ČPZP Administrative Building

Vítkovice is a place of remarkable contrast between historical heritage and industrial essence, shaped by the turbulent development of the 19th and 20th centuries. The proposed extension of the Czech Industrial Health Insurance Company headquarters enters this vibrant collage as a simple yet sophisticated building, bringing a new contemporary layer into the existing fabric. In doing so, it respectfully develops the unforgettable character of its immediate surroundings while interpreting the site’s past in a contemporary manner.

The primary requirement was to expand the administrative capacity. However, the project transforms this into a broader concept that redefines the structure of the entire site and adds a new dimension to it. Rather than simply adding office space, it therefore proposes a sophisticated system of interconnection with the existing historicizing buildings of the insurance company, while introducing a modern expression in harmony with Vítkovice’s remarkable architectural legacy.

The central idea of the project is to link the two blind gables of the existing buildings into a single unit, thus creating a new garden space. This approach not only responds urbanistically to the adjacent U-Haus, but also establishes an “inverted landmark” – an extension of Zalužanského Street into a generous urban garden serving the needs of the insurance company. Thus, at the interface between the existing development and the new extension, a significant interior and exterior infusion occurs, enriching urban life and opening up new opportunities for gathering, relaxation and informal interaction.

The interiors of the new extension are designed with an emphasis on flexibility and responsiveness to the long-term user needs. Each floor combines a traditional office wing with variable circulation areas intended for informal meetings or private work, while offering views of both the garden and the courtyard of the existing development. Thanks to flexible floor plans, layouts can be easily adapted to meet evolving operational requirements without compromising the aesthetics or functionality of the whole.

This administrative extension thus brings a subtle yet distinctive feature of contemporary industrial heritage interpretation to Vítkovice. It elegantly complements the urban fabric, reinforces the communal dimension of the site, and emphasises the symbiosis of old and new. Operational adaptability, functional connections with the existing buildings, and the release of space for green planting contribute to the creation of a quality working environment and the longevity of the building. The result is the lasting value that the project brings to the environment of Ostrava’s historic district.

Insurance Company

credits

project: ČPZP Administrative Building
location: Ostrava-Vítkovice
year: 2024
status: competition, shared 1st place
together with: Studio Muoto, tamti architekti
team: Yves Moreau, Daniel Struhařík, Gilles Delalex,
Jakub Čevela, Jean Haffner, Ondřej Machač, Adam
Dvořák, Natálie Hodková, Tereza Čamborová,
Radek Zabloudil
client: Czech Industrial Health Insurance Company
images: Studio Muoto
topics: campus interconnection, building as a bridge,
public garden, inverted landmark, office building,
extension to a historicizing building, working with model

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