Masaryčka building by Zaha Hadid Architects, Masaryk Railway Station regeneration, ZHA Czech property development photos

Masaryčka building in Prague

post updated 28 April 2025

Design: Zaha Hadid Architects (ZHA)

Location: Praha Masarykovo nádraží in Prague, Czech Republic

The Masaryčka building in Prague has been inaugurated in a ceremony officiated by Bohuslav Svoboda, the mayor of Prague; Marek Dospiva, founder and partner of Penta Group; and Jim Heverin, director of Zaha Hadid Architects.

Photos by BoysPlayNice

11 April 2024

Masaryčka building, Czech Republic

Accommodating the continued growth of the city’s corporate sector with office spaces designed to meet 21st century working patterns, the 28,000 sq. m Masaryčka office and retail development incorporates seven storeys within its eastern section and nine storeys at its western end.

Masaryčka’s design integrates with Czech Railways’ ongoing modernisation of the historic Masaryk Railway Station that is creating a new public square partially over its railway tracks, enhancing access to the platforms below and providing new pedestrian routes between Florenc and Hybernská on either side of the station.

Bordered by Masaryk Station’s railway platforms to the south, Na Florenci street to the north, and the Wilsonova elevated freeway to the east, Masaryčka has been constructed on a derelict site that has stood abandoned for several decades. To the west, Masaryčka replaces the existing car park on Havlíčkova Boulevard with a new public square with interchanges between city’s rail, tram and bus networks; defining a welcoming gateway to the city for suburban rail passengers as well as those using the express rail link that is currently under-construction to Prague’s international airport.

Located one kilometre east of the city centre’s Staroměstské Square, Masaryčka’s design establishes a dialogue with the embellished historical architecture of Prague’s Old Town – known as ‘the golden city of 100 spires’. External fins within Masaryčka’s façade contribute to solar shading in the summer and transform the project’s horizontal composition to the verticality of its western façade facing the spires of the Old Town.

Targeting LEED Platinum certification, Masaryčka’s incorporates a double-insulated façade that ensures optimal natural light at all work areas and communal spaces. A cascade of terraces divides the two buildings while similar terracing on the eastern façade gives every office floor direct access to generous outdoor spaces. Public roof gardens offer panoramic views across the city. Hybrid ventilation is supported by a high-efficiency plant with waste heat recovery systems while the building’s smart management systems continually monitor and adjust environmental controls to reduce energy consumption.

Planting using local species of shrubs and trees irrigated by Masaryčka’s rainwater collection system, including the transformation of Na Florenci into a tree-lined avenue, will provide cooling summer shade and natural air purification. Low-flow systems and grey-water recycling will further reduce the centre’s water consumption.

Masaryčka’s construction and procurement has prioritised local suppliers and materials with a high recycled content to meet the 2025 targets for embodied & operational carbon established by the RIBA 2030 Climate Challenge.

Due for completion in 2026, Czech Railways’ renovation of Masaryk Railway Station adjacent to Masaryčka retains the existing historic terminus building and includes the construction of the new public square partially over the tracks giving access to individual platforms and a direct transfer to Prague’s metro line B. Transforming the station into a fully accessible, multi-modal transport hub for the city, its modernisation programme extends the current number of tracks from seven to nine and reconstructs all platforms, overhead line equipment and power supply.

Photos by BoysPlayNice

13 December 2023

Construction of Masaryčka completes – design by Zaha Hadid Architects

Photos by BoysPlayNice

Masaryk Railway Station Area Regeneration News

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Previously on e-architect:

20 October 2021

Design: Zaha Hadid Architects

Location: Praha Masarykovo nádraží, Prague, Czech Republic

Masaryčka construction works reach level three – design by Zaha Hadid Architects

rendering : Studio Horak

Masaryčka building in Prague News

Construction of the Masaryčka building in Prague continues with the structure of the retail levels on the ground and first floors now completed. Works have begun to construct the higher floors of cantilevered offices with terraced roof gardens. Planned to open in 2023, the 28,000 sq.m Masaryčka building incorporates seven storeys within its eastern section and reaches nine storeys at its western end.

rendering : Studio Horak

The Masaryčka design is a unifying architectural response defined by circulation routes through the site giving access to new civic spaces within a major transport hub for the city.

image : Zaha Hadid Architects

Integrating with the Správa železnic (Czech Railways) reconstruction of the historic Masaryk Railway Station which will create a new public park partially over the railway tracks, Masaryčka’s design will provide a new pedestrian route between Na Florenci Street in the north and Hybernská Boulevard to the south, in addition to enhancing accessibility to the railway platforms below.

render : Studio Horak

Located adjacent to the railway station on a derelict site that has stood abandoned for several decades, Masaryčka will replace the existing car park on Havlíčkova Boulevard with a new public square that includes entrances to the city’s metro network. This new square will create a welcoming gateway to the city for suburban and domestic rail services as well as passengers using the planned airport rail link to Prague’s Vaclav Havel International Airport.

Establishing a dialogue with the urbanism of Prague’s Old Town, known as ‘the city of 100 spires’, external fins within Masaryčka’s façade transform the project’s horizontal composition along Na Florenci Street to the verticality of its western end facing the spires of the Old Town.

Targeting LEED Platinum certification, Masaryčka’s design incorporates roof gardens and a triple-insulated façade that ensures optimal natural light at all work stations and communal areas. Natural ventilation will be supported by a high efficiency plant with waste heat recovery systems. Photovoltaics will harvest renewable energy while smart management systems will continually monitor and adjust environmental controls to reduce energy consumption.

picture : Zaha Hadid Architects

Extensive planting of shrubs and trees irrigated by rainwater collection, including the transformation of Na Florenci Street into a tree-lined avenue, will provide the new district with cooling summer shade and natural air purification. Low-flow systems and grey-water recycling will further reduce the centre’s water consumption.

Masaryčka’s construction and procurement prioritises local suppliers and materials with a high recycled content to meet the 2025 targets for embodied & operational carbon established by the RIBA 2030 Climate Challenge.

render : Studio Horak

Masaryčka Prague by Zaha Hadid Architects – Building Information

Project Team
Architect: Zaha Hadid Architects (ZHA)
Design: Zaha Hadid, Patrik Schumacher

Competition
Directing Associate: DaeWha Kang
Project Architect: Jakub Klaska
Project Team: Michal Wojtkiewicz, Malgorzata Kowalczyk, Fernanda Mugnaini, Matthew Carapiet, Bogdan Zaha, Chenxi Gong, Maya Boustany, Jan Klaska, Brian Dale

Concept Refinement – Schematic Design
Project Director: Jim Heverin
Directing Associate: Craig Kiner
Project Architects: Jakub Klaska, Sara Sheik Akbari
Project Team: Javier Rueda, Jan Klaska, Saman Dadgostar, Yifan Zhang, Moa Carlson, Juan Montiel, Carlos Parrada-Botero, Monika Bilska, Harry Spraiter, Ovidiu Mihutescu, Niran Buyukkoz, Nan Jiang, Horatiu Valcu

Detailed Design
Project Director: Jim Heverin
Project Architects: Jakub Klaska, Victor Orive
Project Team: Harry Spraiter, Javier Rueda, Aiste Dzikaraite, Sven Torres, Muriel Boselli, Maria Touloupou, Thomas Bagnoli

Construction Design
Project Director: Jim Heverin
Project Architect: Jakub Klaska
Project Team: Harry Spraiter, Aleksandra Mnich-Spraiter, Devansh Daisaria

Previously on e-architect:

31 Jul 2019 ; 6 May 2016