Status: Competition
Client: Prague CBD2

The Concept for the submission stems from the River Vltava and in particular the tone poem by Bedrick Smetana Ma Vlast. The famous river and piece of music describes a moment that gave inspiration when designing for the site.

The river starts as a small singular stream in the forests of South Bohemia, gradually gaining strength and confluence. It meanders at first, then finds a steady path, connecting people and nature, providing rhythm and life at every turn. As Smetana describes wonderfully in his music, there is incredible beauty and purity that can then gain complexity and depth. From stillness in the forest to the movement of humanity enlivening its banks.

The concept for Florenc 21 is to create a building whose rhythm stems from this idea of unity from the singular to the whole. From a single stream to the celebration life's unique tapestry.

The building arises out of a forest of setback sculptural precast concrete columns that reach upwards to hold a canopy of structural timber - potentially made just over 100 kms away from the site, celebrating Czechia’s newfound technological power in this industry. The loggia created by this framework will provide opportunities for future residents to animate and personalise the façade of their apartments bringing a humane element to the unity of form.

The proposal seeks to create a framework for life and a building whose uniqueness constantly evolves and is expressed by its inhabitants.