The Prague City Hall drafted a renovation plan as early as 2018. In recent years, the IPR has supplemented it with several expert studies that have helped minimize potentially insensitive alterations to the original architecture. Although the Emauzy buildings by Karel Prager who, among other things, also designed the more famous New Stage of the National Theater and the Federal Assembly (the new building of the National Museum) are not listed as historic monuments, they deserve the utmost sensitivity. Moreover, the completed structure itself was never completed as the architect had envisioned. The IPR has therefore long sought to bring the space closer to his original ideas. Most recently, for example, by locating the CAMP spaces exactly where the exhibition hall was supposed to be according to Prager’s vision.

The buildings owned by the city will now undergo a long-awaited comprehensive renovation. A major restoration of the steel structure will allow the three buildings to continue to rise above the green garden in close proximity to the Emmaus Monastery. For the first time in 50 years, the lightweight exterior cladding will be completely replaced with a faithful replica of the original. The new exterior cladding and the replacement of systems particularly heating, cooling, and ventilation will ensure a reduction in the buildings’ energy consumption. The spatial layout of the offices reinterprets Prager’s original conceptual principles and creates a transparent, contemporary work environment. The renovation of the entire complex also includes the revitalization of the open spaces between the individual buildings, where a park with a magnificent view of the city will be created. The CAMP spaces will extend across the entire base and will be accessible through the atrium. The planned renovation is the culmination of the IPR’s long-standing efforts to make the complex accessible to the public. Two years ago, the institute removed the gates at the entrance to CAMP, added lounge chairs to the lawns, and regularly invites visitors to tour the complex, for example as part of Architecture Day, Open House Prague, or the Architecture Center’s special summer program.

The supporting documents serve as the terms of reference for selecting a contractor. The author of the renovation concept is Professor Miloslav Pavlík, a collaborator of Karel Prager. The restoration of the building envelope and technologies was handled by a team of experts from the Czech Technical University (ČVUT). The spatial layout was designed by the IXA studio, while the landscape design of the grounds was handled by the Land05 studio. The contractor for the renovation will be selected through a tender currently being prepared, and collaboration on subsequent project phases will take the form of a design-build contract.

The total cost of the renovation is estimated at 955 million CZK, representing a savings of more than 250 million CZK compared to the original project.