There are several legitimate approaches to its development. They are either evolutionary or revolutionary. Either the transformation totally erases the traces of previous use, or it integrates them. Prague has its own redevelopments (Josefov, Žižkov, etc.), but the evolutionary approach is more typical of Prague, to which it owes its diversity, colour and picturesqueness. The energy and costs invested in demolishing and clearing the site of traces of previous use are considerable. Is it not more efficient to invest in preserving the genius loci? Won't a surprising new quality emerge that accelerates other connections and impulses, something that is not usually the case in these kinds of projects?
In the case of the conversion of the former Ferona warehouse site, we have tried to extract the atmosphere, the scale, the spatial organisational order from the past function.
The area addressed is defined by the block between Vrbenská, Argentinska, Jankovcová, U Pergamenka streets. The existing industrial buildings enclose a triangular courtyard with an entrance from the northeast from U Pergamenky Street. To the southeast, a row of apartment buildings closes the block to Orten Square. To the northwest, the block is not clearly defined...the parcel is developed with warehouses and outbuildings. Adjacent to the warehouse building is a complicated parcel of former railroad siding. Building No. 1455 - an office building with a side warehouse and a gatehouse is declared a cultural monument. The investor's intention is to build a multifunctional complex with a predominantly residential function on the land in question. Urbanistically, the entire composition is created in several steps and intended stages, based on the concept of the upcoming construction in 1932-33.

1 - reinforcement of the contour of the block in the north-west direction facing Argentinska Street. In the broader context, closing the waterfront frontage. 

2 - reinforcing the contour of the block and the corner between Jankovcova and U Pergamenka Streets. 

3 - reinforcing and creating a piazzetta from the existing site yard. Creation of a public space with potential as a local centre. Cultural monument - the existing shop with side warehouse and porter's lodge becomes the centre of gravity of this centre...search for a suitable social and cultural function. 

4 - completion of the skeleton of the original warehouse hall by adding solitary houses to the new composition. Creation of an industrial garden, construction of a passage through the skeleton of the former warehouse towards the piazzetta - Vrbensky.

We attempted to use the existing, cleaned skeleton of the steel hall as a kind of music sheet, in which we wrote a new melody. The degree of authenticity of the preservation of the structure depends on several factors. A structural engineering survey of the existing structure is currently underway. After evaluating the technical condition, the entire structure will be divided into several categories...

• Structure preserved without change 
• Structure dismantled and reinstalled with slight modification (e.g. change of position, height of element) 
• Structure dismantled and used in new context (front gardens, pergolas, structures for climbing greenery) 
• Replication of the original structure (degraded and damaged parts) - Structure removed

The specific location and heights of each structure were determined by a detailed examination of the standard, legislative, property and technical requirements of the development.
The newly proposed buildings are basemented 1st to 3rd floor with a wing width of approximately 20m. They are between 4 and 8 storeys in height. Within the street profile they respect the height of the neighbouring existing buildings. The existing Ferona site is a unique example of the combination of industrial and residential functions, the new proposal seeks to capitalise on this finesse, to place it in the context of the existing housing needs of the city.