Jan Kaplický arrived in Č. Budějovice for the new concert hall

České Budějovice - Architect Jan Kaplický arrived in České Budějovice today to discuss the opportunity to design the new concert hall. The Antonín Dvořák Concert and Congress Center, costing three-quarters of a billion crowns, is planned to be built on the site of the former barracks in the Čtyři Dvory district. The South Bohemian Society of Friends of Music wants to build a modern concert hall with two auditoriums there and has approached Kaplický with an offer to prepare a study.
Architekt therefore arrived in České Budějovice today to inspect the site. "Such an offer must be taken very seriously; I've always dreamed of doing something like this. The combination of two hall sizes would be amazing," Kaplický told reporters today before meeting with the mayor of České Budějovice. Only after that did he head to the construction site in Čtyři Dvory, so he declined to specify his further plans for now. He described them as strictly confidential - he only said that there are two models, each with its advantages.
Kaplický has a relationship with the city because he used to vacation in České Budějovice with his parents. He likes that it is located in the center of Europe and is not far from Prague or Linz. He also knows Budějovice due to its connection with the horse-drawn railway and the presence of the world-famous brewery. "That is a symbol we need to somehow complement," he remarked.
He appreciates the task of creating a concert hall, as well as the idea of surrounding the building with a park. According to Kaplický, designing a concert hall is one of the most challenging tasks, as the space must be acoustically suitable while also being pleasant for people - both musicians and audiences. "The responsibility is incredible,” he stated.
The South Bohemian Society of Friends of Music, which has organized 18 editions of the Ema Destinnová Music Festivals in České Budějovice, has been striving for many years to create a modern and sufficiently large space with facilities that can accommodate symphonic orchestras. This offer is currently lacking in the city of one hundred thousand inhabitants.
Therefore, they want to build a center named after the composer Antonín Dvořák with two concert halls for one thousand and 350 to 400 listeners, which will be named after Ema Destinnová and Karel Ančerl. There are also plans for lounges, cafes, galleries, and an underground parking lot. The investment of approximately 750 million CZK is expected to be funded by EU funds, the state budget, and other sources.
The area of the former barracks in Čtyři Dvory will become a new urban center. The PMD association is preparing new housing, administrative buildings, services, a square, and an aquapark is also planned.