Benthem Crouwel win with design including a large public park

Benthem Crouwel has won the competition to design a new residential development in Prague, a plan they presented together with local architecture firm RA15. The contest attracted 160 entries, with 44 selected for the subsequent stage and five competing in the final round. Given that the competition was organized by Penta Real Estate, whose slogan is “creating better spaces”, the jury was particularly impressed with Benthem Crouwel’s  proposal to integrate a large, publicly accessible park within the scheme.

The new residential complex will be located in the Nádraží Žižkov area, on a plot which takes up a unique space situated between a former freight station with abandoned train tracks, and a more urban and lively cityscape. The winning design places two curved apartment complexes on the edges of the plot, releasing a large central space that will be used to create the public park.

The apartment blocks consist of modular units in order to establish an interesting landscape of facades, identifying each dwelling as a private, independent home. From the urban impact of the highest façade, to the more personal and lively atmosphere of the small shops near the north entrance, the complex has many facets while still appearing as a unified development.

The modular efficiency and straightforward design principle also makes it possible to create a variety of apartments in different sizes, accommodating the brief to cover a large spectrum of potential residents. The developers hope to provide residents with the best of both city and nature, offering functional apartments with optimal access to urban amenities, privacy within a community, and a welcoming green park on their doorsteps.

Lucy Nordberg
TenderStream Head of Research

This competition was first published by TenderStream on 21.02.2019 here

Start your free trial here or email our team directly at customerservices@tenderstream.com