The building of the former barracks today, due to its size and typological character, looks more like a barrier in the urban structure. Nevertheless, it hides enormous potential – especially thanks to the large, as yet undeveloped areas of the courtyard. However, these spaces are currently only accessible from a few places. The idea of converting the barracks building is therefore based on the idea of opening up its ground floor to the public space and connecting it naturally to the surrounding urban structure.
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Location
- Praha 8
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Project works
- 2024
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Client
- Pražská developerská společnost, p.o.
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Cooperation on projects
- Marek Tichý
- Jana Kulíková
The idea is not to significantly transform the exterior of the building, but rather to bring public life to the building and let it flow through the ground floor. The proposed solution allows for the creation of a new urban street that would run along both sides of the building. Users can thus move freely along Křižíkova Street, enter the open courtyard and from there continue in all directions – towards Vítkova or 1.pluku.
The increase in the residential and functional attractiveness towards the courtyard is supported by the modification of the existing window openings and the conversion of the inner corridor into a semi-open ambit. This creates a typical urban element – a passageway with commercial potential that allows passage through the building and connects the surrounding streets.
The basic task of the study was to design a way of converting the main building to be open to a wide range of uses – from art studios and workshops to offices and start-up spaces. The emphasis was on creating a functional and flexible internal structure: a universal axis of vertical and horizontal circulation to which separate operational units connect. These can be further connected, developed and adapted to specific users as required.
The barracks of Emperor Ferdinand were built between 1845 and 1848, the impetus for their construction reflecting the conditions of warring Europe and the dismal state of the troops, which were recruited en masse from the ranks of the subjects. The generous classical building was designed to accommodate up to two thousand soldiers; beyond strategic national interests, the permanent army garrison was intended to help maintain peace and order in the populous working-class suburb that Karlín had developed into in the less than two decades since its construction.
It was thus a high-profile state contract for which vast tracts of land were bought up. The contract was won and executed by the prominent construction firm of the Klein brothers, who, due to its size, invited another prominent Prague builder, Vojtěch Lanna.
During the time of its use for military accommodation and administrative purposes, the building was used by many units of various arms and services, and with regard to their needs, the building was rebuilt many times, a kitchen, a laundry, a horseshoe factory, and a number of storage areas were added. However, the typology and façades remain consistently classical, with no significant interventions, and the central courtyard area, originally intended for training crews, has been preserved without significant additions.
