The Museum of Art in Olomouc has acquired a key plot of land for the construction of the Central European Forum

Olomouc – The Museum of Art in Olomouc has acquired a key plot of land measuring nearly 600 m² intended for the long-prepared Central European Forum Olomouc (SEFO), a place for the presentation of Central European visual arts. It cost 8.5 million crowns excluding tax. The museum has been striving for the purchase of the land for several years, as it will connect the SEFO building with the surrounding streets, said the museum's spokesperson Tomáš Kasal to ČTK today. The architect of the SEFO design, Jan Šépka, considers the acquisition of the land a fundamental step. Two years ago, the government allocated 593 million crowns for the construction of the forum.

"The Museum of Art in Olomouc has been pursuing this plot since the start of the SEFO project in 2009, as it wanted to connect Denisova Street with Kačení at its junction with Koželužská Street through the SEFO building. Given that the city plans to relocate the neighboring tram depot under the walls to another location, this could in the future create a very interesting and attractive connection for the people of Olomouc," said museum spokesperson Tomáš Kasal to ČTK today.

According to architect Jan Šépka, who is behind the design of the exceptional futuristic exhibition space, this is a key plot of land. "The acquisition of this plot is absolutely crucial, as it opens up the entire museum from the lower tract, the depot station, all the way to Denisova Avenue. We have designed the entire study in such a way that the first hall, which directly connects to the Museum of Art, will become a public passage where we envision cafés and complete accessibility for pedestrians towards the rampart. Whether from Denisova Avenue or from Kačení Street from below, it will be possible to walk through the entire museum complex," said the architect to ČTK today. "This connection and the incorporation of the museum into the urban structure is absolutely fundamental and beneficial to the whole project," he added.

The SEFO project has been planned in Olomouc for more than ten years. The new building is to provide exhibition spaces for artworks from across Central Europe and the facilities needed for the museum's operation. This primarily includes larger depots for the constantly growing collections, as well as a new library and study area. The new central depot is expected to accommodate up to 200,000 artworks; the museum currently owns 90,860 collection items with a market value of approximately two billion crowns.

The definitive decision to build the long-planned exhibition according to the original design by architect Jan Šépka was announced a year ago by Minister of Culture Lubomír Zaorálek (CSSD). The decision-making regarding the form of SEFO was preceded by a lengthy discussion about three possibilities – to use the vast space of the abandoned Hanácké barracks, to announce an architectural competition for a new design of the exhibition, or to utilize the original design by Jan Šépka. Ultimately, according to museum director Ondřej Zatloukal, pragmatic, ideological, and conceptual reasons prevailed.

The new exhibition building for SEFO is expected to rise in the center of Olomouc over the next five years; work is currently underway on the projects for the building permit and the implementation project. Last year, museum management estimated the completion of the construction in 2025 and the opening to the public a year later.