Technology parks are an essential element in the development of cities throughout the world. Ostrava’s own T-Park is located right next to the city’s technical university.
In today’s world, technology parks are much more than just places for offices and labs. They are living ecosystems, points of contact between scientists and businesspeople, research and practical application, innovation and the market. They are a platform where the latest developments and technological progress have the space to grow, and the opportunity to change the world. Whether in the biotech sector, AI or sustainable technologies, these parks not only support new projects; they also help cities to become forward-looking hubs for progress.
The T-Park’s predecessor was the Science and Technology Park, established by the City of Ostrava in 1997 at a site in the Pustkovec district. Covering around 10 hectares, the park was the region’s largest complex of physical infrastructure for science and technology research, innovation and high-tech solutions, with close contacts to the academic sphere. At the heart of the T-Park’s mission is the idea that innovation should have positive practical impacts, helping to improve people’s lives – from creating jobs to supporting eco-friendly solutions.
Expansion of the T-Park
As more and more innovative companies began to show an interest in moving to the T-Park, a development plan was drawn up in 2020 as a response to this situation. In 2021, Ostrava’s MAPPA studio created an urban planning study for the site. These two documents defined the optimum use of the vacant land at the T-Park complex – on the one hand responding to the needs of current and potential clients, while on the other hand reflecting modern concepts of sensitive urbanism and harmonious integration with the surrounding urban fabric and natural environment. The expansion of the T-Park is a key project for the future development of the city and the region as a whole.
What is Ostrava’s T-Park?
The T-Park in Ostrava is a multifunctional complex owned partly by the city and partly by private investors. It works closely alongside the MSIC – Moravian-Silesian Innovation Centre, the successor organization to the former Ostrava Science and Technology Park. MSIC puts science in touch with business, helps transform ideas into reality, and creates an important ecosystem for innovation. Its CEO is Adéla Hradilová.
The T-Park is evolving
The site currently has four multifunctional buildings: T1 (Piano), T2 (Tandem), T3 (Trident) and T4 (Viva), which also contain technical facilities and offices. Additionally there are buildings belonging to private investors – currently Elcom, Ingeteam CZ, ElektroMar and VAE Prosys. The T-Park is located directly next to the campus of Ostrava’s Technical University and the IT4Innovations National Supercomputing Centre, and it also offers residential facilities which have been built specifically for people working at the site.
The expansion plans also include the construction of new buildings by private investors in close cooperation with the neighbouring technical university. This approach is inspired by tried-and-tested models from other countries, such as technology centres in Cleveland and Pittsburgh. The project builds on the already strong links between the T-Park and the university, and it will enable the university’s potential as a research partner to be harnessed to the full, particularly as part of projects like IT4Innovations.
The new multifunctional building T6 will offer state-of-the-art office spaces, labs and testing facilities accompanied by a range of other services – such as a coworking area, a café, a creche, sports facilities, and fully furnished rental apartments. The city has signed a contract with the developer @CTP, which has built and continues to operate a network of business parks in Ostrava. CTP has acquired almost 14 500 m2 of land for just under 72 million CZK, and construction work is scheduled for completion by the end of 2027. The building will have two underground levels with parking spaces.
Another new development at the T-Park will be building T5, which is scheduled to open at the end of 2027. It will help to replace the capacity of two existing buildings – Piano (T1) and Tandem (T2). These will be demolished, as they no longer offer up-to-date facilities for research and development. The third new development will be building T8, which is contracted to be built by a private investor (4SC s.r.o.). In addition to this construction work, the courtyard area between the Trident and Viva buildings will also be revitalized to create a more attractive public space that will be conducive to community interaction.