The gallery announced a competition for the reconstruction of the Trade Fair Palace

Prague - The National Gallery Prague (NGP) today announced an international architectural competition for the reconstruction of the Veletržní Palace. The winner is expected to be known by the end of this year. NGP director Jiří Fajt told reporters today. Through the renovation of the functionalist palace, the gallery aims, among other things, to gain better exhibition spaces. Funding for the palace reconstruction should come from a new upcoming government investment program dedicated to cultural institutions, which, according to previous information, could amount to approximately three billion crowns.

"The key points of the reconstruction will be the creation of an attractive and dynamic interior space with a generous entrance, enhancement of exhibition spaces - especially by increasing ceiling heights and incorporating natural light, improving visitor orientation, and making the public space in front of the main facade more appealing and connecting it with the surroundings," said Fajt.

During the last reconstruction, the building was separated from the street; this is planned to change, and a relaxation zone is to be created in front of the palace. Thanks to the modifications, terraces, currently inaccessible to the public, should be incorporated into gallery operations. The facade will be restored, and the technology will be replaced, which should reduce the energy demand of the building and operating costs and connect the interior with the exterior through natural light.

A prerequisite for architects to participate in the competition will be experience with at least one new building, reconstruction, or transformation of a public building for cultural use, such as a museum, gallery, theatre, or concert hall. In addition to Fajt, the jury will include retired General Director of the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam Wim Pijbes, retired director of the Israel Museum in Jerusalem James S. Snyder, architectural historian Zdeněk Lukeš, architect Annabelle Selldorf, and as alternates, the director of the Presentation, Marketing and Communication Section of NGP Veronika Wolf and architect and architecture promoter Adam Gebrian.

The jury will now work with the gallery to finalize the competition conditions. The gallery is organizing the competition in collaboration with CCEA MOBA (Centre for Central European Architecture). From the applicants, the jury will invite 12 architectural firms to submit design proposals. The gallery intends to present all proposals to the public.

According to the vision of the NGP leadership, the Veletržní Palace is to become the main contact point between art and the public after its reconstruction, offering a variety of activities for local residents, students, children, foreign visitors, and professionals. It will host most of the administrative functions of the National Gallery and will be home to artworks collected over the past two centuries.