from this year as what happened at the beginning of the year, February – March – April, because Covid has shaken the projects. They were delayed, some large developers even terminated work and apart from one came back into operation a few months later yet again.

What type of project was mostly affected?

AP: Residential projects as well as one administrative one, which were launched this September. Apart from that we worked on other contracted procurements, so, this year looks better than last year for us. We are slowly growing upwards. And our plan for next year? We always prepare that in advance and stem from tenders we had won or procurements contracted with clients over the long term. Or they are projects that have been agreed upon but are not secured by a contract yet. That means that the prospect outlook for next year still looks positive, whether in our authorial projects or in service activities. We hope that we can succeed in some big tender where we get to the final round. We are currently careful optimists.

Will you mainly focus on residential projects?

OH: There is generally a shortage of apartments. Apart from the large complexes, there are many smaller items whereby the city structure is being completed by construction in gap sites, some buildings are being demolished, others built… all this has always been here and always will be here. The question is what housing quality is to be like. Many developers first have an analysis done and only then do they make decisions. I don’t think we have to worry that we wouldn’t have work in residential projects, providing nothing fundamental occurs.

Your projects don’t only apply to Prague…

OH: Zlín proves that. We also have some smaller projects outside Prague and in Slovakia but not a large project like the project of Bratislava airport as we did in the past.

The CASUA studio is involved in a number of foundations and professional organizations. You also often take part in trade fairs and not only in the Czech Republic…

OH: In 2007, we received an offer to become a member of the Equator Europe Architects network, which included some 13 studios from 13 countries. We accepted that offer. We saw sense in that co-operation; one of the main moments is the fact that we participate in trade fairs, for instance MIPIM in Cannes, together. We are basically the only Czech studio with our own – though small – stand. The 2008 crisis naturally saw a depletion of companies from Western Europe so some studios don’t exist anymore or have withdrawn. This resulted in the reduced size of Equator. Now, it is mainly dominated by Scandinavian countries and us. Surprisingly, all countries that play hockey – with headquarters in Stockholm. What is interesting is the fact that Swedish Equator Stockholm is a member of the Swedish Green Building Council, ie. a recognized leading institute in the world of permanent sustainability – and we have the opportunity to draw on the latest knowledge from them. The fact that local developers are not that interested in such knowledge, or at least making it seem like that, is another issue. Nevertheless, this gives us access to very valuable information. We are also a member of the Czech Green Building Council and the Czech-Israeli Mutual Chamber of Commerce. When looking for an opportunity as to how to contribute to charitable purposes, we picked what attracted our attention – the Arnošt Lustig Award for courage, bravery, humanity and justice. The condition allowing for the support of this award was the entry to the Czech-Israeli Mutual Chamber of Commerce where we found that it works very well and that members include many skilful people and is also interesting for us from a business point of view. Which means everything fits in nicely.

Arnošt Wagner / Photo: Casua archive

The Czech development group CRESTYL is one of the market leaders in building multi-purpose projects – residential, commercial and office real estate.

We spoke with Viktor Peška, Chief Commercial Officer at Crestyl, not only about how a successful developer is doing in these turbulent times but how much the real estate market has changed in 2020.

We meet at a time where people plan and life changes. At a time that mainly encourages one to balance things. What were your plans and expectations for Crestyl in 2020?

With regards to the fact that our business is built on three pillars, this issue needs to be addressed on three levels. From the perspective of the residential market, we planned to develop one already running project and commence the construction of two new projects. We planned to sell the remaining units at the Berounská Brána and Marina Boulevard projects. In the segment of lease of office space, we planned to complete the lease of the remaining premises in the DOCK IN FOUR building and start construction of the last stage in the DOCK IN complex – the DOCK IN FIVE building. As for retail projects, our plans were clearly focused on the successful pre-lease and lease of retail units in the NR7 and Savarin projects and in the Dornych project in Brno.

That sounds like a lot of work and investment. To what extent do your plans meet with reality?

In the residential segment, we initially experienced a temporary slowdown, but it really only shortly overawed us. Demand soon returned, but we suspected a change in clients’ priorities. The project in Vysoký Újezd, where we offer houses with gardens and plots, is experiencing a boom and there is also interest in luxury real estate in the Šárecký dvůr and Marina Boulevard projects; in both cases we are talking about apartments with larger layouts. This part of our activities went very well. I must admit that at the end of the summer, we reached sales numbers as planned and expected. What, however, slowed us down was the more complex financing negotiations. Discussions with banks are longer and more complicated. This factor is also reflected in the other two segments. With regards to the construction of offices, we were forced to postpone the start of construction of DOCK IN FIVE by several months due to Covid-19. The interest in administrative premises is generally smaller, but there is still great interest in new offices in DOCK IN. But the retail market shuffled its cards quite significantly. Despite all unforeseen events, we managed to complete the sale of the Central Kladno shopping centre, which is an incredible success. It should be noted that negotiations began before the coronavirus crisis and ended successfully after the first wave.

You mentioned that there is still a lot of interest in the DOCK IN FIVE project. What is its added value at a time when office rental costs are more of a burden for employers?

Its biggest advantage is, undoubtedly, the fact that construction is at the very end. The project is almost completed and apart from the infrastructure of shops and services, the DOCK IN location also provides a park and facilities for sports activities. The second important argument that plays into our hands is the dispositions. As one of the few, we are able to offer large areas on one floor. We are talking about A class offices, with the offer of which we target large and corporate companies.

What are your expectations in the coming months?

In months to come, we expect a certain slowdown in negotiations and agreements, as well as a growing interest in both luxury real estate and land.

Will you offer any new services or a new type of business in connection with this?

For us, the business model basically remains unchanged. We don’t belong amongst those developers who would minimize space and maximize profits. We have always had 10–15% larger apartments and higher standards. We believe that people will continue to demand larger apartments with terraces and/or gardens. In our case, it is not about adaptation to the situation or trend, but one of our main principles, with which we work on projects quite naturally. Worth mentioning is also the fact that after the successful and speedy sale of 32 family houses in Vysoký Újezd, we are launching a follow-up project with 54 spacious family houses and bungalows. As for the business and office unit projects, we look at developments over a longer period of four to five years. And we believe that at that time we will live completely normally again, without any major restrictions.

We talked about the residential and administrative markets, so, let’s move on to retail units. You are ahead of construction of, in many ways, truly exceptional and at the same time investment-intensive projects. What are the prospects?

The market will change considerably, not only next year, but especially within the horizon of the next few years. Standard sales will move more to online platforms and customers will expect much more from brick and mortar stores. Good traders will be forced to offer not only goods and services. It will be a game with emotions of experience and fun. We assume that stores will primarily turn into showrooms or concept stores and will perform a different function than before. This change will, of course, also affect the so far exclusive online retailers who will want to build a physical presence. The store will not serve a priori as a place where people leave with shopping bags. It will also serve as an exhibition and presentation of brands and companies. Having such premises will be a matter of prestige. The second trend that can be expected will be the emergence of multi-brand stores. Multi-branded retailers that still sell through separate retail units will more often go for a multi-brand showroom where they would sell more brands in one place, under a single identity. We, as a retail developer, must meet them halfway and build not shopping, but multi-purpose community centres, where a clearly defined purpose, public space and curation is to play a crucial role in shaping the destination. There will always be a very limited number of such places, and therefore will always be of interest among traders and tenants.

As a leader in the real estate market, you don’t need to worry about talking openly about opportunities these times offer…

What is being discussed a lot is the development of residential projects for rent. West of the Czech Republic, this form of business works quite well. It certainly has interesting potential in our country but we are not considering this business model in the near future. We still see real possibilities in multifunctional projects, which offer housing and premises for work and relaxation in one place. This helps the developer to increase the level and quality in a particular place much more as he is be able to invest in the surrounding infrastructure in co-operation with local administration and associations. As for the administrative and retail segments, emphasis will be put on the construction level, gadgets and technologies that were previously considered ‘nice to have’. Now they will become a matter of course.

Is there anything you would like to wish the development market and developers for 2021?

I wish everyone a more transparent future. At least to the extent where we can plan with more accuracy and security. This also applies to the building law and regulations.

PR