Skanska is redefining demolition with its “remolition” project. Mercury, the future development by Skanska in Prague’s Holešovice, is designed to minimise its carbon footprint throughout its lifecycle.
This initiative is the first in the Czech Republic and Central and Eastern Europe to replace traditional demolition with a sustainable approach, prioritising material reuse and recycling.
The Merkuria building, built between 1967 and 1971 in Prague and renovated in the early 2000s, was a Brutalist-style office complex with a central tower and four corner towers. Skanska acquired the building in 2019 with an existing demolition permit but opted for a more sustainable approach.
With support from partners such as CYRKL and UCEEB, Skanska has developed a repeatable model for sustainable demolition. Unlike standard demolition, which discards most materials, remolition is designed to maximise recovery and reuse. Skanska spent nearly two years mapping materials and securing partnerships before dismantling the Merkuria building. This planning led to these results: 97.4% of the 18,626 tons of materials were recycled or repurposed, exceeding the legal requirement of 70%.
Gravel and tiles were repurposed as a path to a community garden in Port7, railings and rails found new life on the same site, and pebble from the roof was reused beneath a local bridge. Furniture, carpets, and ceiling tiles were donated to a public school and hospital, while kitchens supported refugee housing. Selected wooden elements were transformed into OSB boards, and backup diesel generator and doors were reinstalled or reused by private individuals. Glass elements were passed on to a specialist company that works with Saint-Gobain to manufacture facade panels using recycled glass.
“We are committed to setting new standards for sustainable development across Central and Eastern Europe. Mercury is the first project in the region where we have applied a circular approach to demolition on such a scale. We are already working on a similar process for the upcoming deconstruction of the Ilmet building in Warsaw,” commented Mariusz Krzak, Executive Vice President Operations Poland and Czech Republic at Skanska Commercial Development Europe.
