MAY 2021
Contera is set to build “Organica” – a new smart office building in the heart of Ostrava
For many years, the City of Ostrava has offered substantial support to private investment projects located in the city, including the systematic preparation of a range of development sites and their presentation to potential investors. Properly coordinated and concept-driven urban development – especially in the city centre – would not be possible without close cooperation between the public and private sectors. One of the most keenly awaited development projects in Ostrava is Organica, an office complex that will boast cutting-edge technologies (including highly advanced smart site management systems) and outstanding architecture, which is set to be built at a prestigious location in the heart of the city.
Although the Karolina area is now a vibrant hub of urban development, it is actually a former brownfield site, which used to be the site of a huge industrial complex. When the Karolina coal mine and coking plant were closed down, a massive cleanup project was launched to decontaminate the area and prepare it for redevelopment.
Organica is designed to minimize environmental impacts. The complex will include supplementary energy sources, which will make it more self-sufficient in energy. Organica will offer charging points for electric vehicles, and the building will feature benches with integrated USB charging sockets for phones or tablets.
Although construction has not yet begun, over half the premises at the building have already been leased to tenants. The largest tenant will be TietoEVRY, a leading Scandinavian IT services and software supplier that operates globally and is moving its Czech head office to Organica.
Organica has been designed by the Schindler Seko Architekti studio.
More information, source of image
Another residential development will fill a vacant lot in Ostrava’s city centre
A residential complex offering high-quality apartments in the heart of the city centre will be built at a site on the corner of Vojanova Street and Smetanovo náměstí (near the Antonín Dvořák Theatre).
At its session on 19 May, the City Assembly approved the sale of the land to the developer Promet Group, which plans to build a modern residential complex (including premises for services and retail units on the ground floor) at this highly attractive city centre site. Construction work is scheduled for completion in mid-2025.
The development plot covers an area of 635 m2. It was created last year by the demolition of the ugly and derelict Vojanka complex, and it will be sold for 9.2 million CZK. The site is strategically located close to a number of important cultural and community venues – including Antonín Dvořák Theatre with its beautiful neo-Baroque façade, the Puppet Theatre, a large bookstore (located in a protected historic building), and the emerging university campus at Černá Louka. It is served by one of Ostrava’s most central tram stops – but through-traffic is restricted, so the area as a whole is remarkably quiet and peaceful.
A total of five potential investors submitted bids for the lucrative development site. The winner of the tender – Promet Group – has a wealth of experience and will be a strong and reliable partner for the City. The project will add to the steadily growing range of high-quality residential units available in the heart of Ostrava’s city centre.
The complex was designed by Promet Group in conjunction with the Petr Lichnovský studio.
New apartments to be built at Nová Karolina
Ostrava’s new city centre quarter at Nová Karolina continues to grow. It is home to the Forum Nová Karolina shopping mall, the Nová Karolina Park office complex, and the Nová Karolina residential complex – which is currently being expanded further. The new part of the complex will consist of 134 apartments. Construction work began in 2019, and is scheduled for completion in late 2021 or early 2022.
The apartments will range in size from 1 to 4 rooms, and the complex will also incorporate commercial premises for rental. Potential buyers can contact the developer directly (see the link below) for more details and to arrange viewing.
More information, source of image: Home Portal
Ostrava’s Medical Faculty has won accreditation for its General Medicine programme
The Medical Faculty at the University of Ostrava will be able to admit new medical students this year after winning accreditation from the National Accreditation Bureau for its General Medicine degree programme. The accreditation covers a five-year period; during this period, the Faculty has committed to complete the implementation of a range of planned systemic and staffing changes.
The Faculty has joined forces with Ostrava University Hospital to integrate the two institutions and introduce major structural and conceptual changes. A number of renowned medical experts have been recruited by the University Hospital; offering a wealth of experience in both teaching and research, these experts will form the backbone of the team coordinating the Medical Faculty’s various degree programmes.
The Faculty began to implement its ambitious research plans during last year, opening a new Medical Research Centre headed by Vice-Dean David Školoudík. In the autumn of 2020 it opened the Vivarium research centre, and the upcoming academic year (2021–22) will see the launch of the new SIMLEK medical simulation centre (enabling students to practice medical procedures in a simulated environment), an investment of more than 250 million CZK. The University’s mid-term plans include the creation of LERCO, an international research centre that will integrate basic and applied research and help provide a path for the practical implementation and application of research findings.
Source (only in Czech)
Ostrava’s Technical University is ranked among the global elite for sustainable development
The VŠB-Technical University of Ostrava has been included in the Times Higher Education Impact Rankings for the third time. This global ranking system compares and evaluates universities in terms of their success in achieving sustainable development goals (SDGs) as defined by the United Nations.
The latest rankings (published on 21 April 2021) place the university among the world’s top 300 higher education providers in the category of Affordable and Clean Energy – and it is the highest-ranking Czech university for this parameter. The institutions are evaluated not only for their energy-related research activities, but also for their social responsibility in helping to raise public awareness of energy efficiency and clean energy resources.
This is not the Technical University’s only success in recent weeks. In mid-May it was the absolute winner in the Czech Republic’s National Quality Awards, ranked first in the category for Excellent Organizations, and it also won the international EFQM certificate “Recognized for Excellence 5 Star”.
The VŠB-Technical University of Ostrava has received a number of awards in the past, including a national award for social responsibility in the category of small and mid-sized public sector organizations as well as the international award Committed to Sustainability 2 Star.
The national awards are coordinated by the Czech Ministry of Industry and Trade and the Czech Republic Quality Council.
Source (only in Czech)
Lower Vítkovice will be home to a new research centre
A new research and development centre focusing on biotech and circular economy technologies (involving sustainable production methods with minimum waste) is being set up in Ostrava’s Lower Vítkovice district.
The new centre will develop eco-friendly packaging technologies for food and cosmetics, using household waste as a raw material to produce new-generation natural polymers and bioplastics.
The centre will be built during the next 18 months by the NAFIGATE Corporation. The Lower Vítkovice area is set to be the home of a brand-new educational quarter as well as Ostrava’s planned Hydrogen District – and these plans had a crucial influence when choosing the site for the new R&D facility. Lower Vítkovice is a former industrial area that was home to a historic ironworks complex, much of which has now been transformed to create a number of popular cultural and community venues. Today the area is home to numerous organizations, mainly from the creative and research sectors.
Source (only in Czech)
The Czech Republic’s tallest skyscraper gets the green light
In June 2020, Ostrava’s City Assembly approved the sale of the “Teardrop” site – a plot of land in the heart of the city centre – to the local developer RT Torax, which plans to build the tallest skyscraper in the Czech Republic.
The announcement of the plans was met with some doubts as to whether it would be possible to locate such a tall building on a site with former mine tunnels deep below the surface. However, a detailed survey by geologists and structural engineers has concluded that the site can support a structure up to 200 metres in height. The skyscraper project has thus moved one step closer to becoming a reality.
The skyscraper will contain apartments, office premises, commercial units, and a hotel with a panoramic restaurant. The complex will also include extensive underground parking garages.
Source (only in Czech)
We will show you the full potential of the Moravian-Silesian Region
The Regional Convention Bureau provides a comprehensive range of information about the Moravian-Silesian Region to organizers of various events – exhibitions, trade fairs, conferences, festivals, and other national or international events. The catalogue on the Convention Bureau website offers a wealth of useful information for all interested parties planning corporate events, business meetings and related services (accommodation, incentive programmes, etc.).
The Convention Bureau will soon provide an online MICE tour of the Moravian-Silesian Region, giving event organizers an overview of the options and opportunities that the Region offers. The morning session will feature presentations and discussions with representatives of various service providers, who will explain their range of services, the forms of assistance they can offer, new developments, and how they havve dealt with the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The afternoon session will feature a B2B workshop where participants will be able to make new contacts and set up new partnerships.
Registration is via the Moravian-Silesian Convention Bureau website (see the link). The online MICE tour will take place on 3 June 2021 from 10 a.m.
More information (only in Czech)
Hydrogen is the future for Ostrava’s public transport
Ostrava’s public transport company is planning to introduce a fleet of new hydrogen-powered buses in 2023. The company has already announced a tender for the first 10 of these buses, and it has launched construction work on the first hydrogen filling station. These are the latest steps in the company’s wide-ranging programme to create a modern, eco-friendly public transport fleet. This is one of the City of Ostrava’s key strategic goals; the City plans to completely phase out diesel engines from its public transport system.
Hydrogen technologies are generally considered to be the future of clean energy solutions. The ultimate aim of the programme to transform the public transport fleet is to cut harmful emissions and improve air quality in Ostrava and the region as a whole. The City is also convinced that investing in hydrogen technologies and expanding the range of eco-friendly public transport solutions will generate substantial economic benefits.
Both the City of Ostrava and the Moravian-Silesian Region have signed a memorandum committing them to a hydrogen-based future. The key investor in the current programme is Ostrava’s public transport corporation (DPO). The cost of the new hydrogen filling station is around 90 million CZK, of which 60 million CZK will be covered by EU funds (the Transport Operational Programme). 85% of the cost of the new buses will covered by the Integrated Regional Operational Programme (IROP).
Source (only in Czech)
New micromobility options in Ostrava
Micromobility is an increasingly important aspect of life in all urban areas, and it ranks among the City of Ostrava’s key strategic priorities. Although most micromobility journeys in cities are to or from work and school, many people also make use of micromobility at other times of the day. Micromobility expands people’s radius of movement within their local area, thus helping to support local businesses as people can travel further to restaurants, gyms etc. than they would be able to walk.
Ostrava’s bikesharing scheme has become hugely popular since it was launched several years ago. The scheme – currently run by Nextbike – includes over 1000 bikes and 350 bikesharing points located throughout the entire city. In March of this year, Ostrava’s micromobility options were expanded to include another quick and eco-friendly form of transport – electric scooters.
Like the pushbikes, these electric scooters have become hugely popular – but around 10–15% of their users do not park them properly, abandoning them at various places outside the official parking points. In response to this situation, Ostrava has launched a new public information campaign following on from a previous campaign that promoted safe micromobility. The campaign is run jointly by the City and the private sector (the companies running the bikesharing/scooter schemes).
More information (only in Czech)
Ostrava Airport has hosted one of the world’s most advanced aircraft
Cargo transport is one of Ostrava Airport’s key strategic priorities, and it brings a fascinating range of aircraft to our region. One of the recent visitors has been the Boeing B787 Dreamliner, one of the world’s most advanced aircraft. Four Dreamliners have landed in Ostrava this year – the first time that the airport has welcomed these beautiful machines packed full of impressive cutting-edge technology. The destination of the most recent Dreamliner flight was Brazil, and the previous three flights were bound for China. Although these planes (the B789-9 and B787-8) are designed to carry passengers, they are increasingly also used for cargo flights – which was their purpose when visiting Ostrava. The runway at Ostrava Airport is large enough to accommodate all types of civilian aircraft, with no restrictions on size. To find out more about the fascinating range of planes that use Ostrava Airport, you can follow the airport’s Facebook page (www.facebook.com/letiste), which includes regular updates.
Source: Ostrava Airport
Other news
Preparations for a new multifunctional hall continue
A new community hall for sports and cultural events will be built in Ostrava’s Fifejdy district on the site of a former bus depot. The design, by the Platforma architekti studio, integrates modern elements into part of the original industrial architecture, as David Průša from the design team explained: “The former depot site includes a hall that was used for parking buses and storing oil. Unfortunately, the structure is not large enough to accommodate modern sports facilities. However, its architecture is so powerful that we did not want it to be forgotten, so we decided to preserve the historic structure and incorporate it into the new complex.”
The new hall is a strategic project that forms part of the City of Ostrava’s action plan for sport. It will be built and operated by the Association for the Support of Sport, Children and Young People – a consortium that brings together the City of Ostrava, the Moravian-Silesian Region, and the ČSAD Ostrava bus company. Construction work is scheduled to begin in 2022. The final design for the new multifunctional hall will create a capacity of up to 3 500 spectators, and the facility will mainly be used for training purposes as well as for competitive basketball, volleyball, floorball and handball games. Besides the main hall, the complex will also include training facilities for ball sports, a fitness centre and gym, a gymnasium and full bathroom/changing facilities.
Designers: David Průša, Katarína Škodová, Alžběta Vyhnalíková, Simona Dlouhá, Alena Mazalová, Tereza Kusnierzová, Petr Rozsypal, Yevhenii Krasnikov
Image: MISS3 s.r.o.
Source (only in Czech)
Ostrava is a family-friendly city
A safe, family-friendly space – that’s one aspect of the city that Ostrava’s families have highlighted in a recent survey. The survey aimed to find out how satisfied families were with various facets of life in Ostrava, and whether they see the city as a family-friendly environment.
The survey was carried out for the City by the University of Ostrava, and it collected information from over 1800 respondents.
The results show that respondents are satisfied with the quality of services available in Ostrava; particularly high ratings were given to public transport, health care, education, culture and leisure activities. Respondents recommended that the City should focus mainly on improving the compatibility of work and family life – providing adequate creche facilities, suitable job opportunities and advisory services targeted at families. Other aspects that were positively evaluated included the City’s family policy – for example its creation of family-friendly spaces, based on suggestions received from members of the public while preparing Ostrava’s Strategic Plan.
The survey of families’ needs was completed by the University of Ostrava at the end of last year as part of the City’s activities in the family component of its Strategic Plan.
More information (only in Czech)
Fresh new urban park now open to the public
Ostrava is continuing to roll out its programme of improvements to public spaces. After a full revitalization project, a new urban park has been opened to the public on a site between the Ostravice River embankment (Havlíčkovo nábřeží) and Střelniční Street in the historic city centre.
The formerly derelict area has been fully regenerated with the addition of gravel footpaths, new greenery, new benches and stylish lighting features. The park is divided into two separate parts, linked by a wooden terrace under a large tree and steps which date back around 60 years and have been thoroughly modernized. The park also includes a fruit orchard – which was originally created during the 19th century.
Work on this stylish and relaxing new urban oasis was completed at the beginning of this year, but the opening was delayed due to COVID-related government restrictions in the early part of the year. However, it has been open to the public since April, and it has already become a popular spot for a wide range of age groups. It offers benches, a terrace for relaxation, a chess table, and inventive new play features such as a soft jumping area and an outdoor xylophone.
The renovation of the park was part of the City’s strategic project to revitalize green areas in Ostrava, based on the City’s Strategic Plan for 2017–2023 (where it was listed under the priority goal Bringing the City Closer to Nature). Ostrava now has a brand-new park with beautiful, well-maintained plants and greenery offering an ideal spot for recreation and relaxation. The greenery will also perform an important practical function by helping the city to deal more effectively with ongoing climate change.
More information (only in Czech)