People can say goodbye to CAMP through a special public program

Throughout June, the Emauzy complex is coming alive with Construction Approved, a public program marking the end of an era. Visitors can take part in upcycling workshops and explore a series of site-specific artistic interventions. Fifteen artists and creative figures, including Vladimir 518, TIMO, Lenka Tyrpeklová and Krištof Kintera, have collaborated on an exhibition that will culminate on 25 June with a large-scale Closing Party featuring a music program, food and drinks, and a light installation. It is the last opportunity for the next three years to visit the Prager Cubes. The new CAMP will open in autumn at a former boat repair workshop in Karlín, at Pobřežní 20a.

The reconstruction will be circular

An inventory of the interior furnishings is currently underway. Some items are being moved to the IPR’s temporary headquarters in Holešovice. Anything that doesn’t fit or won’t be used, the IPR is offering to municipal institutions, nonprofit organizations, and subsequently to the public. They are interested, for example, in tables, cabinets, refrigerators, and sofas.

“The buildings will be left with bare walls and empty rooms. The elements will then be dismantled. This means that no one will come in with a hammer and tear down the building’s interior; instead, everything will be carefully dismantled piece by piece so that it can be reused if possible,” says Ondřej Boháč, director of the Prague Institute of Planning and Development. This is the first circular renovation project carried out by a public contracting authority.

The work will proceed according to a pre-renovation audit prepared by the Czech Technical University in Prague (ČVUT), which maps out the possibilities for recycling and reusing building materials such as steel components, concrete, bricks, and glass. It also determines how much of each material can be recycled and what savings this may generate. The materials will therefore be gradually and carefully dismantled, sorted, and prepared for reuse. In both phases of the circular process, IPR is collaborating with Cyrkl, a company with prior experience in this approach.

“The goal of circular renovation isn’t just to minimize waste. We strive to keep as many materials and fixtures in circulation as possible and find new uses for them. Every table, door, or building component that doesn’t need to be replaced with a new product represents savings in raw materials, energy, and emissions. At Cyrkl, we focus precisely on such practical solutions—we connect data, knowledge of material flows, and partners who can give materials a second life,” explains Martina Škvorová of Cyrkl.

The Cubes will return closer to their intended form

The original vision of architects Karel Prager and Jiří Kadeřábek for Emauzy included not only modern offices and an exhibition hall, but also publicly accessible terraces and greater openness to the city and its residents. A sensitive yet extensive renovation is necessary; this significant modernist complex has not undergone any major repairs since its completion in 1975. The building’s current condition does not meet contemporary requirements for energy efficiency, fire safety, hygiene standards, or technical equipment. The project also includes a complete renovation of the building’s exterior and the modernization of its systems, with plans to preserve architecturally valuable elements such as the original wall and floor tiles, light fixtures, and door handles. The renovation will take three years and is expected to cost CZK 1.4 billion. Most of the funding will be provided by Prague City Hall. Representatives of companies PORR and Metrostav DIZ, along with the director of IPR, signed the renovation contract last summer.