We welcomed the president at the church building

On the last Sunday in May, Czech President Petr Pavel visited the construction site of the new Holy Trinity Church and Cardinal Josef Beran Community Center in Neratovice. It will be the first religious building in the Czech Republic to be partially constructed using 3D concrete printing. The church tower and rectory will be printed, but the possibility of printing other parts of the church is also being discussed. The construction technology is so exceptional that it has attracted the attention not only of the President of the Republic but also of church representatives; the President was accompanied on his visit by Prague Archbishop Stanislav Přibyl.

“We greatly appreciate the President’s visit. It confirms that the building is significant not only for Neratovice but also for the broader public. This is a project that combines architecture, faith, community life, and new construction methods. We are very grateful to be part of this project,” says Jan Hasík, CEO of the investment holding company PURPOSIA Group.

Currently, the foundations of the rectory, the perimeter walls of the community hall, and the retaining walls are complete. However, testing of 3D-printed components for other parts of the church is also underway, and their potential use in the construction of the main nave is being discussed. A prominent feature of the entire structure will be the church tower, which will be created using 3D concrete printing technology. During his visit, the president toured the parts of the church under construction and familiarized himself with further plans for its construction, including the continued use of 3D printing.

“3D concrete printing technology opens up new possibilities for architectural expression by enabling the creation of organic and curved shapes without compromising the strength or stability of the structures. The use of concrete as a proven building material ensures that the resulting structures are strong, durable, and safe,” explains Tomáš Kosa, CEO of the HSF System construction group, which is the general contractor for the project.

3D printing is the ideal technology for organic shapes

This technology is ideal for creating the rounded organic shapes that are characteristic of the Neratovice church. The church was designed by architect Zdeněk Fránek, whose design is intended to symbolize the ark as the presence and mystery of God in the world, while the tower symbolizes humanity, which, as both individuals and a community, touches this mystery. Although the tower will be built entirely of concrete, its shapes will be graceful and fully in line with the architect’s vision and design. “The magic of our technology lies in the fact that we take standard ready-mix concrete and, using a mixture of additives, give it freedom of form through 3D printing. This is ideal for building a church tower. We don’t need to create complex formwork to precisely capture the delicate lines and elegance of the design,” says Tomáš Vránek, CEO of Coral Construction Technologies, which develops concrete 3D printing technology.

In addition to the church itself, a new community center will also be built, serving not only the needs of the faithful but also those of other residents of Neratovice and neighboring villages. The construction of the new church and community center responds to a long-standing need of the local community and the faithful, for whom the current facilities are insufficient in terms of capacity. The emerging community center will offer space for weddings, exhibitions, and concerts, and will provide facilities for various clubs and groups of all ages. Construction of the Church of the Holy Trinity and the Cardinal Josef Beran Community Center is scheduled for completion in the fall of 2028. “The project is growing naturally out of the needs of the local community and is funded by donations. The fundraising campaign is still ongoing at kostelneratovice.cz,” concludes Marek Matocha.

The general contractor for the project is the international construction group HSF System, part of the PURPOSIA Group investment holding. The investor is the Neratovice Community Center Foundation. The total cost of the shell construction is approximately 204 million CZK.