Architects to Compete for Design of Czechia’s First Skyscraper

Local authorities in the Czech city of Ostrava have announced a competition for the design of what will become the first skyscraper in the Czech Republic after original plans failed to meet building standards.

Architects are being encouraged to submit their design proposals for Ostrava Tower, a building that will be approximately 175 meters tall and the tallest building in the Czech Republic.

“We now consider the architectural competition to be the only way to find a permanent and high-quality solution for the city,” declared Ostrava Mayor Tomáš Macura on Monday.

“Today we approved the matter at the council, after about a year of negotiating the terms. The investor informed us in about April 2022 that the original form of the building was unfeasible for him, due to the founding conditions and the economics of the construction,” said Deputy Mayor Zuzana Bajgarová.

The result of the competition is expected by June 2024, and the application for the issuance of a permit must then be submitted to the building authority for approval.

The initial design included a public lookout point at the top of the building along with a restaurant. It planned to contain both commercial and residential elements including offices, a four-star hotel, and 624 parking spaces.

Construction had been expected to begin in 2022 with completion by 2027, but that timeframe has now been pushed back to a 2035 completion date.

At 175 meters tall, the Ostrava Tower will be similar in height to the iconic Gherkin skyscraper in London, which stands at 180 meters tall.