Max Mohl has designed a multifunctional building on a site that began to lose its urban character in the wake of the area’s post-1990 development, when widespread privatization and individual, uncoordinated projects significantly degraded the quality of the public space, in particular passage through this area and its connection with the river. The site adjacent to the Negrelli Viaduct on the Rohan Embankment currently attracts only motorists who use the local petrol station and tire service. The surrounding parcel is a leftover piece of land that is in a dismal condition with no attractive functions.

New functions are exactly what Mohl proposes, and he has sited them in a solid hybrid building which he hopes will act as a counterbalance to the surrounding urban landscape. The combination of gas station, workshops, offices, and housing in one „envelope“ makes up for the area’s lack of diversity. One important element is the landscaping of the courtyard, where one formerly undergrounded arm of the Vltava River is brought to the surface in order to, with the help of additional buildings and landscaping, create a pleasant place for relaxation that will contrast with the urban environment, thus producing a hidden pearl in an unexpected part of Karlín.

Max Mohl has long been interested in the urban environment in which he lives, studying it and devoting himself to it in his practice. He tries to approach his projects with a sense for the place and its context while seeking elegant and viable solutions.