retail and office development

The first mention of a house on this site dates back to the mid 14th century. Božena Němcová lived in the house called ´At three lindens´ (there is a bronze bust of B. Němcová by B. Neužil from 1932 on the front). B. Bendelmayer was awarded first prize in a competition for a bank in 1922. The construction phase 1 ended in 1923, and the project was later altered to a cheaper version constructed by V. Nekvasil Co. Interiors were refurbished in 1947, 1961, and 1971 (offices in the attic). The bank palace is situated on an oblong corner site; it has four stories with the fifth stepping back only in the part facing Na Příkopě. The building has two basements. Its layout is divided into two blocks. The frame is reinforced concrete combined with brick masonry. The monumental front follows seven axes to Na Příkopě; there are three entrances to the building on the ground floor (one ATM is installed instead of one door) positioned on the front’s central axes; the ground floor is clad with sandstone veneer from the Bohdanec quarry. There are three allegory sculptures of crafts by Jaroslav Krepčík on the 1st-floor level; there are stone balconies in front of windows on the 2nd floor. The part of the forefront defined by the four central window axes is stepped back on the 1st – 3rd-floor level; it is divided by a Giant Order of four pentagonal pilasters. A cornice featuring sculptures of girl's faces separates the fourth floor from the part below; the added mansard story follows nine axes. The hipped roof has copper roofing. Due to its length, the side front to Panská was architecturally split into two halves. The right one has eleven axes on the ground floor and twelve axes on the upper floors; its vertical articulation follows the main front by the character and monumentality. The left part has nine axes with continuous cornices above and below windows.* The front building is rather elegant. The entrance lobby with a stately two-flight staircase directly opens to the bank hall. The hall is in the inner courtyard; its interior soffit is coffered, made of frosted glass and stainless steel. A part of the staircase to the basement was closed to the public due to operation needs. The back building with a service yard also has two basements; six aboveground stories are on the same level as in the front building just an upper ground floor is inserted in dividing the high ground floor. The roof ridge is thus of the same height. There are the lift penthouses, original and new ventilation technology and a gas fuelled heating plant on the roof. There is a car entry to the back building’s courtyard from Panská. A service lift with a steel shaft is attached to the outer wall in the courtyard. Furthermore, there is a three-flight staircase with a built-in lift and one paternoster lift in this part of the building. There are a canteen and storages in the basements. Modernization The modernization is planned to renovate the original building (to Na Příkopě), partly adapt its layouts for offices on the floors and in the attic, and for retail on the ground floor and the lower ground floor. A new three-storied extension solely intended for offices will be build to the south-west wing adjacent to Černá růže (palace). The Bldg. B will be torn down leaving only its facades intact, and a new structure will be erected for commercial purposes providing sufficient clearance for its rooms. The new building will reach the height of the building A’s ridge. Technology, services, and lifts will be entirely new. Facades The project preserves the street facades including the elevation of the crown cornice, dormers, and the ridge. The retained windows will be restored and re-fixed. Stone façade elements will be professionally restored too. Modifications will be done to the part of the ground floor where the main entrance will be adjusted to the new function – the stone portico and the revolving door will be removed. Window openings will be extended down to the floor on the ground floor. The existing metal grates will be removed – room for display windows will be arranged this way establishing the appropriate atmosphere in the main entrance. The current window will be converted into a new entrance for the office part from Panská. The width of the existing car entry from Panská is currently unsatisfactory; a new supply entry and a separate car entry into the underground garage has thus to be built. Both will be integrated into the existing display windows in Panská. Also, new staff entrances will be incorporated into the department store and the garage, and visitor emergency exits. They will be included in the existing display windows or the solid façade clad in stone veneer. The new façade of the extension to Panská and Na Příkopě is designed as fully glazed. Function The modernization will bring in a new function to the building. The former bank will serve two primary purposes – retail and offices; operation and functioning will be maintained by technical facilities in the basements; staff and visitor parking will be in the underground garage. Retail areas will take the greater part of the area. The main entrance will be established from the existing one from Na Příkopě as the entry areas will be opened as much as possible, made lighter, and cleared of partitioning. They will be connected to the historic central staircase and the existing bank counter hall. The two-storied hall, roofed by the original steel-glass skylight will become the central retail area. Escalators ascending to the lower ground floor (1st basement) and up to the first floor will be installed in the rear part of the hall. Visitors to the department store will be allowed to use the historic staircase to visit the gallery and the first floor. The lower ground floor retains the vestibule and the safe vault door. This door will be removed and replaced by columns to make the space unobstructed. The major part of the shop will be situated in the place of the former bldg. B that will be completely razed down save for the façade and a new building will be erected here. The construction pit will be deepened down to the elevation -16.000 m. The basement will consist of an underground garage in the 2nd and 3rd subfloor (in fact 3rd and 4th basement), technical facilities in the 1st basement (in fact 2nd basement), supply areas on the ground floor, a storage room, and a staff canteen on the 5th floor. The remaining areas on the lower ground floor (in fact 1st basement) and aboveground floors (ground floor – 5th floor) will be a shop. The sale area will be connected by escalators positioned in the layout’s centre, a pair of client lifts on the northeast border of the land adjacent to Černá růže, a supply lift in the south corner, and two escape staircases with an evacuation lift at the facade to Panská. A separate entrance with a new reception from Panská will be provided for the offices. A pair of lifts and a new staircase exclusively allocated for the offices will be accessed from the reception (except for the case of fire). The original organisation of offices including architecturally very valued elements in the wing to Na Příkopě will be preserved. The part containing sanitary facilities will be extended and modernised; the existing lifts will be removed and their shafts used for building equipment. The attic will be converted into new offices. The longitudinal wings along the existing inner courtyard will be open plan with separate sanitary units. The arrangement of restrooms will allow for dividing one floor among three different tenants. An extension solely reserved for offices will be added onto the south-west wing adjoining to Černá růže. Parking – an underground garage for 64 cars will be situated in the 2nd and 3rd basement (in fact 3rd and 4th basement) fitted with a pair of car lifts. The garage will be connected to the ground floor by two evacuation staircases with a lift, with a direct exit to Panská.