Vltava Philharmonic Hall Prague Competition

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Vltava Philharmonic Hall Prague Architecture Competition Winner, Czech Design Contest News

Vltava Philharmonic Hall Prague Design Competition

post updated 17 May 2022

Vltava Philharmonic Hall Design Contest Winner News

BIG-Bjarke Ingels Group to build the new Vltava Philharmonic Hall in Prague

The winner of the international architectural competition for the new Vltava Philharmonic Hall in Prague was announced today, May 17th, 2022, in the Center for Architecture and Metropolitan Planning (CAMP), Prague.

Bjarke Ingels Group to build the new Vltava Philharmonic Hall in Prague

Vltava Philharmonic Hall Prague design by BIG

Previously on e-architect:

9 November 2021

Vltava Philharmonic Hall Prague Competition Shortlist

Location: Prague, Czech Republic

List of 15 architectural studios named, from 115 entries

Vltava Philharmonic Hall Design Contest Shortlist News

Prague presents the teams that made it to the finals of the Vltava Philharmonic Hall design competition

Today, the capital city announced the names of 15 architectural teams that will design the future appearance of the Vltava Philharmonic Hall, which is to be built in the next decade in the vicinity of the Vltavská metro station. Five renowned architectural studios have already been invited to participate in the international architectural competition. In total, 20 architectural teams from 11 countries will take part in the competition. The building should be completed in 2031.

At the end of August 2021, the Prague Institute of Planning and Development (IPR) together with the City of Prague announced a competition for the new design of the concert hall. A total of 115 teams from 25 countries entered the competition.

“We were very pleased to see such a significant interest from Czech and international studios, which testifies to the prestige of the Vltava Philharmonic Hall project. There were many high-quality portfolios and it was not easy to select the final 15 teams. I am very pleased that we can finally officially share the list of names of the architectural teams that we will now approach to develop the design for the new Philharmonic Hall. The final 20 from 11 countries have work experience not only in the public but also in the private sector, and offer cultural diversity and diversity of opinion,” said Michal Sedláček, chairman of the jury.

The advancing teams are:

ALA + OV-A
MVRDV
OFFICE KGDVS + Christ & Gantenbein
Mecanoo + CHYBIK+KRISTOF
Barozzi Veiga + Atelier M1
Sou Fujimoto Architects
Cobe + Lundgaard & Tranberg Architects
ŠÉPKA ARCHITEKTI + MANGADO Y ASOCIADOS
Foster + Partners
Bjarke Ingels Group
Henning Larsen Architects
Carrilho da Graça Arquitectos
JAJA Architects
Bevk Perovic Arhitekti
Petr Hájek Architekti

Vltava Philharmonic Hall Prague Competition Jury:
Vltava Philharmonic Hall Prague Competition Jury

The selected studios will complement the five participants that Prague directly invited to develop proposals in August. The international architectural studios are Diller Scofidio + Renfro, Snøhetta, Ateliers Jean Nouvel, David Chipperfield Architects and SANAA. 18 million crowns will be distributed among the participants in the competition in sketch fees and prizes.

“Architectural competitions should be the standard for public buildings. This is the only way we can sensitively complement our city with modern architecture that emphasizes the use of public space. The candidates’ work with this area therefore played a significant role in the jury’s decision. After all, we want the Philharmonic Hall building and its surroundings to live on beyond the performances themselves. This means that it should not only be a tourist attraction, but also a place where Prague residents like to go often,” said Mayor of Prague Zdeněk Hřib.

“It is important to stress that the competition itself is only part of the project preparation. In addition to the competition, the project continues with other work. For example, we have performed a vibration survey on the plot and participation of the public. And as soon as a new government is appointed, we are ready to negotiate with representatives of the state about its involvement in the project,” comments Petr Hlaváček, First Deputy Mayor for Spatial Development and the Land Use Plan.

The building, with an estimated construction cost of approximately CZK 6 billion, will have several halls with top-quality acoustics and a perfect spatial design that meets 21st century standards. It will house both major Prague orchestras — the Prague Symphony Orchestra FOK and the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra, as well as the music department of the Municipal Library and other creative spaces, rehearsal rooms, music classrooms, etc. The Vltava Philharmonic Hall building will become a major impetus for the development of the Bubny-Zátory brownfield.

Vltava Philharmonic Hall Prague Design Competition site

“Vltavská Street is a dismal area that will undergo a major transformation in the coming years, and the construction of the Philharmonic Hall will be the crowning glory of this transformation. Before the new Bubny-Zátory district is built, we are taking a number of steps that will already make Vltavská a people-friendly place now. At the moment, the underpasses at Vltavská have been transformed into a place for everyday sports,” says Jan Čižinský, Mayor of Prague 7 and member of the City Council.

“The construction of the Vltava Philharmonic Hall is the project of the century and it is a pleasure to see that it enjoys significant support not only across the political spectrum, but as is clear from the sociological survey and our participation activities, also from the general public —both from Prague residents and regular visitors to cultural events,” says Ondřej Boháč, Director of IPR Prague.

The final architectural design of the Vltava Philharmonic Hall will be selected in April 2022. The construction itself should start in 2027 and could be completed in 2031.

The expert jury consists of 11 members. In addition to the jury’s chairman Michal Sedláček, its regular members include Andreas Cukrowicz, the author of the winning design for the concert hall in Munich, and Tina Saaby, former city architect of Copenhagen. Among the Czech representatives are Josef Pleskot, internationally acclaimed Czech architect, Martin Krupauer, architect and head of the design team of the Vltava Philharmonic Hall, Lubomír Zaorálek, current Minister of Culture, Zdeněk Hřib, Mayor of Prague, and Jan Čižinský, Mayor of Prague 7.

More information about the project, news and results of the participation can be found on the website www.vltavskafilharmonie.cz

23 August 2021

Vltava Philharmonic Hall Prague Competition 2021

Location: Czech Republic

August 23rd, 2021 – We’ll know what the new Vltava Philharmonic Hall will look like in May 2022. Prague and IPR announced an international architectural competition today.

Vltava Philharmonic Hall Design Contest News

Architects worldwide are now turning even more of their attention to Prague. The capital city of the Czech Republic, together with its Institute of Planning and Development (IPR Prague), has officially announced an international architectural competition for the design of the Vltava Philharmonic Hall. In May of 2022, the jury, headed by the internationally renowned Czech architect Michal Sedláček, will choose the winning building design for the new concert hall that will be standing in Holešovice in Prague, near the Vltavská metro station. The competitors will divide EUR 707,500 among themselves in design and sketch royalties.

Today at last, a big step has been taken towards adding another culturally significant building to Prague after more than 100 years. The announcement of an international architectural competition for the design of the new concert hall building, the Vltava Philharmonic Hall, is of international import not just for Prague, but for the entire Czech Republic. Preliminary interest in participation has been expressed by about 60 studios from around the world, including from the Czech Republic.

“Starting today, all interested parties may officially submit their competition applications. Five entities, chosen primarily from among the most renowned architectural studios, will be asked to participate directly. These are Diller Scofidio + Renfro, Snøhetta, Ateliers Jean Nouvel, David Chipperfield Architects and SANAA. We also expect a strong showing from Czech architects, because as professionals we view this as an exceptionally open competition, which means they’ll have a great chance to win,” stated the Chairperson of the jury, Michal Sedláček.

The deadline for submitting applications is 30 September 2021. In October 2021, the competition jury will then choose a further 15 teams in addition to the five already chosen. The competition will then continue with 20 teams in total, a rare number in comparable international competitions. Roughly six months later, in March 2022, these competitors will submit their architectural designs for the Vltava Philharmonic Hall and its immediate surroundings. The jury will begin evaluating the submitted designs in April 2022 and in May 2022, a winner should be decided on and the competition officially ended.

Vltava Philharmonic Hall Prague Design Competition site

The final jury selection comprises 11 regular members (with voting rights) and 21 alternates (taking part in all negotiations and joint meetings of the jury). Apart from the aforementioned Chairperson Michal Sedláček, the regular members include Andreas Cukrowicz (notably the winner of the international architectural competition for a concert hall in Munich), Tina Saaby (notably a former Copenhagen city architect) and Peter Gero (he notably took part in the creation of Hamburg’s new Hafen City neighborhood). Of the Czech architects, the members include Josef Pleskot, Marcela Steinbachová and Martin Krupauer (Team Leader of the Vltava Philharmonic Hall project).

The state and metropolitan municipal political representatives who will be present include, among others, the Czech Minister of Culture Lubomír Zaorálek, Mayor of Prague Zdeněk Hřib and Deputy Mayor for Spatial Development and the Land Use Plan Petr Hlaváček, alongside Czech Member of Parliament and Prague representative Jan Čižinský. More information on the jury, including a short bio of all of its members, can be found here: https://vltavaphilharmonichall.com/en/competition

”I trust that both Prague and the Czech Republic can look forward to a new and unique modern building thanks to this architectural competition, where we’ll see the very best of world architecture. Thanks to the high interest of Czech and international architects, we are expecting timeless designs that will raise the already rich architecture of Prague one level higher. I’m happy to see that the Vltava Philharmonic Hall has support across the political spectrum,” said the Mayor of Prague, Zdeněk Hřib.

“It’s also good to be aware that without this new Prague architectural icon resulting from this competition, we’d have real problems starting up a transformation of the whole unattractive area of Bubny–Zátory. The intimate connection of the Vltava Philharmonic Hall building to the Vltava river will, on the one hand, continue the tradition of placing important public buildings on the riverside while, on the other hand, it will emphasize the importance of a new and significant architectural focal point for the town. This has been borne out in the practical experience of other countries and cities, whether Hamburg, Copenhagen or any other city.” added Deputy Mayor Petr Hlaváček.

The architectural competition documentation includes the results of public participation and a sociological study

Aside from the basic goals of the commissioning body, the construction program design based on the recommendations of the feasibility study by Henning Larsen, AEA Consulting and Buro Happold, as well as other materials, the supporting documentation for competitors also contains the results of the public participation and a sociological study. These were prepared from information provided by the Prague public through direct interactions at the location where the Philharmonic Hall will stand (for example walks with commentary), and in other ways, including a poll. Between March and June 2021, there were several workshops with Prague City District 7 and local cultural and community actors.

Significant outputs from this participation include requests for community spaces, because both local groups as well as the city district would welcome a space to host community events within the Vltava Philharmonic Hall (VPH). Music schools (primary-level and conservatories) would like to use the concert hall, rehearsal rooms and facilities.

There is also a very interesting demand for public outdoor spaces to meet people, relax or set up different kinds of events. All of these things should be part of the Vltava Philharmonic Hall project.

A sociological study was also carried out on a sample of 1500 over-15s by the same polling company, Median, between the middle of June and July this year. The results of the study will be included in the competition documentation. All of the three queried groups of respondents, meaning citizens of Prague apart from Prague 7, residents and frequent visitors of Prague 7 and the group of audience members (people regularly visiting cultural events in Prague) and subscribers (regular concert-goers), agreed about the main findings of the survey.

The Vltava Philharmonic Hall project (to produce a building with interesting architecture in the neglected space surrounding the Vltavská metro station) has the significant support of all the aforementioned groups for all parts of the study sample (between 60–70 %). Looking at potential supplementary functions of the Vltava Philharmonic Hall, respondents would welcome coffee shops and restaurants, while in the immediate surroundings they preferred places to sit, relax and meet with friends. Conversely, they disliked the idea of office space. Another supplementary activity with the highest support was public film screenings.

Concerning the frequency of visits to the Vltava Philharmonic Hall, three quarters of residents and visitors to Prague 7 confirmed their interest in stopping by the Vltava Philharmonic Hall at least once a quarter (one tenth of Prague 7 respondents would even like to come once a week). Of the remaining Prague citizens, two thirds would head over at least once every three months, and among subscribers, four out of five would like to visit the VPH at least once a month. When visiting the Vltava Philharmonic Hall, the addressed target groups agreed they would like to feel above all dignified, elegant and festive. For the respondents, the least appropriate use of the indoor spaces of the building was as workplaces.

More detailed results of the public participation and sociological study are published here: https://vltavaphilharmonichall.com/en/participation

Project schedule for the Vltava Philharmonic Hall

On the completion of the architectural competition and the conclusion of the contract with the winner, work will begin on the project documentation and on obtaining the building permits necessary to begin construction. If everything goes according to plan, the entire second phase of the project should be completed in 2025. The estimated costs are 750 million crowns.

The final, third stage should start with the choice of a building contractor in 2026. Construction is slated to begin one year later, in 2027. The direct construction costs of the Vltava Philharmonic Hall itself were estimated at 4.9 billion crowns in January 2021. Economic analyses recommend the best option would be to divide the investment between the state, the capital city and the private sector. According to estimates, this brings the total costs to build the Vltava Philharmonic Hall as high as 6.1 billion crowns.

Vltava Philharmonic Hall Prague Design Competition site

The new concert hall should be finished in 10 years, meaning in 2031.

The Vltava Philharmonic Hall in Prague should have a total of three auditoria: the main concert hall for about 1800 persons, a smaller hall for chamber music with a capacity of 700 seats and a multifunctional hall for other genres and events with a capacity of up to 500 seats. The main concert hall should offer state-of-the-art acoustics, excellent spatial and visual characteristics and facilities corresponding to 21st century standards.

The building should also accommodate both of the significant Prague orchestras – the Prague Symphony Orchestra (FOK) and the Czech Philharmonic. The building should also integrate the music division of the Municipal Library of Prague and other creative spaces, which are to be another important pillar in the building’s construction program.

The bold architecture of the Vltava Philharmonic Hall on the bank of the Vltava river will spearhead the revitalization of the Bubny–Zátory brownfield. As a result, the Vltava Philharmonic Hall will become a new cultural center for Prague and the entire Czech Republic.

Previously on e-architect:

12 August 2021

Vltava Philharmonic Hall Design Contest, Czech Republic

Vltava Philharmonic Hall Prague Competition

Vltava Philharmonic Hall Prague Architecture Competition

The City of Prague will launch an architectural design competition for the Vltava Philharmonic Hall in the latter half of August. This building will become a new city landmark, a heart of a future new municipal district.

The Vltava Philharmonic Hall will also launch and accelerate the transformation of one Prague’s largest brownfields: the Bubny-Zatory redevelopment zone for which it will provide a new urban centre. The construction of the Vltava Philharmonic Hall will perpetuate Prague’s international reputation as a cultural capital.

The main concert hall will be The Vltava Philharmonic Hall’s soul. Next to this, there will a chamber-cum-multipurpose hall and other spaces for smaller events. Built around a music library, this area of the building will have rehearsal rooms, teaching areas, and studios. Naturally, the complex will have a restaurant, a café and various other refreshment facilities. The building will include a creative hub.

The Vltava Philharmonic Hall will have two resident orchestras: the Czech Philharmonic and the FOK Prague Symphony Orchestra. Outdoor public space, which will offer opportunities to meet, rest or host various sorts of activities and events, will be integral to the whole project. All this combined will make the Vltava Philharmonic Hall a cultural centre that will be vibrant 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year, attracting a wide range of visitors.

As the Vltava Philharmonic Hall will have to meet contemporary standards in its technical, urban development and architectural parameters, the winning study must place a stress on delivering a flawless spatial and visual design with top-class acoustics in the concert halls. Needless to say, the sustainability of operations is an aspect that must not be overlooked.

The 4ha plot earmarked for the Vltava Philharmonic Hall is located within Prague’s broader centre on the bank of the Vltava, thus naturally continuing the tradition of placing prominent buildings alongside the river. The site is well served by transport links, a factor which is both an advantage and a challenge for the teams participating in the competition. The project must integrate all local thoroughfares and interlock them harmoniously with the public space surrounding the building.

Candidates may send in their portfolios from the second half of August until 30 September. In total, 20 tenderers will be competing: in October, on the basis of the portfolios submitted, an international jury will pick out 15 teams that – with a further five directly approached candidates – will be invited to draw up architectural designs for the Vltava Philharmonic Hall. Pre-registration for the competition is already open via the contracting authority’s profile.

The winning design will be announced in spring 2022. The competition prizes are worth approximately EUR 707,500.

For more information, please visit the competition website.

Location: Prague, Czech Republic, central eastern Europe

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