Respect
in the neighborhood

The home is a safe haven, a place that makes us feel welcome. In addition to the solid walls, it is mainly friendly neighbors who help to create this feeling. There is no guarantee or magic bullet for creating a good neighborhood, however. Developers have to do their best in the project preparation phase, construction and handover to create the conditions for building it.

The Libeň district of Prague enchanted many local patriots. Unique residential area Čertův vršek is under construction in this quiet location. The ideal choice for all who love their space with a touch of luxury.

The person we often meet becomes the person we "know".

— Jan Gehl - Life between buildings —

Hendlův dvůr in Prague 6. Transforming a renovated 16^th century building into an extraordinary residence.

Good neighbors

They say we live in an era when many of us know someone living on the other side of the globe with whom we are connected through technology better than our neighbors. Yet when we are in trouble, lock ourselves out of the apartment or need someone to look after our children for a while, it's extremely useful to know our neighbors and be able to turn to them for help. Apartment buildings and their surroundings should be designed to promote neighborhood interactions and provide residents with opportunities to get to know each other, communicate with each other and enjoy planned and incidental meetings.

Genius loci

Each place has its own history, qualities, unique feel and its own story. Local people already have a strong relationship with it, so they are understandably disturbed by any new development that brings changes – whether minor or major in their impact. It is therefore essential to understand the relationship between the locals and the site we are building on, and work meaningfully with that relationship. If the developer and the residents of the new buildings approach the existing neighborhood with respect, the result will be a successful and beneficial project.

The public park area of the Emil Kolben district is designed to offer places for casual meetings.

We are here for the inquisitive, eager to live in a place that tells stories.

From our surveys

Although 90% of Czechs consider their neighborly relations to be excellent or good, almost half of us do not know any of our neighbors personally, as our survey on neighborly relations in the spring of 2021 showed. In cities with more than a hundred thousand inhabitants, over 40 percent of people do not spend time with any of their neighbors; by contrast, the smaller the municipality, the better the neighbors know each other.

42%

of people in Prague do not know any of their neighbors by their names

27%

participate in community events

31%

respondents have no public place to hang out in near their home

Botanica in Prague, Jinonice is a place designed for a happy life, in close connection with neighbors.

The survey also examines neighborhood assistance, which is used only by every third person. In apartment buildings in cities, people can do more without the help of their neighbors, probably because they don't do much DIY, and shops are usually more accessible than in the village. If salt, flour or sugar runs out, less than one fifth of us are unashamed to knock on a neighbor’s door, and only one in ten would borrows tools from a neighbor.

At the same time, good neighborly relations have a demonstrable effect on the culture in residential projects, neighborhood safety, the cleanliness of the house and its surroundings, and even more – they improve people’s mood! That's why we focus on cultivating relationships between neighbors. In Skanska's projects you will find a number of spaces just for neighborhood meetings – a shared terrace, flower beds, outdoor seating, or even a shared workshop.

Czechs believe that neighborly relations are best established through daily meetings in the corridors or around the house, talking over the garden fence or at community events. Younger people prefer barbecues or picnics, while parents with children build neighborly relations on the playground. Opportunities for this to happen are largely influenced by the developer, whose task it is to create such places.

Community flower beds in the Modřany Park Museum. An ideal place for growing both plants and relationships.

We are here for those who want to get along with their neighbors.

Public participation

We respect the places where we build. We make a great effort to understand exactly what was in the place before and what is there now, trying to build on its history.

The new development also has a major impact on the lives of local residents, which is why we consider it important to involve the public in our project planning. Public participation can result in incorporating amenities into the project that have been lacking in the area so far and that will be beneficial for all residents, both new and old. This builds trust between the developer and the community.

The Modřanský cukrovar residential district is Skanska’s first large-scale development project in Prague created in cooperation with the public, who took part in the process well before the architects started drawing the project‘s first line. We discussed issues such as the height and character of the buildings and how to make the construction process easier for the locals and add new value to their living space.

The story of Modřanský cukrovar in Prague

Libčický stožár - Skanska in cooperation with students of the Hlaváček – Čeněk studio at the Faculty of Architecture of the Czech Technical University in Prague built a lookout mast in Libčice nad Vltavou.

Cooperation builds success

Close cooperation with town halls and inhabitants and the subsequent involvement of excellent architects and other experts allows us to create exceptional projects. That is why we consider cooperation with city authorities to be highly beneficial and we seek out projects that have a wider reach and benefit for the entire city.

We share our expertise with those who will follow in our footsteps. We worked with universities of architecture and construction to create projects like the Stožár in Libčice nad Vltavou – a small building with a view. It even won the Construction of the Year award.

We also support the education of young people in the form of the Green Laboratory (a green building school for children) and literary competition Bambini litera.

Life between buildings

Home is not just about living in an apartment. Equally important is the diverse and natural life outside, where we can be among people, find worthwhile leisure activities and have something to look at.

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Respect for natural resources

A respectful society can manage resources efficiently and sustainably, thus creating a space where future generations will be able to live happily and for a long time. Thoughtful use of natural resources, recycling, new technologies and care for biodiversity represent the future of our homes and residential construction.

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Lasting value

Good quality architecture can be extravagant, but only where it serves a higher purpose. Investing more up front in acquisition costs ultimately reduces operating costs. Good architecture is not afraid to choose high-quality materials even in places that are not so visible, preferring a higher standard of design.

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We are here for everyone who is not only looking for four walls, but also the space around them.