The reconstruction of the Kotva department in Prague is starting today, one year after its closure, reports Archiweb.cz. This is symbolically happening on the 50th anniversary of its opening. The owner is Generali Real Estate.
The modernisation of the building, designed by architects Vladimír and Věra Machonin, is expected to be completed in the last quarter of 2027. According to Generali, the reconstruction should modernise the interiors and expand the use of the building, which, according to the proposal, is to have six floors of shops and services and two floors of offices.
The renovation plans include replacing the façade cladding to preserve the original shapes of the building, including the iconic brutalist concrete communication towers and hexagonal structures.
Kotva was built as an example of a luxurious Czechoslovak department store. At the time of its opening, it was the fifth-largest department store in Europe. It opened its doors to its first customers on February 10, 1975.
Recently, Kotva has faced competition from more modern shopping centres. Its operation has been complicated in the past by disputes over shares, which became the subject of police investigations and court cases. In March 2005, Kotva was purchased by the Irish company Markland, which began renovations, but the plans were disrupted by the economic crisis. In 2016, it became the property of PSN, from whom it was purchased by Generali Real Estate in 2020.
