Outside Prague, the Sugar Factory, a mixed-used residential development with public space, marks the largest project to use the sustainable material Rebetong. Invented by Skanska, Rebetong comprises completely recycled concrete and/or masonry, instead of natural aggregates. With Rebetong, buildings can be constructed from other buildings at the end of their lives, forming a circular economy. The Sugar Factory is also the first project to use Rebetong for its façade.
The architecture and urban design practice CHYBIK + KRISTOF, in collaboration with Skanska, recently unveiled the Sugar Factory, located on a former sugar factory site. At 58,000 square meters (about 625,000 square feet), the project includes seven blocks with 790 apartments. It also features over 6,600 square meters (71,000 square feet) of public space, including a multifunctional hall, brewery, coffee house, kindergarten, and boat club. The project is scheduled for completion in 2030.
Following intensive research and experimentation with different sizes, shapes, and densities, the Rebetong material used for this project has been made from leftover bricks, reflecting the site’s industrial character. So that Rebetong can serve as a fully visual reminder of the area’s history, CHK proposed using the material not only for structural purposes, but also as an exposed façade. The project also preserves the sugar factory chimney, built in 1927, so it can serve as a historic landmark and symbol.
“Appreciated for its historic significance and ability to fit into the existing landscape, Rebetong acts as a functional and emotional connection to the collective memory of the area, adding value to the local culture and community, while being a sustainably elegant solution,” a press statement said.
On the Building Team:
Owner and/or developer: SKANSKA Reality
Design architect: CHYBIK + KRISTOF
Engineer of record: Tomáš Chren, AED
MEP engineer: ExPlan
Structural engineer: Recoc
General contractor/construction manager: Skanska
Related Stories
Adaptive Reuse | Aug 17, 2023
How to design for adaptive reuse: Don’t reinvent the wheel
Gresham Smith demonstrates the opportunities of adaptive reuse, specifically reusing empty big-box retail and malls, many of which sit unused or underutilized across the country.
Sustainability | Aug 15, 2023
Carbon management platform offers free carbon emissions assessment for NYC buildings
nZero, developer of a real-time carbon accounting and management platform, is offering free carbon emissions assessments for buildings in New York City. The offer is intended to help building owners prepare for the city’s upcoming Local Law 97 reporting requirements and compliance. This law will soon assess monetary fines for buildings with emissions that are in non-compliance.
Office Buildings | Aug 10, 2023
Bjarke Ingels Group and Skanska to deliver 1550 on the Green, one of the most sustainable buildings in Texas
In downtown Houston, Skanska USA’s 1550 on the Green, a 28-story, 375,000-sf office tower, aims to be one of Texas’ most sustainable buildings. The $225 million project has deployed various sustainable building materials, such as less carbon-intensive cement, to target 60% reduced embodied carbon.
Multifamily Housing | Jul 31, 2023
6 multifamily housing projects win 2023 LEED Homes Awards
The 2023 LEED Homes Awards winners in the multifamily space represent green, LEED-certified buildings designed to provide clean indoor air and reduced energy consumption.
High-rise Construction | Jul 26, 2023
A 33-story Singapore tower aims to reimagine work with restorative, outdoor spaces
Architecture firm NBBJ has unveiled design details for Keppel South Central, a commercial tower in Singapore. The project, which is slated for completion in late 2024, will transform the original Keppel Towers into a 33-story, energy-efficient building that aims to reimagine work by providing restorative spaces and connections to the outdoors.
Designers | Jul 20, 2023
Mary Cook Associates brews up coffeehouse-inspired apartment community
The MCA design team worked closely with the developer and design architect to create an interior concept inspired by Decatur, Ga.’s, tree-lined streets, boutique retail, and vibrant restaurant and coffee shop scene.
Mass Timber | Jul 11, 2023
5 solutions to acoustic issues in mass timber buildings
For all its advantages, mass timber also has a less-heralded quality: its acoustic challenges. Exposed wood ceilings and floors have led to issues with excessive noise. Mass timber experts offer practical solutions to the top five acoustic issues in mass timber buildings.
Mixed-Use | Jun 29, 2023
Massive work-live-play development opens in LA's new Cumulus District
VOX at Cumulus, a 14-acre work-live-play development in Los Angeles, offers 910 housing units and 100,000 sf of retail space anchored by a Whole Foods outlet. VOX, one of the largest mixed-use communities to open in the Los Angeles area, features apartments and townhomes with more than one dozen floorplans.
Standards | Jun 26, 2023
New Wi-Fi standard boosts indoor navigation, tracking accuracy in buildings
The recently released Wi-Fi standard, IEEE 802.11az enables more refined and accurate indoor location capabilities. As technology manufacturers incorporate the new standard in various devices, it will enable buildings, including malls, arenas, and stadiums, to provide new wayfinding and tracking features.
Mixed-Use | Jun 12, 2023
Goettsch Partners completes its largest China project to date: a mixed-used, five-tower complex
Chicago-based global architecture firm Goettsch Partners (GP) recently announced the completion of its largest project in China to date: the China Resources Qianhai Center, a mixed-use complex in the Qianhai district of Shenzhen. Developed by CR Land, the project includes five towers totaling almost 472,000 square meters (4.6 million sf).
