Plzeň will announce an architectural competition for the completion of the former cultural house Peklo

Plzeň - An architectural competition will hint at what the construction of the listed cultural house Peklo and the area in front of it could look like. The city will announce it in January, and the professional jury should evaluate the competition proposals in May. The city has been striving for several years for the revitalization of Peklo, which is a protected monument. In the future, the complex is to become the seat of the Pilsen Philharmonic and also offer a multifunctional space for musical cultural life. The announcement of the competition conditions was approved by the city council today.

When Pilsen started a partial reconstruction of Peklo in the spring of 2018, allocating 20 million crowns for it at that time, massive attacks on the ceilings and roofs by wood-destroying fungi were discovered. Due to the emergency state, Peklo has been closed for several years. It is among the most significant cultural buildings in Pilsen, with the neo-Renaissance large hall being particularly valuable, possessing very high-quality acoustics, one of the best in the region. Pilsen lacks a quality concert hall. The costs for repairs of the partially listed complex are estimated to be in the hundreds of millions of crowns. In 2020, the city offered the complex for sale for just under seven million crowns with conditions for repair and use. However, no one showed interest in purchasing it.

"The competition will include the central part of the Peklo building, where the museum of General Patton is currently located, and it will also involve the modification of the forecourt, which is the space between the theater and Peklo, where there is currently a parking lot and a parking garage. At the same time, it will also address the cladding of the historical part. The remaining part of the facade, which is not neo-classical or decorative, should be covered with some noise barrier that will have to visually harmonize with the future new building," said Pavel Bosák (Pirates), the technical deputy mayor. The construction will continue from the western part, dominated by the main hall with the foyer. In addition to the construction, the surroundings should also be cultivated and a representative space created.

"My dream is to find some symbiosis of modern and historical architecture, as is happening elsewhere in the world. That the entire complex can be adjusted and become an iconic place in the city, attracting tourists for its interesting architecture," he said.

A study for the sanitation of the social hall and its facilities is already completed for the western part of the building, with a project in preparation. Funding for this part is also secured. The study will serve as a basis for the competitors who will build upon the solution. "In their feedback regarding the cultural infrastructure of the city, Pilsen residents most frequently called for the rescue of the cultural house Peklo, where they appreciated mainly the good acoustics and its location in the city center," said councilor for culture Eliška Bartáková (ANO).

The construction of Peklo began in 1894, and the large hall was added between 1905 and 1907. At the site of the terrain break, the complex includes two underground floors - a building with a restaurant and the club part was created in 1938, and the main stairway hall, stairs to the large hall, and sanitary facilities date from 1957. The last addition was made in 1967, adding facilities behind the large hall.