The Moravian-Silesian Region will update the project of the Black Cube

Ostrava - The Moravian-Silesian Region will update the project documentation for the new building of the Moravian-Silesian Scientific Library, called the Black Cube. The project of the winning proposal from the architectural competition of 2004 will be modified by its authors, architects Ladislav Kuba and Tomáš Pilař. The contract for 50 million crowns will be financed by the region from its budget. This was announced to journalists today by Deputy Governor Lukáš Curylo (KDU-ČSL). The library, costing 1.35 billion crowns, could open in 2023.

Since its inception in 1951, the scientific library has been housed in inadequate rented premises in the New Town Hall on Prokeš Square in Ostrava. The project of the Black Cube was never realized due to high costs, and the region later decided to abandon the project, with discussions about a possible placement of the new building in the National Cultural Monument Lower Vítkovice Area. However, the current leadership of the region has ultimately returned to the Black Cube.

The project needs to be updated. While externally the building should look as the architects designed it, the interior will be modified to meet the current requirements of the library and modern trends. "The Council of the Moravian-Silesian Region approved the contract for the update of the project documentation today, which is absolutely necessary for the zoning decision and the new building permit," stated Curylo. According to him, the project revision is financially demanding because 80 percent of it is effectively a completely new project.

In March, the regional representatives are expected to familiarize themselves with the new study. If they support the project, work will continue on it. Preparations should conclude in the summer of 2020, and the region would begin looking for a contractor for the construction in the fall. The actual construction could start in spring 2021 and should last approximately two years. According to a previous agreement, the state is expected to pay about 800 million crowns, the region 400 million crowns, and the city of Ostrava 150 million crowns.

Also new is the construction of a parking garage that is to be built due to the library. Although underground parking beneath the library will remain, a new parking garage for approximately 600 to 700 cars should also be built to compensate for the loss of parking spaces caused by the construction of the Black Cube. According to Curylo, the region will cover the costs of the parking garage together with the city and possibly another private investor.