The reconstruction of two buildings on Náměstí SNP is starting, and not only the Dunaj Department Store will get its old shine

Preservation of original elements

The Dunaj department store, designed by the architect Christian Ludwig, belongs to the crowning works of functionalism in Slovakia. The architectural design was based on similar projects of American department stores, and its construction took a record five months. Already at the time of its construction (1936), this modern 9-story department store featured the latest technical equipment and quality facilities.

"For us, the starting point for the reconstruction of this building is the state of vision in 1936. We want to preserve and restore as much as possible the elements that were damaged or removed during later reconstructions of the house," says Ivan Šimo, Construction Director of CTP.

One of the highlighted elements of this building is the facade, which had a pale green paneling and at night was illuminated by neon tubes around the perimeter. This also made it sound natural to be a place where people often met.

Principles of sustainability

"The Dunaj department store has been an immovable national cultural monument since 2000. We fully respect this status of his and want to save his genius loci as well. We preserve the maximum of the supporting structure, materials, and visuals. That was also the task for the architects. Our intention is not to change its nature, on the contrary, we want to maintain the variability of the amix of services offered," says Ivan Pastier, Business Development Director of CTP.

"The Danube has its own unique soul. During the reconstruction, we sensitively select it, preserve it, and after modernizing it and adding sustainable elements, we reintegrate it into the body of the building so that it can prosper again when it returns to life after the reconstruction," adds Ivan Pastier.

The entire reconstruction will be guided by the principles of sustainability. "We want to be efficient and at the same time burden the environment as little as possible. That is why we will also recycle used materials, such as aluminum structures and cladding. The building will function efficiently, according to BREEAM international certification. We are aiming for the Excellent level," says Ivan Šimo from CTP.

Live square

The Dom odievania, which has been connected to the Danube River from the northwest since 1985, will also be renovated. The investor and the architects communicated during the preparation of the project with one of the authors of the original architectural design, Professor Ján Miloslav Bahn.

Also typical for this building is the facade, which gives the building a monumental appearance. As in the case of OD Dunaj, the expression of the building will remain preserved, the facade will be rebuilt as a replica, but it will meet the current technical requirements for perimeter structures. The reconstruction of the House of Clothing will also bring a new connection between Námestia SNP and Nedbalová Street, and will lead to the idea of restoring public spaces, the so-called Live square.

"It is an honor for us to be able to participate in the design of the reconstruction of the Brouk aBabka iDomu odievania building. It is a unique combination of iconic architecture, the central location of a design opportunity. Our proposal is ambitious, but at the same time we know how important it is to preserve the architectural heritage. We took the opportunity to prepare both buildings for further operation in the 21st century so that they open up to the public as much as possible, bring a wide range of uses and improve the wider urban environment. The aim of the reconstruction project was to improve the buildings and their surroundings, and at the same time to create a sustainable solution in the best location of Bratislava," says Barbora Markechová, Director of Bogle Architects.

A new destination for the public

According to the investors, the reconstruction should be completed at the beginning of 2025. "Both buildings will offer a new destination for the general public. There will be an offer of retail, restaurant, club, office and apartment spaces. Their emphasis on history will somewhat dictate the choice of tenants, but we believe it is the right model. We are already looking forward to how we will bring this vision of ours to life in the heart of the Old Town in Bratislava," said Ivan Pastier from CTP.

Obchodný dom Dunaj and Dom odievania have been owned by CTP Invest SK since 2015. In Slovakia, it mainly deals with the construction and operation of industrial real estate and is a leader in this field. During construction, he emphasizes sustainability and efficiency, he largely incorporates the so-called green solutions not only for the operation of buildings, but also during their construction. Within the group, CTP has extensive experience with similar projects such as OD Danube or with changing the character of the territory thanks to the revival of brownfields. Several similar projects were also implemented in the neighboring Czech Republic, for example the reconstruction of the Bochner Palace in the Brno Vlněna resort.

CTP

The largest owner, developer and manager of logistics and industrial real estate in Europe in terms of gross leasable area. As of December 31, 2022, the company owned 10.5 million m² of gross leasable area in 10 countries. CTP certifies all new buildings to BREEAM 'very good' level or above and has been awarded a 'low risk' ESG rating by Sustainalytics, underscoring its commitment to being a sustainable business.

"For us, the starting point for the reconstruction of this building is the state of vision in 1936. We want to preserve and restore as much as possible the elements that were damaged or removed during later reconstructions of the house," says Ivan Šimo, Construction Director of CTP.

One of the highlighted elements of this building is the facade, which had a pale green paneling and at night was illuminated by neon tubes around the perimeter. This also made it sound natural to be a place where people often met.

Principles of sustainability

"The Dunaj department store has been an immovable national cultural monument since 2000. We fully respect this status of his and want to save his genius loci as well. We preserve the maximum of the supporting structure, materials, and visuals. That was also the task for the architects. Our intention is not to change its nature, on the contrary, we want to maintain the variability of the amix of services offered," says Ivan Pastier, Business Development Director of CTP.

"The Danube has its own unique soul. During the reconstruction, we sensitively select it, preserve it, and after modernizing it and adding sustainable elements, we reintegrate it into the body of the building so that it can prosper again when it returns to life after the reconstruction," adds Ivan Pastier.

Obchodný dom Dunaj and Dom odievania have been owned by CTP Invest SK since 2015. In Slovakia, it mainly deals with the construction and operation of industrial real estate and is a leader in this field. During construction, he emphasizes sustainability and efficiency, he largely incorporates the so-called green solutions not only for the operation of buildings, but also during their construction. Within the group, CTP has extensive experience with similar projects such as OD Danube or with changing the character of the territory thanks to the revival of brownfields. Several similar projects were also implemented in the neighboring Czech Republic, for example the reconstruction of the Bochner Palace in the Brno Vlněna resort.