The Kaplický ray in Budějovice may be taken over by Jiřičná

České Budějovice - The design of a concert hall nicknamed "ray" that architect Jan Kaplický prepared for České Budějovice may be addressed by his colleague Eva Jiřičná. Representatives of the South Bohemian Society of Friends of Music, which wants to build the hall for two billion crowns, will negotiate with her on Friday in Prague. Today, the city council approved the possibility of the construction of this building in the designated area. Thanks to this, work on the change of the zoning plan can proceed, said the chairman of the society, Antonín Kazil, to ČTK.
    Kaplický and his team, Future Systems, designed an original black object of organic shapes for Budějovice, which the company wants to build on the site of the former barracks in the Čtyři Dvory district. This completed study is Kaplický's most developed work in the country; however, his sudden death in January temporarily froze further negotiations. "We haven't given up; Budějovice needs this building, and completing Jan Kaplický's work is a commitment for us," Kazil stated.
    A modern and sufficiently large space with adequate capacity, suitable acoustics, and dignified facilities is currently lacking in the hundred-thousand-strong city. The proposed ray has a triangular floor plan and covers nearly 1.5 hectares. In the location called U Vávrovských rybníků, however, it is necessary to change the zoning plan, which the city council began today.
    Their decision implies that a concert hall of the given shape and size can be built on these municipal plots, provided that the construction meets all the requirements arising from the zoning procedure. The surrounding greenery will be preserved. "We were eagerly waiting for this decision, because now we can start work on approving the change of the zoning plan and prepare pre-project documentation," Kazil explained.
    At the same time, it is an important support for the application for funds from the European Union, which the company intends to submit to Brussels as soon as possible. They would like to complete the approval process of the zoning procedure by the end of the year. Kazil confirmed that there is still interest from a strong foreign company willing to participate in financing the construction. However, its name remains undisclosed for now.
    The construction of the ray could be brought to completion by the world-renowned architect and former partner of Kaplický, Jiřičná, who contacted the South Bohemians after meeting with widow Eliška Kaplická. "Ms. Jiřičná is reportedly keen to oversee this project, but it should be completed by the boys from Future Systems, who have been working on it so far," Kazil anticipates. Jiřičná as the guarantor is, according to him, ideal because her work and reputation guarantee a high level, and she is also well acquainted with Kaplický's creative style and philosophy.
    The South Bohemian Society of Friends of Music, which has organized 19 editions of the Ema Destinnová Music Festivals in České Budějovice, aims to create the Antonín Dvořák Concert and Congress Center with two concert halls for 1,000 and 400 listeners, which will bear the names of Ema Destinnová and Karel Ančerl. It should also accommodate a hundred-member symphony orchestra with a large choir, and a dance floor is also planned. The nearest similar concert hall with quality acoustics that fulfills these requirements is in Berlin.