The iconic Palace hotel in the center of Ostrava will get a new look

The dilapidated complex of buildings will now undergo a major transformation and, in addition to hotel services, will also offer rental housing, social and commercial spaces. Its reconstruction is scheduled to begin in 2027, based on a new architectural design by Berlin-based Kuehn Malvezzi Architects, which won an international architectural and urban planning competition for the renovation of the former Hotel Palace complex.

The project investor is the Antracit development group from the PURPOSIA Group holding company, whose goal was to transform the entire city block into a living organism connecting quality public space, housing, and hotel services. The implementation will be divided into several stages, which will allow for the gradual commissioning of individual parts of the complex. We currently expect the final stage to be completed in 2031.

“The Palace has a significant place in the history of Ostrava, and we want it to play an equally important role in the future. This transformation will affect life throughout the area, not only for the future residents of the Palace, but for everyone who will naturally use it,” says Jan Hasík, CEO of the PURPOSIA Group investment holding company.

Eighty-nine architectural studios from 27 countries around the world entered the international competition. The expert jury praised the winning design for its combination of the historical value of the building with the current needs and morphology of Ostrava and its ability to create new spaces reflecting contemporary architecture. The Palace will gradually be transformed into an open and lively place for residents and visitors to the city.

Rental housing, social spaces, and services

The winning design creates a fully-fledged city block consisting of a set of interconnected buildings, combining the reconstruction of preserved buildings, the demolition of existing unsuitable structures, and the addition of new structures. All this is complemented by passageways and courtyards that open the complex to the surrounding urban structure and promote its active integration into the life of the city center.

The main function of the new block will be rental housing in high-quality, designer-designed small apartments, complemented by social spaces and services directly in the building. Additional uses will be offered by a modern lifestyle hotel and smaller commercial units on the open and lively ground floor, which offers an attractive public space with shops, restaurants, and other services, as well as a publicly accessible garden. The significance of the complex is underlined by the preserved and restored historical interiors – in particular the Deininger Hall, which will be newly integrated into the daily operation of the complex, and the premises of the former Boccaccio night bar.