The Catalan urban designer and architect Ricardo Bofill announced in Prague his participation in several urban projects in the VIII district of the Czech capital, where he intends to build an emblematic area that would emphasize the leading role of the river Moldava which flows through this city of central Europe.
“The cities that really exist are either by the sea, or are crossed by rivers. If not, they simply do not exist” the world-wide famous architect from Barcelona explained today while presenting his project Corso II in the former industrial quarter of Karlin, adjacent to the river Moldava.
According to Bofill’s opinion this affluent of the Elba “must become the city’s spinal column within 20 or 30 years”.
The major of Prague, Josef Nosek, has planned the regeneration and transformation of the industrial zone with different housing projects and office buildings as well as retail and leisure space together with the collaboration of international investors. “I like industry. I like chimneys mixed with high buildings” pointed out Bofill who lives and works in a rehabilitated old cement factory.
For Ricardo Bofill it is also important “to have the historic memory of Karlin’s past industrial features that emerge in his office buildings”
The Project Corso II includes 47.00 square meters of office space, between the Vitkov hill and the river, with a first phase of 14.000 square meters with an investment of 17.5 million euros that will be inaugurated in 2008.
23.01.07 - EFE | La Vanguardia
"
