České Budějovice changed the zoning plan due to the construction of Kaplický's "rayskin"

České Budějovice/Praha - České Budějovice have taken another step towards the construction of a concert hall designed by architect Jan Kaplický. The city councilors agreed to change the zoning plan in the Čtyři Dvory area, where a building resembling a manta ray is to be constructed. It is expected to cost two billion crowns.
    The South Bohemian Society of Friends of Music has been striving for the construction of the concert hall for several years. The society has secured funding for project preparation, said its chairman Antonín Kazil. A strong foreign company wants to participate in co-financing the construction, he noted. The guarantor of the project will be Kaplický's colleague Eva Jiřičná.
    "I am very happy - primarily because Jan Kaplický's work continues and because hopefully (the construction in České Budějovice) will be realized," said today to ČTK the architect's widow Eliška Kaplický. The architect's wife maintains Kaplický's legacy, primarily stating that she will continue to advocate for his project of a new National Library building, which is the most well-known in the Czech Republic but has completely lost political support.
    Jiřičná is also pleased with the city's approach, although she is aware of the great responsibility should the construction take place. "I was extremely pleased that Budějovice decided to continue with the project. On the other hand, I am extremely scared of it," said the architect to Radio Impuls. "But that is probably normal because at least when a person is afraid, they devote everything they have to the project, so that is probably better than if I thought I could do it with my left hand," she explained.
    Working on a project authored by someone else is very demanding, according to her - the architect must think about what someone else would do from start to finish, from the overall solution to the smallest detail.
    Kaplický, with his team Future Systems, designed an original black object with organic shapes for Budějovice. The completed study is Kaplický's most developed work in the country, but his sudden death last January temporarily frozen further negotiations. The proposed "manta ray" has a triangular footprint and covers an area of nearly 1.5 hectares.
    The Antonín Dvořák Congress Center is to have two concert halls for 1,000 and 400 listeners. They will be named after Ema Destinnová and Karel Ančerla and should accommodate a hundred-member symphonic orchestra with a large choir. The project also includes a dance floor, restaurant, café, and small shops. Congress and commercial activities are expected to ensure a balanced operational budget to allow for cultural events to take place.
    The change in the zoning plan is the first step towards the construction's realization. The area designated for greenery will change to land designated for construction. However, the only possible building will be the concert and congress center, said Deputy Mayor Ivana Popelová (ODS). For the change of the zoning plan from 2000, there were 26 councilors in favor, one against, and six abstained.
    The area is part of a former military complex and is owned by the city. It has long been leased to the Prague company PMD, which is to take care of the area's development. The firm agrees with the project.