Ústí nad Orlicí plans a significant transformation of the cultural house

Ústí nad Orlicí - Ústí nad Orlicí is planning a significant transformation of the cultural center and its immediate surroundings. The technical condition of the building and its interiors are already outdated and unsatisfactory. Therefore, the town hall is preparing to announce an open architectural competition for a study that will assess the current state and operation of the cultural center and propose modifications, said Mayor Petr Hájek (the Oušťáci association) to ČTK.

"We are rather looking for ways to utilize what is not used today. Then it is about the overall modernization of the building, because after more than 35 years, it is outdated. We expect from the competition that the architects participating will show us a path that we might not see completely," Hájek stated.

The main hall should continue to serve primarily for balls, dance, and presentation events as well as for theater or film performances. Its variability should therefore be preserved. The total investment is estimated by the city at roughly 100 million crowns.

The cultural center is not a listed monument, but it is located near the Hernych Villa, which is a monument. "We also want to address the surrounding area, especially the rear section, which is underutilized, and we are looking for new suggestions for that," said Hájek.

Part of the competition also includes a proposal for modernizing the interior and furnishings. The city council has allocated 900,000 crowns for prizes and awards, and it will sign a contract with the winning applicant for the next phases of project preparation. The town hall is also trying to secure up to 400,000 crowns from a grant in a call from the Ministry for Local Development under the program for Architectural and Urban Competitions for Municipalities. The results of the competition will be announced in the fall.