some thoughts..
I've been renting a space in a building owned by the construction company that has the right to develop the area around the building. In Prague 7. Building is called Bubenska 1. This is the same company that is able to knock down historic buildings. I guess a problem (from my view) is that a large company that buys property that is focused on development, has limited skill or interest in running any kind of historic space. Company's spend money only when absolutely necessary, the managers they use in the spaces are not suited to the position. The people at the top of the company seem not able to micro manage simple problems, as they have no expereince. Construction company is better suited to constructions, loans, and selling new spaces.
Situation i was part of. Situation where a problem that could be solved for 300 dollars, would be better solved for 50,000 dollars, as they can claim the insurance on a broken pipe.
Old railway buildings could be creating income from rent for many uses for 5-10 years, yet they sit where they are waiting to be knocked down. Every year getting more and more dangerous and not useable. Plenty of small business's could be using the spaces to run different projects. The flags of the construction company gradually fade next to the historic space.
This style of construction company, has little to no interest in using any historic materials. They can't afford to be caught up in these type of problems, and will do all they can to buy their way out of having to respect what best be respected. So when stuck with historic buildings and no finance to build, what is going to happen?
Thursday, March 12, 2015
Thursday, March 5, 2015
interestingly enough. the web designer that said he would help build the site, he pulled out of it. Yet today, when i bumped into him, he started telling me why i don't look at the development project in place for the land. I explained to him that i'm not a visionary for this area, i just want to simply document the spaces, and just want to document the situation. I don't want to influence the project. I don't feel like being patronized by people that are pro development. I think the other thing is this, these areas are not owned by one person, you might have a man who is a director and large shareholder that owns the company now. Yet he might get the project approved and then sell his share and drop from the board, this can change the whole vision of any project. With the way economic things are these days. A property bubble burst in the UK could spin all companies back into the septic. So this was my email to the major at the start of the year.
You mentioned when we met in the cafe to send you any ideas that might be of interest.
I mentioned to you how the area of Darling Harbor in Sydney was developed into a city area for the people rather than just many apartments for people who could afford them. I like this area as that their are many open spaces with shops and services around for people, Ultimo/ Pyrmont. If you google before and after Darlin Harbor or Pyrmont, you will find many different views of that area. The integrated bridges into walkways, its really a big part of the Sydney experience.
Also, you can see this development here.http://www.citywesthousing.com.au/
This development is interesting, its owned by a commercial company, and in the same area Pyrmont next to darling harbor. As Pyrmont was historically a workers area, the flats were built so that lower middle and higher income earners would live together in the same building. People would show their tax return and would pay 30 percent each month of their income to private housing co-operative. This was an agreement that was made between the state and Lend lease, a large construction company in Australia, as i recall. Maybe Praha 7, could somehow do something similar.
I know that Czech has a totally different way of solving problems, yet maybe their is some sense to it.
I think its important that Praha 7 council do all they can to stop the continued destruction and neglect of old buildings in Praha 7. Just because some buildings were work places for the railways, does not make them any less or more important. Why the technical museum is a new construction, rather than making use of something historical and technical, is strange to me. The Pyrmont area also has http://www.powerhousemuseum.com .
Czech people that have lived in Sydney, will know this area.
I hope these ideas help. I guess you have a lot of work ahead of you, if you want to meet for a coffee to brush up on your English, let me know.
You mentioned when we met in the cafe to send you any ideas that might be of interest.
I mentioned to you how the area of Darling Harbor in Sydney was developed into a city area for the people rather than just many apartments for people who could afford them. I like this area as that their are many open spaces with shops and services around for people, Ultimo/ Pyrmont. If you google before and after Darlin Harbor or Pyrmont, you will find many different views of that area. The integrated bridges into walkways, its really a big part of the Sydney experience.
Also, you can see this development here.http://www.citywesthousing.com.au/
This development is interesting, its owned by a commercial company, and in the same area Pyrmont next to darling harbor. As Pyrmont was historically a workers area, the flats were built so that lower middle and higher income earners would live together in the same building. People would show their tax return and would pay 30 percent each month of their income to private housing co-operative. This was an agreement that was made between the state and Lend lease, a large construction company in Australia, as i recall. Maybe Praha 7, could somehow do something similar.
I know that Czech has a totally different way of solving problems, yet maybe their is some sense to it.
I think its important that Praha 7 council do all they can to stop the continued destruction and neglect of old buildings in Praha 7. Just because some buildings were work places for the railways, does not make them any less or more important. Why the technical museum is a new construction, rather than making use of something historical and technical, is strange to me. The Pyrmont area also has http://www.powerhousemuseum.com .
Czech people that have lived in Sydney, will know this area.
I hope these ideas help. I guess you have a lot of work ahead of you, if you want to meet for a coffee to brush up on your English, let me know.
Monday, February 23, 2015
demolition Prague 7
I'm not really sure how i have got caught up in this issue, yet somehow i am. At the start of the year i sent an email to the new Major of Prague 7, talking about the development of the quarter and looking at how in Sydney, Darling harbor they had fully redeveloped the area, yet somehow something remained of its history and character. Much of the area was owner by CSR, the sugar refinery company, other areas were wharfs for the huge wool export market.
Although Prague 7 has quite a strong council that would like to protect its buildings, as i understand. It looks like once a demolition order has been given the go-ahead its not easy to stop it. Most of Prague 7 was developed in the early 1900's. Its not possible to knock down any art nouveau/ art deco building, in a built up area in Prague, yet as far buildings used for and by the railways it's possible. Buildings built in the 1880's and earlier and used up till quite recently, are in line for demolition. Orco/CPI, owns the land and with it the right to demolish these buildings. The demolition has been put off, mostly due to financial trouble within Orco, as i understand.
From my point of view the situation does not look good. The state has little control over the land, and the company that owns the large track of land, has financial problems. Getting the most flats per square meter is going to most likely be the objective of the development company. My thoughts are that spaces that are this large and not developed, that are in a prime location, the more public space in this zone the better.
So anyway, over time i plan to find out more about what is happening with the buildings and document it here on this blog, then hopefully build a site, so that both foreigner and Czech can understand these buildings better.
Although Prague 7 has quite a strong council that would like to protect its buildings, as i understand. It looks like once a demolition order has been given the go-ahead its not easy to stop it. Most of Prague 7 was developed in the early 1900's. Its not possible to knock down any art nouveau/ art deco building, in a built up area in Prague, yet as far buildings used for and by the railways it's possible. Buildings built in the 1880's and earlier and used up till quite recently, are in line for demolition. Orco/CPI, owns the land and with it the right to demolish these buildings. The demolition has been put off, mostly due to financial trouble within Orco, as i understand.
From my point of view the situation does not look good. The state has little control over the land, and the company that owns the large track of land, has financial problems. Getting the most flats per square meter is going to most likely be the objective of the development company. My thoughts are that spaces that are this large and not developed, that are in a prime location, the more public space in this zone the better.
So anyway, over time i plan to find out more about what is happening with the buildings and document it here on this blog, then hopefully build a site, so that both foreigner and Czech can understand these buildings better.
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