The National Theatre will today commence the reconstruction of the New Stage for 1.8 billion crowns excluding VAT

Prague - The National Theatre (ND) in Prague will today commence a general reconstruction of the New Stage for 1.8 billion crowns excluding VAT. In February, the theatre confirmed the consortium of companies Metrostav DIZ, OHLA ŽS, and Trigema as the winner of the tender. The reconstruction will last for two years. Before handing over the construction site, Prime Minister Andrej Babiš (ANO) and Minister of Culture Oto Klempíř (for Motorists) will tour the vacated building accompanied by ND’s General Director Jan Burian.

The reconstruction will not change the external appearance of the building. It will also preserve all the original architecturally valuable interior spaces. Renovation will particularly focus on the cladding made of green serpentinite, the spiral staircase, and the generous lighting object by Pavel Hlava and Jaroslav Štursa. Similarly, the builders will proceed with the facade of the building, which consists of 4000 glass panels.

The reason for the reconstruction is that the original design of the building did not account for theatrical operations, and the architectural solution was, even at that time, a compromise. After the reconstruction, the New Stage will offer visitors a variable arrangement of the stage and auditorium in a multifunctional hall with a capacity of up to 500 seats, utilizing contemporary modern theatrical technologies and variable acoustics.

In the adjacent ND building, an additional intimate theatre hall, a rehearsal room, and new facilities for accompanying educational programs will be created. A new café will also be established on the ground floor to connect the theatre with Václav Havel Square. The technological modernization of both buildings is expected to lead to energy savings and a reduction in operating costs as well as environmental impact.

The evaluation of the tender and the announcement of the winner were delayed by a submission to the Office for the Protection of Competition (ÚOHS), which questioned the exclusion of the consortium of companies Geosan Group and Avers. However, according to the office's verdict, ND acted correctly as the contracting authority, a decision confirmed in early February by ÚOHS Chairman Petr Mlsna. ND subsequently designated the consortium of companies Metrostav DIZ, OHLA ŽS, and Trigema as the winner and contractor for the reconstruction with a bid of 1.8 billion crowns excluding VAT. One of the conditions of the tender was a maximum price of 2.3 billion crowns including VAT.