The reconstruction of the House of Culture in Šumperk will be prepared by architect Hájek

Šumperk – The architectural study for the reconstruction of the House of Culture in Šumperk will be prepared by the well-known Prague architect Petr Hájek. The extensive renovation of the building, which is also the venue for the international festival Blues Alive, has been planned by the city for several years. Šumperk will sign a contract for work with Hájek. The study should be completed approximately within three months of the signing. The city will pay 820,000 crowns for it, city representatives informed ČTK. The reconstruction costs are estimated to be as much as a quarter of a billion CZK.

Hájek has participated in the renovation of upper squares in Olomouc and the construction of the Archdiocesan Museum Olomouc in the Olomouc Region.

"The aim of the feasibility study is to obtain a concept for a quality architectural solution that will verify the possibilities and limitations of the use of the House of Culture in the future. The study will also include a preliminary estimate of investment and anticipated operating costs," said Deputy Mayor Jakub Jirgl (ANO).

The study should also define how the House of Culture should appear in both visual and operational aspects and uncover the future economy of the entire premises. "The fact that we have secured architect Petr Hájek is seen as a success and a breakthrough in the issue of the reconstruction of the House of Culture. We do not want to rush the reconstruction; the top priority is a high-quality timeless result. We are aware that this cultural venue will serve the people for decades to come," added the Deputy Mayor.

According to him, the city could begin the reconstruction in about four years; in the meantime, it is necessary to prepare the design and hold a competition for the contractor. "I estimate the reconstruction cost at 250 million crowns. This amount primarily reflects the fact that it is a relatively large complex that has not seen investment since its opening. We would like the study to reflect all the technological needs that such a facility requires," the Deputy Mayor added.

Hájek, the holder of the Architect of the Year title, expressed personal interest in the reconstruction of the Šumperk House of Culture. According to the city, he also proposed a favorable price, which is around one-third of the usual costs.

The Šumperk city hall purchased the House of Culture in 2016 for 18 million crowns from the Kovo Pramet trade union organization. The city also committed to repay the State Representation Authority in property matters six million crowns for the land under the building. If the city had not purchased the building, all cultural events would have lost their facilities.