Prague's rich (and multi-layered) urban fabric is enriched by a new regeneration project that restores evocative spaces previously closed to the public, trough a design rooted in historical memory but looking to the future of an increasingly vibrant and attractive contemporary capital.

The project is being carried out by Thomas Heatherwick's London studio on behalf of the Crestyl group, which, with the Savarin project, has launched one of the city's most ambitious urban development initiatives. As Heatherwick says: “Prague is one of the most beautiful and inspiring cities in the world, and me and my team has felt a deep responsibility working on such a significant site. Our design for Savarin is rooted in the incredible details, materials and craftsmanship of the city but it’s also about creating something new: a public space that feels alive, open and generous”.

The project, covering an area of approximately 15,000 square metres, is located in the immediate proximity of Wenceslas Square and consists of four interconnected parts, including restored historic buildings and a new public space with green areas, hanging gardens, restaurants, cultural and commercial spaces, in an uninterrupted sequence of passages connecting spaces that were previously inaccessible to each other and to the surrounding urban fabric. The building on Jindřišská Street will include a green courtyard and several restaurants; the second building, with an entrance on Panská Street, will house a market with various gastronomic services; the block of three buildings on Wenceslas Square will house a gallery of shops and services. 

The centrepiece of the project is the Baroque Savarin Palace designed by Kilian Ignaz Dientzenhofer, skilfully restored in 2021 and inaugurated in 2024, which houses luxury shops as well as the Mucha Museum (designed by Eva Jiřičná). As Omar Koleilat, co-founder of Crestyl Group, states: “Savarin represents exactly the kind of project Crestyl was built to deliver: one that respects history while boldly shaping the future of our cities. This milestone represents a long-held dream to transform a closed-off block in the heart of Prague into an open, welcoming space where culture, architecture, gastronomy, and community meet (...)”.

The recent approval of the overall project by the responsible authorities marks an important milestone in the process, which envisages the start of work in 2026 and completion in 2029.