The Vltava Philharmonic in Prague must have an environmental impact assessment

Prague - The planned concert hall at the Vltavská metro station must have an environmental impact assessment (EIA). This was decided by officials from the environmental protection department of the Prague City Hall, as ČTK found out from the EIA database. The construction, for which a detailed study was recently completed for Prague by architects from the Danish studio Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG), is expected to start in 2027 and finish five years later. The estimated cost is currently around 12 billion Czech crowns.

The capital city, as the investor, must now ensure complete documentation for assessing the impact of the building on the environment, climate, and residents' lives. According to the published document, this should include, among other things, an overview of the considered project alternatives, an evaluation of the traffic in the surrounding area, and a description and proposals for minimizing the impact on air quality, noise levels, and lighting.

According to the EIA announcement, the concert hall will have three underground and six above-ground floors, and will feature three halls - one large concert hall for about 1,800 seated people, a second chamber hall with 500 seats for sitting and standing, and a third multifunctional hall that can accommodate 620 seated or 1,200 standing people. The project plan, according to the document, will also include several other buildings, such as tunnels ensuring traffic connections to the complex, waterfront modifications, changes in transportation infrastructure like the relocation of tram lines, and the construction of new intersections and a new metro vestibule.

The current proposal is criticized by the non-profit organization Arnika, which appreciates the office's request for the city to present more transportation solution options. "We do not consider the existing proposal of three tunnels under the concert hall a good solution. There are other transport solutions, and it is necessary to select those that will have the least impact on the environment and climate and will be the most suitable in terms of non-motorized and public transport," stated Anna Vinklárková for the organization.

According to information from city leadership and architects in September, experts are currently working on creating technical documentation, and next autumn the city should apply for a building permit. By 2026, it should have completed the documentation and obtained the building permit to start construction in 2027. The building will house two orchestras, as both the Czech Philharmonic and the Symphony Orchestra of the Capital City of Prague FOK will be based there.

The City Hall is seeking co-financing from the state for the construction and is also considering involving private investors. According to the City Hall's plan, the construction of the new cultural center aims to initiate the transformation of the surrounding Bubny-Zátory area, where a neighborhood for up to 25,000 people is expected to be developed.