Revoluční 30

Since the 1940s, when the Elisabeth’s Baths disappeared from Prague’s map, the corner plot on Revoluční Avenue has been the subject of lively architectural debates. Originally part of a row of townhouses, this site was transformed into a prominent location that frames the view of the historical city center when approached from Štefánik Bridge. In 2023, an international architectural competition was announced for this location, reopening the question – after more than eighty years – of how to address this key gateway to the city and how to conceive a “city gate” in the 21st century. Our proposal, developed in collaboration with the Paris-based Studio Muoto, was awarded the first place in the competition and is now undergoing the phase of negotiation.

One of the key inspirations was the Prague tradition of passageways, embodied here in the form of a “flying house.” The main volume is raised above ground level, creating a covered public walkway – a passage that connects the surroundings of the New Mill Water Tower and the courtyard of a baroque house with the historic apartment buildings on Revoluční Street. Almost the entire ground floor level thus comes to life, opening itself to social and cultural activities and bringing new energy to this once-forgotten corner.

The building’s height and orientation respond to the surrounding urban fabric, reinforcing the asymmetrical character of the bridge’s foreground. The corner tower serves as a vertical accent, entering into dialogue with the New Mill Water Tower, the tower of the Church of St. Clement, and the distant skyline of the Old Town. Instead of simply mirroring the silhouette of the opposite Fragner’s Merkur Palace, the building subtly steps back, highlighting the authenticity of the site and integrating the original structures into Prague’s contemporary layer.

The primary function of the proposal is housing, reintroducing everyday city life back to the tourist-dominated center. A flexible layout allows for a variety of apartment configurations – from cozy smaller units to spacious residences. The overall minimalist approach to materials and architectural expression accentuates the site’s main feature: its unique views of the Vltava River and the green panorama of the Letná Plain.

Revoluční 30 thus becomes a confident contemporary layer of the city. It subtly complements the Prague’s skyline, accentuates the plasticity of the historic architecture, and underscores the importance of Prague’s passageways. Ultimately, it shows that even in the 21st century, a “city gate” can be shaped sensitively, respecting the genius loci while introducing a new perspective to the panorama of the historic centre.

Revoluční 30

credits

project: Revoluční 30
location: Prague
year: 2023–
status: competition, 1st place, the finalization of the study in progress
together with: Studio Muoto
team: Gilles Delalex, Yves Moreau, Daniel Struhařík,
Georgi Dimitrov, Jean Haffner, Quentin Moranne, Ondřej Válek,
Jan Urbášek, Natálie Hodková, Jakub Čevela, Václav Centner,
Ondřej Machač, Vojtěch Heralecký, Paulína Závacká
client: RSJ Investments
engineers: AED project, RECOC
images: Olivier Campagne, willbe studio
web of the project: www.revolucni30.cz
topics: public passage, city gate, apartment building,
flying house, new building in the historical centre, working with model,
public space

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