CTP, the largest developer of sustainable industrial-logistics parks in the Czech Republic, is constructing a brand-new office building – building I – in the premium office complex Vlněna, located on the former Brno brownfield site. It aspires to be the most modern building of this type in Central Europe. This iconic building, with its unique architecture designed by Studio acht, will be located in the centre of the Moravian metropolis, and will be completed by mid-2024. This 61-metre-high building, with a unique glass facade, will cost the developer CZK 600 million.
"Brno has long been an important region for us, where we are intensively developing our activities, which I firmly believe contributes positively to Brno's reputation as the most innovative city in the Czech Republic. With each new project we want to raise the bar a little higher. In case of the building I, we are combining premium design with state-of-the-art technology. The unique facade will bring new possibilities, as will the concept of smart office space. The icing on the cake is the drone mail system, which has never been used in this form anywhere in the Czech Republic before," explained Jakub Kodr, Head of Business Development, CTP Czech Republic.
The building design has been developed by the architectural atelier Studio acht with the Swiss company Sauter contributing to the technical solutions. The architects designed a glass ‘sawtooth facade’ for CTP, which has not been used anywhere else in Europe. Its implementation will be very demanding, not only financially, but also technically. The aim is to maximise on the concept of a fully glazed building. Therefore, the workstations in the offices will be located along the windows, to offer optimum light conditions, and attractive views of the whole of Brno, to as many of its users as possible. The technical design of this unique glazed facade is overseen by the renowned MFS Group, which has completed a number of successful projects in London, Amsterdam, Paris, Strasbourg and Düsseldorf.
"We have been cooperating with CTP for many years and together we have managed to build successful projects that push the boundaries of modern office buildings with their state-of-the-art architectural and technological elements. Building I will stand out for its unique design and overall technological concept, which makes it not only a beautiful building, but also a highly functional office space," commented Václav Hlaváček, Architect, Studio acht.
The smart office concept includes, among other aspects, a lighting system that will be controlled by smart technology. Sensors will detect how many people are present in any given place and will adjust the lighting intensity of individual workstations accordingly. This system will not only ensure high lighting comfort for each workplace, but will also save energy, as the lights will only be switched on when and at the intensity needed. The air quality in the building will also be precisely regulated thanks to smart controls of heating, cooling, heat recovery and humidity.
Tenants of the building will also have access to the unique drone mail system. The drone helipad is a unique solution for receiving packages from drones, or other unmanned systems, that will be guided by laser sensors, called LiDAR (Light Detection And Ranging), to the roof of the building. This unique bespoke solution is being developed by 3L Robotics and CTP will be the first company to install a drone helipad in the Czech Republic and in Europe.
"We very much appreciate CTP's innovative approach to the future of construction. The solution we have jointly designed is not meant just for the current needs, but more importantly it is a visionary solution for the future. With this step we will help in the development of services for drone delivery and create shared spaces where these shipments can be safely delivered," said Luboš Lněnička, Product Manager, 3L Robotics.
As with all the projects in its portfolio, CTP has placed great emphasis on sustainability. Building I will be a passive building in terms of its design and facilities and it will aim for the highest BREEAM ‘Outstanding’ and ‘WELL Platinum’ certifications. Low carbon footprint materials are being used for the construction. Once completed, the building will also be using grey water in addition to smart lighting and air quality control. CTP is currently constructing the monolithic parts of the building and the building I should be completed within two years.
The young hi-tech multifunctional complex Vlněna, where this unique administrative building will be located, covers almost 80,000 sqm. In addition to the existing eight modern office buildings, which are used mainly by IT and technology companies such as Oracle, Avast, Infosys, and most recently also by Zebra Technologies and KPMG, there are also retail premises in the complex, where there are cafes, restaurants, fitness centre and more. Last spring, CTP also opened its first coworking centre Clubco in Vlněna, which has been expanded by two more floors this year. The multifunctionality of Vlněna will also be complemented by residential spaces in the near future. CTP is currently the largest office developer in Brno with almost 27% market share.
