The environmental aspect is key for us

"We are committed to creating residential projects with premium quality housing," says Aram Novel Marutian, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Atlantis Development, active in the Czech Republic, Austria and Switzerland

One of your projects has a very interesting name: Žižkovské pavlače. What can be expected from it?
It is a residential project with almost 150 residential units located in the heart of Žižkov, on Koněvova Street. It offers a unique combination of a vibrant city and the peace and quiet of Vítkov Park, located in its close surroundings. Architect Břetislav Lukeš has managed to combine the genius loci of this Prague district and its typical tenement houses with modern architectural elements in a very sensitive way. Žižkovské pavlače - as well as other projects with our signature - emphasises the use of advanced environmental technologies to the maximum extent. This makes it a building with very low energetic requirements, which applies to both residential and commercial spaces there. We sold the project in 2017, but I can say it is a case of our hearts. We appreciate the fact that three years ago it won three awards in the "Realitní projekt roku" competition, including the public award, which we perceive as proof that we have managed to create a project that fits perfectly into the local environment and that local residents have been able to relate to it.

Another project is coming up, it is Via Sancta Vinoř. What will you offer to the people of Prague in this project?
If we spoke about sustainability as an important attribute of Žižkovské pavlače, we have taken it a number of steps further in Via Sancta Vinoř. The environmental aspect has been taken into account to the highest possible extent for both the construction process and the following operations. A total of 20 exceptionally energy-efficient apartment buildings will be built here in two phases. Our aim is to make the project as much energy self-sufficient as possible, and we also want to increase the energy self-sufficiency ratio further. We would like to start pre-selling Via Sancta Vinoř this summer.

You present it as a "sustainable project with a vision". What does it mean?
We use environmentally friendly materials, we are committed to minimising water consumption and waste production. In addition, we are focusing on efficient rainwater management, planning extensive planting of greenery and using technologies that will ensure very low operational costs for residents. We are planning to install photovoltaic power plants with battery storage for short-term accumulation of the electricity surplus and charging stations for electric vehicles. The electricity supply will be managed by a sophisticated energy management system, which we expect to minimize consumption and optimize the cost of energy supply.

ESG is a hot topic nowadays. Do you deal with this subject as well?
ESG is something that has resonated strongly in our company since its beginning, and we can say that we consider the environmental and social impacts of our activities and decisions almost on a daily basis. Our environmental strategy covers six key themes that impact the complete life cycle of our projects from investment preparation through architectural design, construction and long-term operation. This strategy has been defined in collaboration with our team and includes the following pillars: energy and climate change, efficient water management, enhancing the environmental value of the location and creating green spaces, ensuring a healthy and comfortable environment, the transition to a circular economy in construction and sustainable transport.

Can you introduce your company? Are you focusing only on the Czech Republic or on other countries as well?
Atlantis Development has been on Czech market since 2015. It is run by people who share identical values, especially in relation to sustainability - we are extending our internal team in accordance with the specifics of individual projects with experts in the fields of passive ecological housing, energy savings, water resource management and, of course, great architects and designers. As far as Atlantis Development's activities are concerned, in addition to the Czech Republic, we have opened project offices in Vienna and Zurich, where we focus on the selection of suitable locations for future residential projects. We are committed to creating signature residential projects that, in addition to beautiful architecture, offer premium quality living while maintaining maximum attention to the environment.

What would you recommend to someone who would like to focus on premium housing?
This may be different for everyone, but in our concept it is living in a pleasant environment carefully integrated into the nature, which provides everything one needs for living, within easy reach of a functioning infra-structure. Via Sancta Vinoř, for example, will offer its residents, among other things, sports and other leisure areas for different age categories, as well as the immediate proximity to the new golf course. Furthermore, it is a home that evokes security and aesthetically and functionally satisfies the owners' demands, evoking a positive emotion every time they come home.