Imperial Baths – multifunctional hall

Karlovy Vary have a new concert hall. It was created as a unique insertion into the hall of the historical neoclassical Císařské lázně, one of the symbols of Karlovy Vary's spa culture. The design by the studio Petr Hájek Architekti leads a sensitive yet progressive dialogue with the original building from 1895. The inserted structure does not touch the monumentally protected building and stands on six steel legs. All contemporary interventions are thus clearly acknowledged and reversible, allowing them to be easily replaced with new technologies in the future. The restored national cultural monument will open to the public on June 17.

The new multifunctional hall will also be used for concerts by the Karlovy Vary Symphony Orchestra. However, it will also serve film productions, theatrical performances, balls, and other cultural events. The unique insertion into the hall will provide a modern environment for organizing conferences and other social events as well. The variability of the space is therefore very important. Thanks to adjustable height, the auditorium can quickly transform into a conference or dance hall that requires a flat floor. The hall will be complemented by a multimedia exhibition presenting the history of spa culture in both global and local contexts, a café, an information center, and a research room.

The neoclassical Císařské lázně building from the late 19th century has been protected as a national cultural monument since 2010. Therefore, the studio Petr Hájek Architekti designed an innovative insertion that hovers in the middle of the hall on six steel legs. The inserted structure carefully avoids any direct contact with the historical building or the original cast-iron columns along the perimeter walls. The individual pieces were inserted through an opening roof and assembled on site into a compact whole.

"It was like building a sailing ship in a bottle. First, we had to manufacture everything and do a dry assembly in the hall to ensure nothing was missing. Then it was necessary to number everything, disassemble it, and reassemble it in the atrium of the building. It was painstaking work, thanks to the amazing technicians from GRADIOR TECH and AVT Group," describes architect Petr Hájek. All necessary audiovisual, theatrical, and acoustic technologies are therefore part of the inserted structure. The insertion is thus connected only to electrical installations. All contemporary interventions are thus clearly noticeable and, from a heritage perspective, reversible.

The color of the inserted structure is significantly red. "Our design comes from a great respect for the historical space. From the beginning, we knew we would have to walk on tiptoes around the original building. We want to gently complement it, enrich it, but not disturb it. Some people see the shapes of the hall as a film transformer, while others see a red crab cradling the space for music. The chosen red color is archetypal with many other connotations. It represents excitement and emotions, but also the machine aesthetic of the late 19th century," adds architect Petr Hájek.

"The design by Petr Hájek treats the insertion as an autonomous object. It fully respects the limits of heritage protection while also meeting the acoustic, operational, and technical requirements of a top hall for musical production by the Karlovy Vary Symphony Orchestra and other groups that will utilize the space not only for concerts. The Císařské lázně will open to visitors after a comprehensive demanding reconstruction that has been awaited for more than twenty years," says the governor of the Karlovy Vary Region, Petr Kulhánek.

The acoustic properties of the inserted hall are also unique. The stage is equipped with a movable acoustic wall and adjustable turning panels that can adapt the space to various sound requirements. Each side of the rotating triangles in the ceiling has a different function. One absorbs sound, another reflects, and the third disperses. This creates ideal conditions for performers and various forms of programs. Additionally, the panels are adorned with a delicate structure inspired by the morphology of the Slavkov Forest. Classic audiovisual technologies are installed so as not to disturb the overall impression. An integral part of the design also includes the organ, which will be installed later.