Keystone

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  • Project Type:

    Administrative

  • Architects:

    Mathias Müller, Daniel Niggli – EM2N

  • Location:

    Pobřežní, Prague 8 – Karlín

  • Completion:

    2012

  • Size:

    6 500 m²

The Keystone office building, designed by the renowned Swiss architectural studio EM2N, is a free interpretation of Czech Cubism, confidently engaging with the original architecture of old Karlín.
The architectural design, the original choice of materials, and the details of the common areas evoke the avant-garde aesthetic of the early 20th century. The aluminum-clad façade resembles a crystal that responds to changes in light, adding dynamism to the building.

EM2N

The architectural practice EM2N, with offices in Zurich and Berlin, was founded in 1997 by Mathias Müller and Daniel Niggli. The studio currently works on projects in Switzerland, Germany, and Belgium, with approximately half of their projects being conversions. EM2N seeks to open itself to the diverse dynamics of cities and their inhabitants, embrace the complexity of contemporary society, appreciate the qualities of the past, and confidently continue in the present. Among their most well-known completed projects are the Toni-Areal and the Viaduct Arches in Zurich. It was the Viaduct Arches project, which was introduced to the Czech public by the Karlín Group, that became the inspiration for the future redesign of the Negrelli Viaduct in Prague.

The symbolic name Keystone refers to the cornerstone – a symbol of stability in good architecture. Just as a keystone enables the arching of space in architecture, the building both literally and figuratively connects the old and new Karlín. As part of Karlín Group’s long-term conceptual approach to urban development, this project ties the unique character of the original residential and industrial buildings with contemporary world architecture.This building represents the first commercial development in the regeneration of the Karlín area, marking the beginning of the revitalization of Rohanský Island, where the Karlín Group took on the role of land developer.