The council of Prague approved the funding for the preparation of the new Philharmonic project

Prague – Prague has launched the next phase of preparation for the planned construction of a concert hall building at Vltavská. The city council approved funding for the project documentation today, which will be based on the results of the already completed architectural competition and is expected to cost the city 780 million crowns. The building, featuring several halls and intended to be the home of the Czech Philharmonic, is expected to be completed in 2032, with costs estimated at about six billion crowns.

The project preparation will be handled by the city’s contribution organization, the Prague Development Company. The design of the building will be based on a proposal that was successful in a recently completed international competition by the Danish architectural studio Bjarke Ingels Group.

The councilors decided today on funding for the preparation of the project documentation, which, according to the approved document, is expected to cost about six million crowns this year, 205 million next year, 296 million a year later, and then 273 million crowns. The actual construction is expected to start in 2027, with previous estimates suggesting it will cost about 5.35 billion crowns. The City Hall is seeking co-financing from the state and is also considering involving private investors.

The Vltavská Philharmonic is expected to have three halls – a concert hall for 1,800 spectators, a smaller hall for chamber music with a capacity of 500 seats, and a multifunctional hall for other genres and types of events with a capacity of up to 700 persons. The building is also expected to house the Symphony Orchestra of the City of Prague FOK and the music department of the Prague City Library. The Philharmonic will also offer, for example, cafes and restaurants.

The construction of the new cultural center is part of the transformation of the Bubny-Zátory area, where the creation of a district for up to 25,000 people is planned. Discussions about building a concert hall in Prague that meets the needs of musicians and the audience have been ongoing for decades.