Prague has selected the winner of the competition for the concert hall analysis

Prague – An analysis of the usability of the planned concert hall in Prague at the Vltavská metro station will be conducted for the capital city by a consortium of firms led by the Danish studio Henning Larsen Architects. It succeeded in the public competition announced by the city's Institute of Planning and Development (IPR). The Prague City Hall informed about this in a press release today. The analysis will serve as a basis for deciding whether to continue with the construction project. The document is expected to be completed by the end of this year, and if approved by the city council, the hall could be completed in 2032.

In addition to the Copenhagen studio, the consortium includes international firms Buro Happold and AEA Consulting. Besides proposing the concept of the hall, its location on a brownfield site on the left bank of the Vltava River, and various usage options, the analysis will include an assessment of the costs of construction and operation. If the city gives the project the green light, an international architectural competition is planned, and according to the city hall's leadership, construction could start in 2027.

"The prestige and experience of the consortium led by Henning Larsen with similar projects around the world is a guarantee for us in developing a quality analysis that will assist us in further decision-making," stated the Deputy Mayor of Prague for Urban Development Petr Hlaváček (for TOP 09).

The construction of a concert hall with the most modern parameters, accommodating approximately 2,000 listeners, is estimated to cost about four billion crowns, although a more precise estimate will come from the study. Additional billions of crowns will need to be invested in infrastructure at Vltavská.

The hall is set to become part of a new development in the currently neglected Bubny-Zátory brownfield area, for which the IPR is having an urban study developed. According to its proposal, up to 25,000 people are expected to live there in the future, with apartments, offices, a park, and several rail stops to be created. The area, covering 110 hectares, is currently under a construction freeze.

Discussions about building a large concert hall in Prague have been ongoing for decades. The most debated issue has been the suitable location. The hall could have been established in Letná in the 1990s – at a site that was also considered for the construction of the National Library according to the design of architect Jan Kaplický. Japanese investors wanted to dedicate the building to the Czech Philharmonic for its 100th anniversary. The then Minister of Culture Milan Uhde and Mayor Milan Kondr rejected their offer.