We are proposing a nine-story apartment building for one of the last vacant lots in Karlín, created as a result of the once-in-a-millennium flood. The lot is situated on Karlín’s main boulevard, which—like the entire neighborhood—has undergone a fundamental architectural and social transformation over the past two decades. The proposed building’s design thus reflects the rich history of this formerly industrial neighborhood.

The volumetric concept draws both on the historical parceling of the vacant lot being developed and on the irregular height arrangement of the cornice lines typical of Karlín. The building is thus visually divided into two volumes that respect the original division of the lot: a taller, narrower one with nine above-ground stories and a lower, wider one with eight stories. The street-facing façade is clad in ceramic tiles in two shades, which further accentuates the visual division and references the traditional materials of industrial buildings, which have nearly disappeared from the area due to massive development. A projecting system of aluminum louvers on the left side of the facade hints at the contours of the historic building that once stood on the lot, thus evoking the original scale and spirit of the place. The ceramic cladding transitions seamlessly from the vertical facade to the roof plane, allowing the building to maintain a contemporary appearance while respecting its historical context.

The building’s interior layout is typical of today’s urban apartment buildings. The three underground levels house parking, the building’s technical facilities, and residential storage units. The ground floor features two commercial units designed for use as a restaurant or bistro, as well as the entrance hall leading to the individual apartments on the upper floors. Forty-eight apartments ranging in layout from 1+kk to 4+1 are located on the second through ninth above-ground floors. Most 2+kk apartments and larger units have their own loggia or terrace accessible from both the living room and the bedroom. These outdoor spaces face south toward Sokolovská Street. Premium apartments with larger layouts and fully glazed living spaces are located on the upper floors of the building. Their spacious terraces offer views of the green Vítkov Hill and the rooftops of Karlín.

The thoughtfulness of the entire project and the attention paid to even the smallest details are further evidenced by the fact that we are constructing a building with forty-eight apartments at Sokolovská 48.