Public amenities are fundamental to us
The certification works with five main categories. The first and most extensive is "Social and Economic Prosperity," which includes 17 separate studies and accounts for 42% of the overall rating. It monitors the quality of life in the area in the long term and evaluates, for example, the level of public space and sufficient greenery, microclimate and preparedness for climate change, safety and architectural diversity respecting the genius loci, or inclusive solutions for families, seniors, and people with limited mobility.
One of the key themes of this BREEAM Communities category is public amenities. We do not consider them to be an addition, but rather the foundation of the entire project. Architecture and greenery alone are not enough for a good quality of life – true comfort begins when you have groceries, schools, doctors, sports facilities, and places to have coffee or spend your free time just a few minutes' walk from home.
The amenities in Nová Zbrojovka and its surroundings are assessed in particular by a study entitled "Provision of Services, Facilities, and Amenities," but also by these other studies: "Economic Impacts," "Demographic Needs and Priorities," and "Education and Skills." Their aim is to demonstrate that basic services will be available within a reasonable distance and will meet the actual needs of the population. The assessment is based on a combination of:
- analysis of the Nová Zbrojovka Master Plan and the Trade and Services Concept,
- detailed mapping of the surrounding amenities in Nová Zbrojovka and its neighborhood,
- expert analyses and the 2021 Cooperation Agreement with the City of Brno,
- long-term dialogue with the community.
To learn more about obtaining BREAAM Communities certification, listen to the podcast with Jakub Voleš from CEVRE Consultants, one of the few experts in Europe authorized for BREEAM Communities.
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| Diverse and high-quality public amenities are what make everyday life comfortable and enjoyable for us | Everything you need - from basic to above-standard services - is just a few minutes' walk from home |
What do people really want? We plan according to actual desires
It is important for us to identify people's real needs – through sentiment maps, surveys, public votes, and questionnaire surveys. In 2024, we teamed up with the sociological company GAREP to conduct a survey involving 361 respondents from the target group – mainly people who live or work in the vicinity of Nová Zbrojovka or are actively interested in the project. According to GAREP, this sample is sufficient for relevant conclusions.
Most sought-after commercial services
Respondents were asked in the questionnaire what commercial services they would like to use in the vicinity of their home or workplace.
- Grocery stores and restaurants received almost unanimous support,
- more than half of the respondents wanted sports facilities – wellness centers, swimming pools, or gyms,
- and there was less interest in public laundromats or charging stations for electric bikes.
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| Questionnaire survey from 2024 |
Priority public amenities
A similar question concerned the use of amenities in Nová Zbrojovka.
- The most popular responses were ATMs, healthcare services, and multipurpose sports fields.
- Schools, kindergartens, and outdoor event spaces were given medium priority.
- Less interest was shown in libraries, community gardens, and mailboxes, for example.
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| Questionnaire survey from 2024 |
Your wishes are our plan: We are building the new neighborhood according to the priorities of the target group
In the first part of the article, we looked at what services people in Nová Zbrojovka want. Now we will show you how we will specifically meet all basic needs – from morning rolls to top-notch sports facilities. We take all suggestions from the surveys as the building blocks of our planning. We have divided the needs according to their importance – and the good news is that in Nová Zbrojovka, we plan to provide all services that were supported by at least 20% of respondents. We distinguish between three levels of priority:
- High need / main priority = over 60% of respondents
- Medium need / secondary priority = 40–60% of respondents
- Low need = 20–39% of respondents
Health, sports, dining, and shopping: everything you need is close by
Our main goal is to provide services that more than 60% of respondents consider essential.
Health comes first. In addition to the immediate proximity of the Brno Military Hospital, we are setting aside space in the commercial areas of the buildings for doctors' offices and pharmacies. There are also several pharmacies in the immediate vicinity.
When it comes to sports, we already have a wide range of sports activities on offer in Nová Zbrojovka and its immediate surroundings. The multifunctional, one-hectare Amenities Park is visited by athletes every day. The Pilates Place center is also popular and will be expanded with another studio next year. You can choose from a wide range of yoga classes at Yoga Brno - fitness studio located opposite the entrance to Nová Zbrojovka. You can go swimming at the Zábrdovice swimming pool, which is right next to Nová Zbrojovka. Here you can enjoy a 50-meter pool, a wave pool, beach volleyball, pétanque, and table tennis – and the city of Brno is planning to renovate and modernize it.
And more sports facilities will be added in the future. For example, the elementary school will include a large multifunctional sports hall (we are also adjusting the parameters for the floorball league!) and a unique rooftop playground. A fitness center with a small sauna will open in Montovna.
What about dining and shopping? In the immediate vicinity of Nová Zbrojovka, you will find the Kaufland hypermarket in Židenice, several restaurants, and the newly opened Zdravý život health food and organic food store. Right next door, you can visit re.SET Food, Mama’s Burger Brno, or the popular Industra café. This year, we will also welcome the coffee masters from Rebelbean. More grocery stores will gradually be added, such as Billa in Montowna, and we are also planning space for farmers' markets. With each new building, new spaces for shops and services will be created, mainly around the central square and on the ground floors of buildings.
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| Amenities Park already attracts athletes for workouts, beach volleyball, basketball, soccer, and other activities | Amenities Park is also a popular and sought-after destination for events, entertainment, and social gatherings |
School, community, and leisure
We haven't forgotten about other public amenities that are important to you.
Education is one of Nová Zbrojovka's most ambitious plans. The PORG private elementary school, which offers bilingual instruction in Czech and English, is already operating here. There is also the bilingual Czech-Canadian Maple Bear elementary school. The construction of two kindergartens and a public elementary school with a capacity of up to 800 children is in preparation. It will offer modern classrooms, two gyms, an auditorium, and a library. You can also look forward to a children's group that Maple Bear will open in Montown.
We are already developing community and social life to the fullest here today. Every year, we organize dozens of cultural, sporting, and family events. In the future, the Cyril Lacina Square and the revitalized Kotelna will become the social center – a multifunctional center with shops, restaurants, a gallery, studios, and a concert hall will be created here. Take a look at it in our virtual tour. There will also be a restaurant with its own beer, Zbrojovák and Odzbrojovák.
And other services? For hobby and club activities and more intimate gatherings, we will offer rentable community spaces, and the school's sports hall will also be available for larger events. If you feel like reading, in addition to the surrounding libraries, you can now read in peace at the informal "book-sharing box" in front of the ZET.Office building. We will develop other services, such as electric car charging, flexibly according to demand, especially in underground garages and at selected surface parking spaces.
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The planned public elementary school and kindergarten will not only be an "educational institution," but also a unique architectural design created for modern teaching | The elementary school will feature specialized laboratories for IT, biology, and chemistry, as well as a large library and auditorium |
A safe city with short distances, where everything is within reach
One of the key principles of construction and aspects evaluated by BREEAM Communities certification is walking distance. In Nová Zbrojovka, you will find everything you need just a short walk from home – no need to get in the car and waste time on the road. The walking routes will be safe, well-lit, and separated from traffic. This will make the neighborhood comfortable for everyday life, whether you are walking with a stroller or letting your children go out on their own.
The layout of services has a clear logic:
- basic amenities around the central square and main axes,
- cafés close to residential areas,
- restaurants in busy areas with respect for nighttime peace and quiet,
- specialized services in quieter parts of the neighborhood.
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Fancy some shopping, beer, coffee, or culture? You'll find it all together at Cyril Lacina Square in front of Kotelna | If you feel like reading, you can relax and read at our informal "book sharing box" today |
A living organism that will be cared for in the future
The principle behind the BREEAM Communities assessment and our main goal is to build a long-term functional and self-sufficient neighborhood. That is why we have a clear plan for how everything will work after construction is complete:
- Continuous monitoring: we constantly monitor demand for services and adjust our offerings accordingly.
- Cooperation with the community: we organize regular events and consult with you on important matters to ensure that services are functioning as they should.
- Guaranteed quality: most of the buildings remain in our ownership, so we will monitor quality and the meaningful provision of services in the long term.
- Management is clearly divided: we take care of the commercial spaces, the city will take over the management of the schools, and the owners' associations will take care of the common areas of the apartment buildings.
What's more, our team works and spends their free time here. This allows us to fully understand the needs of those who will one day find their home here. And even after construction is complete and the apartments are sold, we won't disappear. Many of us will be here with you, playing sports, picking up children from school, and meeting for coffee. That is why we care about every detail today. You can read about why Nová Zbrojovka is a long-term commitment for us in this article.
BREEAM Communities certification confirms that we are building civic amenities not only for our residents, but also for neighboring areas. We are not just creating a residential neighborhood, but a new economic and social center that will be visited by over 20,000 people every day – with thousands of new jobs, modern infrastructure, and high-quality public space. The transformation of this dilapidated brownfield site will thus fill not only an urban but also an economic gap in this part of Brno.
