Brno wants to announce a contract for the construction of a concert hall for 1.6 billion on January 17

Brno – Brno plans to announce a competition on January 17 for the above-ground construction of the Janáček Cultural Center with an estimated price of 1.6 billion crowns. ČTK was informed today by Brno's mayor Markéta Vaňková (ODS). According to her, the construction of the hall itself could begin next year before the holidays or during the holidays. The concert hall will offer 1200 seats for listeners. There are already underground garages on the site with nearly 200 spaces, which were built at a cost of approximately a quarter of a billion crowns.

The construction of the concert hall has been discussed in Brno for a long time. It is one of the largest investments the city has made recently. In recent years, the city, with the help of subsidies, has invested hundreds of millions mainly in the reconstruction of streets, in sewage systems, and in the construction of tram lines. The largest investment is the planned construction of a multifunctional hall with costs up to four billion without VAT, for which the city is seeking a contractor.

A company to carry out the work will also be sought in January for the concert hall. "A preliminary announcement regarding the upcoming procurement procedure for the public contract for the construction of the above-ground part of the Janáček Cultural Center was published today in the Public Procurement Bulletin. The actual contract should be announced on January 17, 2022,” said Vaňková.

According to her, the estimated price is 1.6 billion without VAT. "Such procedures usually take about half a year, and after handing over the construction site, the actual construction could probably begin just before or during the holidays,” Vaňková stated.

The concert hall will be located at the corner of Veselá and Besední streets. Above the garages, the building will have six floors. In addition to the hall for 1200 listeners, it will have dressing rooms, facilities, storage rooms, as well as rehearsal rooms and spaces for technology. The construction work will also include a connection to the Besední dům. The Brno Philharmonic will have its base in the hall.

Other cities in the Czech Republic also have plans for concert hall construction. In Ostrava, it is set to be built in the form of a musical instrument case, designed by American architect Steven Holl. The construction is to be connected with the reconstruction of the Ostrava Cultural House and is expected to start next year. The costs for the construction itself are estimated at 2.6 billion crowns.

Prague would like to have a new philharmonic hall on the Vltava River by 2032. In November, the jury of the architectural competition selected 15 studios to prepare competition proposals, while five studios were contacted by the city earlier. Next April, the jury will choose the winner from 20 proposals. According to earlier estimates, the new philharmonic hall in the capital city will cost about six billion crowns.