Panelárna

The Prefa Holešovice precast concrete plant was established in 1961 on the site of a former settlement and, in its day, was an honest, solid and straightforward production plant with its own concrete mixing plant, reinforcement shop and wharf. In 1965 the complex was extended with the SAC building, which housed administrative and staff facilities. After production ended in 2013 as a result of the economic crisis and changes to the surrounding infrastructure, the building fell into disrepair for many years, changed owners several times and even faced demolition. In 2023 we took on this inhospitable yet highly promising building in order to restore its industrial elegance and functional purpose.

Our aim was to strip the building of layers of piecemeal alterations and restore its original rationality, transparency and logic. We have kept the exterior almost in its original form, but unified the colour scheme to bring out the composition of the white horizontal base against the blue office tower. Towards the river and at street level, we bring in light through generous glazing and new window openings set into the massive concrete walls. Rather than acting as a closed fortress, the building thus communicates naturally with the river and the dynamic setting of Holešovice.

From the outset, the SAC building fascinated us with its structural honesty and engineering boldness. The administrative tower is characterised by a nine-bay steel frame suspended from a grillage and an inventively cantilevered mono-pitch roof. During construction we had to carefully address the remediation of the foundations and demanding structural interventions in the reinforced concrete walls, opening up large apertures with the help of steel beams and carbon fibre strips. A unique discovery was the original coffered ceiling in the main hall, which had previously been hidden above a suspended ceiling and, now restored, defines the space with its pure geometry.

The heart of our studio is the former staff canteen – a generous space with a high ceiling, large skylights and exposed lightweight lattice trusses. The open hall encourages communication, the sharing of ideas and teamwork across the whole studio. In the interior design we apply a deliberate contrast: we leave the original building in its raw state, with exposed services and bare concrete, while inserting new elements with technological precision. A distinctive motif is translucent polycarbonate, which, combined with timber, softens the cold industrial materials and forms, for example, the light wall of the new staircase, which glows into the surroundings like a lighthouse in the evening.

Designing our own workplace was an exceptional experience for us, with every decision grounded in the real needs of the team – from model-making and focused work to informal meetings. The place has a strong metropolitan and romantic character at the same time. The proximity of the river, passing trains, cyclists and the bustle of the city create a unique genius loci that naturally inspires our studio in its everyday work.