Žižkov City Prague Residential Urban Blocks
Our proposal for two new residential blocks in Žižkov reinterprets the classical European urban block as a contemporary, inclusive and climate-resilient piece of city. The project brings together expressive urban form and identity with a deep understanding of the Prague context, resulting in a confident and internationally legible urban ensemble.
The urban block is one of Europe’s most enduring spatial models. From the rational grids of Miletus to Cerdà’s Example and Berlage’s Plan Zuid, it has consistently balanced lively streets with calm inner courtyards, strong corners with permeability, and density with liveability. Our proposal builds on this lineage while responding to Žižkov’s specific conditions: the former freight station to the north, the cemetery greenery to the south, and the more fragmented urban fabric to the west.
The architectural composition is defined by a clear and legible volumetric structure. An eight-storey perimeter block with a recessed upper level establishes a strong urban edge, while chamfered corners open up space for public life and improve visual continuity. Two twelve-storey vertical accents mark key corners of the site, acting as urban landmarks and giving rhythm to the skyline. Between them, a lower six-storey volume mediates scale and softens the overall silhouette. This stepped massing creates recognisable addresses within the block and supports a wide variety of housing typologies.
More than a housing project, the blocks function as an active connector within the city. Gates and passages allow pedestrians to cross the blocks as part of daily routines, while visual corridors link the tram stop, former railway infrastructure, cemetery landscape and the green inner courtyard. Active ground-floor spaces—such as cafés, community rooms and neighbourhood services—animate the streets and strengthen safety and social interaction.
Housing is organised through a rational modular system that ensures efficiency, affordability and flexibility. Standardised layouts and prefabricated façade elements accelerate construction while allowing architectural differentiation at entrances, passages and key urban moments. Sustainability is embedded throughout: green roofs reduce heat stress and support biodiversity, deep soil in the courtyard enables water infiltration and cooling, and integrated solar panels lower operational energy demand.
The project is defined by a deliberate contrast between a robust, urban exterior and a calm, green interior. Together, the two blocks form a contemporary interpretation of the Prague perimeter block—one that enhances liveability, strengthens community life and contributes a new, resilient identity to Žižkov.
