On the roofs of the Křižík pavilions in Prague, green living spaces will be created
Prague – On the roofs of the Křižík pavilions at Prague’s Výstaviště, green living spaces will be created. The areas will be freely accessible to people after the roof is repaired, and the possibility of sitting will also complement the offer of refreshments. The costs of changing the roofs and renovating the metal towers and buffets on pedestrian areas will amount to approximately 100 million crowns. The new green spaces should open to visitors in the first half of 2023. This was told to journalists today by Deputy Mayor of Prague Pavel Vyhnánek (Praha Sobě) and Chairman of the Board of Directors of Výstaviště Praha Tomáš Hübl.
“The roofs (of the Křižík pavilions) have a huge potential, which has not yet been partially used. It was such a heat island. The goal of this reconstruction is to transform the space on the green island in the middle of the Exhibition Center, where it will be a place for spending free time.” said the deputy who is in charge of the revitalization of the Exhibition Centre.
The workers on the roofs of the buildings will first remove the existing concrete tiles, which will then replace the wooden elements and plants, insulate and insulate the roof. Rooftop cafeterias and towers with a metal structure will also undergo revitalization. The living spaces on the roofs were created according to the project specifications prepared by the architects of the company Výstaviště Praha. According to the chairman of the company, a contractor is now being sought. According to Vyhnánek, who is in charge of the finances of the metropolis, the budget for these works is about 100 million crowns in total. Cultural and social events will be held in the pavilions even during the revitalization of the buildings’ roofs.
The revitalization of the roofs of the pavilions and the creation of residential zones on them follows on from the reconstruction of the Křižík pavilions. Prague began to repair these in 2020. The first was the repair of Pavilion D, which was opened last year after reconstruction. During May 2021, the gradual reconstruction of the remaining three pavilions began. Work on pavilions B and C has now been completed and the buildings have been approved. The builders have newly laid the electricity distribution in the pavilions, and the heating and air conditioning are also new. The last of the four pavilions, pavilion D, will be repaired at the turn of autumn and winter of this year, according to Hübl. The cost of the reconstruction of the pavilions was about 190 million crowns without VAT.
Křižík’s pavilions were built in the lower park part of the area according to the project of architect Michal Brix in 1991 on the occasion of the General Czechoslovak Exhibition. The pavilions have a simple white-painted steel structure and are glazed around the perimeter. Building B and E have an area of 1,900 square meters, the area of central pavilions C and D is 844 square meters.
The owner of Výstaviště is the Prague municipality, the area is managed by the city-owned company Výstaviště Praha. It leases the premises from Prague and pays rent to the city for the use of the premises. Many of the buildings on the campus are now undergoing renovation. The work is financed by the municipality from its budget. At present, workers are rebuilding the Bohemia restaurant building in the representative hall for about 110.8 million crowns and repairing the Spirála theater for about 200 million crowns, which has not been functioning since the flood in 2002. In February, the reconstruction of the Industrial Palace and the completion of its burned-out wing began. One of the current largest investments in Prague should cost 2.64 billion crowns and should be completed in 2025.