DOWN WITH THE SHIP
16 Oct 2019
Predicted to become the tallest building in the Czech Republic, the 135-metre-high Top Tower will be adorned with a red shipwreck that will serve as an unavoidable reminder of climate change.
The accessible shipwreck is designed by Black n' Arch and sculptor Černý and imagines a future where a ship has collided with a building during an apocalypse caused by storms and rising sea levels.
Top Tower, which will feature work and residential spaces, has been commissioned by Prague developer Trigema and is currently undergoing planning permission for a site close to the capital city's metro station, Nové Butovice. Trigema has projected that construction will begin in 2021, with the building set to take less than three years to complete.
It is hoped that the tower, which is outside Prague's urban conservation area, will revitalise the public pedestrian zone outside the metro station.
"The project will be outside the protected zone of the urban conservation area and outside the area prohibiting high-rise buildings," explained Trigema. "At the same time, it is located far enough away from Prague, so that it will not be visible from the vast majority of places in the centre of the metropolis and will not disturb the historical city skyline."
Though little detail has been disclosed about Top Tower's structure, the shipwreck is expected to be made of red-coloured steel and wrapped with climbing plants – standing out from the pared-back rectangular tower.
At its highest point, the shipwreck will enclose a public observation deck that is accessed by an external lift. The main building will also feature a rooftop garden offering visitors panoramic views of the city.
Inside, there will be approximately 250 small apartments available to rent, alongside offices and a cultural centre, and shop units on the lowest two floors. The entrance will be marked by a giant sculpture of a propeller that appears to have broken off from the submarine.
Via Dezeen | Images from Black n' Arch