In dynamically developing cities, a part of a modern urban concept is the emergence of new city centres. Existing historical centres do not satisfy current needs any more. Offices of growing companies require advanced technological facilities, representation of regional, national and supranational institutions is increasing and modern shopping and community centres require a direct connection with residential complexes. It is impossible to fit all this in the historic centre, not even in an architecturally stabilized Brno central zone. Therefore, Brno authorities have decided to build a new South Centre in the vicinity of the historic centre.

Jižní Centrum, a.s. Company Established

Pursuing this goal, the City of Brno as a sole shareholder founded the company Jižní centrum, a.s. (South Centre) in 1994. The first major achievement of this company was the revitalization of former industrial premises Vaňkovka. The industrial area was turned into a commercial and entertainment centre Galerie Vaňkovka and the historical buildings – Machinery plant and Administrative building from the 19th century were restored and are now owned by the company.

Galerie Vaňkovka, now considered as the gateway to South Centre neighbours with other development areas – Nové sady, Trnitá, the new station and Pražákova. The Nové sady area is currently unused; it includes former coal warehouses and other storage premises. This part of the centre is intended for housing, business activities, public administration and public amenities. Development area Trnitá is supposed to connect Brno historical centre with the location designed for complex transportation hubs. Trnitá is now going through a dynamic development and is becoming an attractive area for implementation of business plans.

New Palaces Planned

In case of the South Centre, the Board of Directors has chosen a project of multi-purpose house Palác Trnitá submitted by the Slovak company EUROPARK-FP, a.s. over German developer company ECE, the builder of Galerie Vaňkovka. According to the Director of Jižní centrum company Jan Zavřel, the company presented a project which offered extensive parking areas. "We emphasize that Jižní centrum should not turn into an 'office ghetto' which empties after business hours," Mr. Zavřel said.

The Slovak project reflects our intention better. The eight-story building of the palace was inspired by inter-war period houses accentuating the purity of style, e.g. Palace Moravia at Divadelní street or Alfa arcade on the corner of Poštovská and Jánská. In paticular, Palác Trnitá will offer housing opportunities – 160 flats with an inside park as well as commercial areas, an exhibition hall and three-story underground car park with more than 400 parking spaces. Palác Trnitá should be completed in 2014.

Not far from the palace, next to the bus station Zvonařka, a construction of a multi-purpose centre AUPARK is planned on its current parking area. The aim of Aupark Brno, s.r.o. company is to build shopping, service, catering and entertainment facilities. The project counts with three above-ground and two underground floors with a sales area of approx. 14 thousand m2 and about 800 parking spaces. AUPARK palace should be completed by the end of 2013.

The construction of a skyscraper AZ TOWER began in April of this year creating a new dominant of Pražákova location. This thirty-story high-rise building between Pražákova and Heršpická street with its 111 m will be the tallest building in the Czech Republic. The skyscraper will consist of two blocks with a communication core with a staircase and elevator shafts in between. The ground floor will house an atrium, a reception, shops, a café, conference halls as well as a car showroom. A restaurant will be situated on the third floor and on the top six floors, 12 exclusive apartments overlooking the city of Brno and Pálava are planned. The two underground floors will offer 265 parking spaces. AZ TOWER is designed as a low-energy building. 30 m deep energy piles will collect heat in winter and cool the lower floors thanks to the thermal pumps. Among the unique features of the building will be the central ventilation system balancing the temperature differences, the use of photovoltaic panels and rainwater collection to be used as utility water in common areas. Company eTOWER, a.s. is the project investor and the skyscraper should be completed in mid-2013.

Brno Calling for a New Name

An important prerequisite for the development of South Centre is a property rights settlement aimed at transferring the land intended for the urban infrastructure under the zoning plan, into the company property. One of the most important lands, already gained by the company Jižní centrum, is almost 30 thousand m2 situated south-east from Zvonařka bus station near Rosická street formerly owned by a horticultural company Importflora. Greenhouses, hothouses, boiler houses and other buildings followed the destiny of the administrative building ČSAD at Košťálova street and after their demolition and subsequent terrain preparation, this area is now ready for the construction of a new junction of Rosická and Bulvár street.

The street name Bulvár, a future thoroughfare of the new centre is still a working name and so is the South Centre. The name South Centre could become permanent but so far, this issue is broadly discussed to which you are welcome to contribute as well. If you find a fitting name for this new part of the city, do not hesitate and send your suggestions via e-mail to Tato emailová adresa je chráněna před spamboty, abyste ji viděli, povolte JavaScript .

Alena Štěpánková
in partnership with the company Jižní centrum Brno, a.s.