A holistic solution for the modern city

Sustainability of the city

A strong green footprint

Green areas

The structure of the space is undergoing a transformation, in which the proportion of unpaved green areas will increase significantly, including the roofs and the facades of new buildings, where greenery is used as part of the architecture. We will also add grown urban greenery, which is newly incorporated into the “blue-green infrastructure” system. In the public space alone, there will be 43 trees, such as lime or maple trees, and in the hotel garden there will be additional fruit trees evoking the traditional Czech orchard. There will also be more than 500 m² of grassy areas in the form of two park zones. In addition, we are committed to the long-term care of all greenery, including that in the public space.

THE PROJECT: Green roofs, Public park zones, Hotel gardens and terraces, New and extended alleys, Vertical green walls, Trees, bushes, grass

The new and the original

We introduce new elements, but we also respect the original ones that serve the whole. The inaccessible concrete block occupying over a fifth of the area of Miloš Forman Square is not an ornamental flower bed but an operational technical part of the hotel building. It is the roof of the garage through which the air conditioning is routed. There were nine apple trees on it. In order to prevent them from being damaged during the construction works, we had them professionally moved to a horticultural nursery where they will be taken care of and returned to the area once the work has been completed.

“Staroměstská brána (The Old Town Gate) constitutes a comprehensive urbanist solution where each element fulfils its role so that the project as a whole contributes to improve the microclimate, be it by reducing heat emissions, increasing the share of unpaved areas, slowing down evaporation or retaining water in the area and using it for irrigation.“

Not a drop wasted

The water cycle

A system for the consistent retention of rainwater in a network of basins and channels for irrigation, or “water harvesting”, will play an important role in the site system. In addition, water features such as fountains, ponds and riprap walls will be installed. All of this, in conjunction with the greenery, will contribute to better conditions for water retention, reduction of evaporation and the overall reduction of temperatures and increased comfort in the relevant parts of the area.

Blue-Green Infrastructure Pilot Project

Blue-green infrastructure is a network of elements designed to address urban and climate issues in modern cities. It includes water elements to capture rainwater or purify it, and together with green elements it can reduce air pollution, save energy, improve the microclimate, or reduce overheating of the area.

The extent of these elements in the Old Town Gate project is exceptional. At the moment we are in contact with experts, academia and the Institute of Planning and Development of the City of Prague and we hope that the project can become the basis for the creation of good practice that will be spread further.

0 m²

of space

0 new trees

in alleys and parks

0 park areas

for relaxation

Managing energy use

Technological innovation

The level of operational and technical equipment of the complex will in many respects exceed the current requirements for energy efficiency, minimization of fossil fuel consumption, sustainability, and cost-effectiveness. The project is in line with the Paris Agreement on the long-term reduction of greenhouse gases to combat global warming. The whole approach and the extent of the modifications required is unique in the context of the renovation of a historic building in the Czech Republic.

Geothermal energy

Conventional sources of heating and cooling will be replaced by geothermal energy in the form of an array of boreholes with a cascade of heat pumps. At the same time, all technological and operational units generating large amounts of heat will be operated in a heat recovery mode. This applies not only to the commonly used heat recuperation in air conditioning, but also, for example, to the recovery of heat from domestic water.

Reconstruction of the hotel

The hotel building itself is undergoing a thorough reconstruction, during which the parameters of the building are significantly improved. Virtually all of the building envelopes and roofs have been replaced with new ones, while maintaining the building’s unmistakable brutalist architecture.