panelových

Panelových domů, often called paneláky in Czech and Slovakia, refer to residential buildings constructed from large precast concrete panels. This construction method was developed in the mid-20th century and became a dominant form of mass housing in Czechoslovakia and other Eastern Bloc countries, designed to speed up construction and alleviate urban housing shortages.

Construction used the Large Panel System (LPS), introducing standardized prefabricated wall and floor panels produced in factories and assembled on site. Buildings typically have several to ten or more stories, with elevator cores and stairwells as integral elements. Interiors relied on modular layouts with small apartments; external façades were often plain concrete or simple cladding, later updated with paint, tiles, or brick veneer.

Advantages included rapid construction, lower initial costs, and high housing density. Drawbacks frequently noted are modest energy efficiency, limited customization, and acoustic and thermal performance that deteriorates with time if not maintained. Many units used older heating and insulation systems that require upgrades.

Panel houses spread widely across the Czech Republic and Slovakia, as well as Poland, Hungary, and East Germany. In Czechia and Slovakia, the term paneláky or paneláky is widely used in everyday language; in official contexts, "panelové domy" is common. The era left a distinctive urban and architectural footprint, with many neighborhoods known for their uniform street plans and long blocks.

Since the 1990s, many panelových domů have undergone modernization, including insulation improvements, replacement of windows, and modernization of heating systems. Some districts have seen redevelopment or demolition as part of urban renewal programs, while others have been preserved for their historical value or repurposed into mixed-use developments.