Prague finds a construction manager and technical supervision for the completion of the Industrial Palace

Prague – The Prague City Hall will announce a public contract for a construction manager and technical supervision for the reconstruction of the burned wing of the Industrial Palace. The estimated maximum price of the contract is 84.3 million crowns. This follows from a document approved by the Prague councilors today. The City Hall has already issued a tender for the reconstruction itself, but a winner has not yet been selected. The project plans to build a replica of the left wing, which burned down in 2008, and to create new facilities or technical spaces.

The currently planned contract follows the aforementioned tender for the construction company. Its aim is to find a contractor that will ensure the function of the construction manager and technical supervision for the builder. The city will sign a contract with the selected company for 48 months. A special selection committee will choose the winner.

During the reconstruction, the original form of the building from 1891 will be preserved. However, it is planned to add more facilities and technical modifications to the monument-protected building. A new feature will be, for example, an underpass under the left wing of the palace, which will allow access from the entrance or foyer to the Křižík Fountain.

Prague representatives decided to announce the contract in 2018, after which the city issued the tender. The current management of the City Hall canceled the contract last October, stating that it was issued before the project was completed, and thus without a detailed understanding of what the construction would entail. The original tender estimated the price at 1.25 billion crowns.

The Industrial Palace was built on the occasion of the Jubilee Provincial Exhibition according to the design of architect Bedřich Munzberger. From the beginning, it served to host exhibitions and other cultural events, although it was initially intended to be a temporary structure. Between 1952 and 1954, the communist regime decided to change its function, and the main hall of the palace was transformed into a social and dance hall. Its name was also changed to the Congress Palace, which was part of the then Park of Culture and Relaxation of Julia Fučík.