Plzeň knows the shape of the new theater, it can move forward

photo: Contemporânea Lda

Plzeň - Plzeň now has the final design of the new theater, which will become its modern building of the 21st century. Three months after the winning design from the Portuguese design office was chosen, it has been possible to finalize the operational details. The city can now start looking for a contractor for the project for construction and zoning approval, as well as sources of funding. This was stated to journalists at the annual meeting of the artistic council of the J. K. Tyl Theater in Plzeň by representatives of the city hall and the theater director Jan Burian.
    "If everything goes well, the building permit could be obtained in a year, construction could begin in 2010, and the theater could open in 2013," Burian stated. According to Mayor Pavel Rödl, the city will try to obtain part of the funds for the construction through the competition for the title of European Capital of Culture 2015, for which it has applied. "If we are not successful, it does not mean that we will stop pursuing the theater," Rödl added. He anticipates that the funding will be divided into thirds, with one third provided by the city, another by the region, and the last by the state.
    The winning design by architects from Portugal was selected by a special commission last December. According to Burian, the task has been worked on for two years. "We repeatedly consulted this not only within the theater but also with people from other theaters. Details also arose from the dialogue with the architects," he stated.
    The theater, which some architects label as the first building of the 21st century to be constructed in Plzeň, will serve the public all day long. It will support not only opera, drama, operetta, and musical performances but also concerts, exhibitions, and a studio stage. "A space for a greater number of performances will open up, for a ballet school, a non-professional stage, for teaching. Events will take place simultaneously without disturbing one another. We want to perform in the mornings and also rehearse; something like this has not yet been possible," Burian added.
    According to experts, the winning design from the Portuguese workshop represents an architecture unusual in Central and Northern Europe. It is inspired by Mediterranean tradition, characterized by significant fragmentation and dynamism, looking different from each side, emphasizing a different function from each angle.
    The theater building is planned to be located at the exhibition center in the area between Palackého and Jízdecká streets. The total area designated for construction is nearly 8000 m². The main hall will have a capacity of 500 spectators, and there will also be a variable stage for another 200 people. The estimated total costs are preliminarily estimated at around 500 to 600 million crowns.