Before and after: See how innovative Czech design transformed Prague's Modřany district

Tired and neglected sites around Prague 12 are getting a new lease on life thanks to revitalization efforts led by the local architectural and design office LOXIA. Through targeted redevelopment projects showcasing thoughtful design, they aim to breathe fresh energy into the community.

We take a look at their transformations through before and after photos that tell a striking story of positive change. An abandoned industrial area along the Vltava River, once overrun with trash and weeds, is now a thriving new residential district with landscaped public spaces. In all projects, the company pays attention to high architectural standards, environmental friendliness, and harmonious and natural harmony with the surroundings.

One of the most extensive redevelopment projects was formerly home to Modřany's sugar factory which had sat abandoned for years after it closed down. Sandwiched between the Vltava River and a new Čechova čtvrt' housing development, the land had become an excluded, neglected place. When LOXIA began its work in 2008, scraggly weeds and bushes ran wild amid piles of trash.

Through their comprehensive urban design project, including the Modřanka Residence, the low-rise viladomas Elča and Emča, and the pleasantly scaled apartment buildings Rarach and Hübner A and B, LOXIA transformed the brownfield into a vibrant new neighborhood.

The designs skillfully incorporated the natural beauty of the riverbank setting and crafted an inviting community from the ground up.

The finished building consists of three interconnected cubic volumes constructed entirely in white tones. Their clean geometries subtly reference sugar cubes when viewed together, paying tribute to the region's historical industry.

The cubes are arranged longitudinally along General Šiška Street, presenting a compositionally simple yet coherent architectural footprint. Functionally, the frontmost cube carries a newly built ceremonial hall.

The outcome achieves balanced symbolic and practical roles befitting its position as the administrative center.

LOXIA completed construction in 2015 on a new multi-year grammar school situated on gently sloping land bordered by Na Cikorce and Československého exilu streets. The high school, designed with a capacity of approximately 300 students and focused on language education, demonstrated two key aspects of LOXIA's comprehensive approach to design.

Rather than solely focusing on the building's architectural form, LOXIA also paid close attention to thoughtfully planned landscaping that reinforced the surrounding environment. The firm also ensured that all new additions to the area would blend harmoniously within the existing context. Both the natural and built settings were considered to ensure students, faculty and visitors experience a seamless integration into the site.

Their process left the refreshed school fitting gracefully into its neighborhood milieu for the benefit of the educational community.

When designing the 4-classroom kindergarten nestled between K Beránku, Lešetínská, and Dolnocholupická streets, LOXIA pursued a passive energy standard. They utilized the most advanced eco-friendly construction methods which included orienting the building towards the cardinal points and partially embedding it into the natural slope for soil insulation.

By implementing innovative techniques like heat recovery from controlled ventilation, the structure reaps major energy efficiencies. While requiring higher upfront costs, the long-term payoff proves worthwhile in significantly reducing operational expenses—estimated today at a full third less than a conventional low-energy building. This level of savings no doubt pleases the founder given the current energy market turmoil. Play spaces for the young students were also crafted sustainably with natural materials.

LOXIA’s approach effectively partnered advanced technologies with environmental stewardship, a symbiosis certain to benefit both the kindergarten community and the local environment for years to come. It serves as an excellent showcase for the Firm’s balanced, eco-conscious designs.