Skanska Opens Port7 in Prague's Holešovice District

90% of Port7’s retail spaces have already been leased, housing a variety of exciting places like the Chuck & Frida food hall, OpenWine winery, and the OneGym fitness centre. Of the office spaces, 54% are leased, with notable tenants such as the Oční centrum Praha eye clinic, Direct financial group, and Scott.Weber Workspace already operating in their new premises. Discussions are already underway with several potential tenants for the remaining offices.

One of the first companies to open at Port7 is Scott.Weber Workspace. With a capacity of four floors and nearly 5,000 sqm, it is Scott.Weber’s largest location. Occupancy figures evidence the demand for flexible offices in this location, reaching 65% shortly after opening. "We see a growing interest in our flexible offices and coworking centres in general. However, we are also registering a change regarding the groups of companies that are approaching us. Medium to large companies approach us with increasing frequency," says Adam Zvada, the owner of Scott.Weber.

The story of Port7 begins with the historical Prefa Holešovice panel factory, which ceased production in 2013, leaving the entire area abandoned and neglected. It has also been cut off from the rest of the city by the river Vltava on one side and by transport infrastructure including Prague Holešovice railway station on the others. The history and genius loci of the brownfield have thus presented Skanska with both a potential and a challenge. The overall architectural concept of the project has been designed by the DAM.architekti studio, together with the AED project, responsible for all stages of design. It not only preserves the character of the place but also showcases cutting-edge sustainable measures, with which Skanska aims for the LEED Platinum, WELL Platinum and WELL Health-Safety Rating certifications. The technical measures reflecting specific conditions of the location include vast protection against floods and the usage of a dampening layer for the elimination of vibrations from the adjacent railroad.

“Port7's new buildings pay homage to the site's industrial heritage with the use of admittedly precast and monolithic concrete in the interiors, corrugated iron referencing the former Prefa production hall and metal horizontal cornices evoking the tracks of the adjacent railway station. These design elements are harmoniously connected with the glass facades. Extensive terraces with a total area of almost 1,200 sqm provide unusual views and create additional work and relaxation spaces for users", adds Jiří Havrda, chief architect of Port7 and partner of DAM architect of DAM architekti office.

In collaboration with Prague 7, Skanska also renovated the waterfront, creating a whole new link between the U Vody and Stromovka public parks. Along with 17.000 sqm of greenery, the park will feature an outdoor bar, a volleyball pitch, a community garden and a variety of other services.