The Congress Center will select the winner of the construction completion competition at the beginning of July

photo: www.prague.eu

Prague - The Prague Congress Center (KCP) will select the winner of the architectural competition for the expansion of the building on the first weekend of July. The new hall will be located on the southern side of the center. It is expected to be completed by 2020 and costs are estimated at 300 million crowns. KCP representatives told reporters today. The center is also preparing interior renovations and has completed the reconstruction of the boiler room and air conditioning. In the future, it will also change its logo.

"The second round of the architectural competition is currently taking place, and the results will be announced on the first weekend of July. Next year, we would like to apply for a building permit," said KCP's business and marketing director Lenka Žlebková.

The hall will be multifunctional. "We had a clear requirement for the size of the exhibition area because our main issue is the insufficient space for exhibitions. The requirement was for at least 5000 square meters," said Žlebková. The hall is intended to be used for exhibitions, corporate events, sports events, or concerts. According to Žlebková, the tender documentation also stated that it should be possible to divide the space for multiple events.

The northern terrace facing the Nusle valley will not be built on. In the past, there were plans for the new hall to be located here. KCP has abandoned that idea.

In addition to completing the hall, the center is planning further investments in the building. The interior will be improved with new carpets, door replacements, wall repairs, and restroom upgrades. Technologies will also be transformed, and KCP will have a completely new Wi-Fi network, new cables, data sockets, and additional funds will be allocated for a digital navigation system. Investments will also be made in security, with an improved camera system in the building. Most of the work is expected to be completed by November this year, when the International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA) congress will be held at KCP. According to director Roman Ray Straub, KCP will also have a new logo.

The reconstruction of the boilers and air conditioning has already been completed, costing 130 million crowns. According to Žlebková, the system now operates according to the current usage of individual halls and is in operation only for those hosting events. This system is expected to be connected to new LED lights in the future.

KCP, along with the Holiday Inn hotel, includes the Vyšehrad Business Center. The capacity of the center's spaces allows for congresses of up to 9300 participants in more than 50 halls, lounges, and meeting rooms. The center itself employs 180 people, with another 65 working at the hotel.

KCP, originally the Palace of Culture, was built over five years starting in 1976, among other things for the congresses of the then-ruling Communist Party. It is reportedly one of the least popular buildings in Prague; however, experts say that the acoustics of the Congress Hall are among the best in the world.