Praha is preparing documents for the building permit of the Vltava Philharmonic

Prague – The Magistrate of the Capital City of Prague has begun preparing the necessary documents to obtain a building permit for the new Vltava Philharmonic building near the Vltavská metro station on line C. The city cannot start construction without a detailed architectural study. Prague has already submitted a request for an environmental impact assessment (EIA). This was announced to journalists today by Mayor Bohuslav Svoboda (ODS), his deputies Petr Hlaváček (STAN) and Jiří Pospíšil (TOP 09), and the head of the Vltava Philharmonic project team Martin Krupauer. The construction, for which the architects are currently working on the documentation, is expected to begin in 2027 and end five years later. The costs are estimated to be around 12 billion crowns. The authors of the philharmonic are architects from the Danish studio Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG).

"We have developed project documentation and have selected a site. The architectural study is completed so that we can apply for the zoning decision, and there is no turning back now. We have reached a phase where the project is no longer just a dream," said Svoboda.

Experts are currently working on creating the technical documentation; next autumn, the city, according to Krupauer, should begin applying for the building permit. By 2026, it should have the completed documentation and the building permit to start construction in 2027.

In completing the detailed architectural study of the philharmonic, the city had individual operational, structural, functional, and technical solutions thoroughly developed. The volume of the building has gradually increased by 13 percent. Inflation and the rising costs of construction work and materials also affect the price of the building. "The competition proposal in April 2022 anticipated project costs of 9.4 billion CZK. The estimated costs for the realization of the building according to the detailed architectural study in September 2024 are around 11.65 billion CZK. Today we are talking about a national music center," stated Krupauer.

According to him, the philharmonic is designed to be maximally open, and its ambition is to attract not only classical music lovers but also residents and visitors of Prague. It will offer generous public spaces with park landscaping and benches for seating, a spacious foyer with a café, and two rooftop restaurants with beautiful views of Prague.

The building will house two orchestras, as the Czech Philharmonic and the Prague Symphony Orchestra FOK will be based there. According to Krupauer, musicians will have appropriate spaces for their work, as well as for educational programs. There will be rehearsal rooms and a smaller educational hall that not only music schools can use.

The roof is conceived as a continuation of the public space and square; it will be partially greened and largely intended for use. Visitors will be able to ascend to its top either via attractive inclined stairs or along the roof terraces.

Inside, there will be five fully functional halls, including rehearsal spaces for orchestras, a cultural hub, and other areas that can be used during the day. "We are capable of welcoming and inviting about 6500 people who can enjoy the house without disturbing each other," said Krupauer.

The main hall will accommodate 1800 listeners and has already been designed technically and acoustically, including aspects like the type of wood used for cladding or ventilation. The wood and plants on the building should come from Šumava. The chamber hall will be stone, and everything relates to the history of Prague, according to experts. The multifunctional hall will be metallic, industrial, and refer to the industrial past of Holešovice, Krupauer said. The designers have also already coordinated with musicians on the furniture and equipment they need.

The magistrate is striving for co-financing of the construction from the state and is also considering the involvement of private investors. According to the intent of the magistrate’s management, the construction of a new cultural center is expected to initiate the transformation of the entire surrounding locality of Bubny-Zátory, where a neighborhood for up to 25,000 people is to be created.