The final piece of foil that protected the golden cloak of the new Masaryčka building near Prague’s Masarykovo nádraží was removed on Monday by kecriticalembers of the construction team. The unveiling of Masaryčka was done ceremoniously by co-owner of Penta Investments, Marek Dospiva, and CEO of Penta Real Estate ČR, Petr Palička.
The nine-story building offers offices, restaurants, shops, and services. Some have already opened, while others will move in the following days. After twelve years of permitting processes and construction, the grand finale has arrived. In the future, people can enjoy the view from the green roof, which can be accessed by a separate elevator.
Penta Investments is responsible for transforming the former brownfield in Prague 1. Marek Dospiva, co-founder and co-owner of the Central European investment group, described the facade from Zaha Hadid Architects as exceptional and a work of art. “It cost half a billion Czech crowns and took two and a half years of extensive preparation,” he summarized before stepping onto the scissor lift to remove the foil.
Choosing the suitable gold was indeed a challenge, according to Rudolf Vacek from Penta Real Estate. He admitted that many dead ends often brought the team back to the beginning. In the end, four samples made it to the final round. “We were convinced about one variant when we started testing how it behaved in the rain, in the sun, in different lighting conditions. But we ended up with a completely different design,” he stated. According to him, the design process began in 2019.
The Masaryčka project, the company’s flagship, recently received the Public Award from the Mayor of Prague, Bohuslav Svoboda (ODS), for combining modern architecture with the city’s history. Petr Palička, CEO of Penta Real Estate ČR, sees it as a great satisfaction. The birth of the building was far from easy, with opposition from Prague 1 City Hall and the public.
The construction also brought about a significant renovation of Na Florenci Street, including the addition of nearly seventy hornbeam trees. The final inspection is scheduled for next week. A new square with a playful fountain, seating areas, and tall trees has been created. The renovation of the northern shelter at the entrance to the metro station is complete, and the repair of the second shelter, closer to the train station, will begin next week.
The competition for the roofing of the railway tracks, which will speed up pedestrian connections between the nearby central train station and Florenc, is underway. According to Pavel Streblov from Penta Real Estate, construction could begin in the first or second quarter of next year. The hotel on Hybernská Street is being completed and will welcome its first guests in the first quarter of next year. Changing the zoning plan for additional areas towards the Florenc bus station is underway.