GEMO Completes Key Phase of Expansion and Modernisation of Westfield Černý Most Shopping Centre in Prague

A key characteristic of this contract was the considerate and responsible approach to the existing structure of the shopping centre. Gemo reused selected structures and technologies to the maximum extent possible, without compromising the valid safety and operational standards. In practice, this meant refurbishing and redeploying some equipment, including escalators, and thoughtfully integrating the original technologies into the new technical concept. Where elements no longer met current fire or safety requirements, such as parts of the glass façades, they were replaced with systems offering higher fire resistance and better acoustic parameters. The result is the current glazed façade and modernised technical facilities, which enhance comfort for visitors and tenants while simultaneously reducing the energy consumption of the building.

“The expansion and modernisation of Westfield Černý Most demonstrates that we can manage even an extensive retail project sustainably and with respect for the surroundings, even under the challenging conditions of full operation. We are pleased that we have simultaneously managed to meet the BREEAM Excellent criteria,” states Ing. Martin Koudelka, Project Manager at GEMO a.s.. He adds: “The main construction work took place while the shopping centre was in full operation, with an emphasis on safety, smooth traffic flow, and minimising the impact on customers and tenants. We adapted the construction organisation to precise staging, implemented night shifts, and employed a just-in-time logistics regime for deliveries to minimise stock and operational disruption. We coordinated the connection of new parts to existing structures and utility networks and ensured extensive technology re-routing. It was also necessary to resolve temporary fire safety measures and smoke ventilation. The project was demanding not only structurally but also administratively. Completed sections were gradually approved for use and handed over to the investor. A total of more than 15 final approval processes (kolaudace) took place”.

The shopping centre expansion is based on the connection of cutting-edge architecture, precise technical solutions, and respect for the environment. Low-carbon materials were used in the structures, including concrete with certified Environmental Product Declarations (EPD) and optimised formulations. The core of the project’s sustainability strategy consists of rigorous sorting and recycling of construction waste, preference for materials with a longer lifespan, and an emphasis on minimising operational costs and the carbon footprint.

The entire reconstruction and expansion project is designed and implemented with the goal of achieving BREEAM New Construction Excellent certification, in line with Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield’s Better Places strategy and Gemo’s long-term ESG commitments. The architectural concept was created by the London studio Benoy, construction management was provided by RUBY Project Management, General Designer and construction supervision was carried out by Obermeyer Helika a.s., and the investor is Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield through the company Centrum Černý Most s.r.o..

Key Parameters of Project:

Investor: Centrum Černý Most, s.r.o.

Architect: Bennoy

General Contractor of Construction Work: Gemo a.s.

General Designer: Obermeyer Helika a.s.

Construction Manager: RUBY Project Management s.r.o.

Construction Period: 2024-2025

About GEMO:

GEMO a.s. is among the significant companies in building construction in the Czech Republic and Slovakia. It executes timeless, modern residential, administrative, commercial, and industrial projects with an emphasis on sustainability and architectural quality, and for some, it also acts as their direct developer and investor. The company was founded in 1990 in Olomouc and has gradually become one of the biggest players in the field, maintaining exclusively Czech ownership. It employs approximately 470 people and is part of the GEMO holding group, along with the companies GEMO SLOVENSKO, spol. s r.o. and GEMO DEVELOPMENT, spol. s r.o.

For more information, please contact:

Radka L. Kerschbaumová

Crest Communications a.s.

radka.kerschbaumova@crestcom.cz

+420 733 185 662

Photo No. 1–2: The construction company GEMO a.s. has successfully completed the work on the expansion and modernisation of the Westfield Černý Most shopping centre in Prague: Source: Westfield Černý Most