The construction of a new complex for the Karlovy Vary Secondary School of Ceramics and Glass has begun

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Karlovy Vary - Construction of a new complex for the Secondary School of Applied Arts for Ceramics and Glass (SUPŠKS) officially began today in Karlovy Vary, along with the reconstruction of its original building. With costs amounting to 1.17 billion crowns including VAT, this will be one of the largest investments in the Karlovy Vary region in recent years. According to the regional leadership, the new school complex is also intended for the potential establishment of a public higher education institution, said the Governor of the Karlovy Vary region, Jana Mračková Vildumetzová (ANO), during today's laying of the foundation stone.

The current capacity of the ceramics school is approximately 350 students. "Once the new building is completed and the long-closed one is renovated, the capacity will increase to about 650 students," the governor stated. She mentioned that the capacity of the building could ultimately be even higher depending on the arrangement of spaces. "The design includes galleries and additional areas that could potentially be study spaces," Mračková Vildumetzová explained.

In addition to new fields of study, the complex could provide support in the early years of the existence of the public higher education institution that the region has been striving for years to establish. The governor added that higher education needs to be initiated by 2027, as a demographic peak is expected at that time, resulting in the highest number of students who could enroll in higher education institutions in the region.

For this reason, the region is also preparing for the possible construction of another school building next to SUPŠKS. The land is already owned by the region, and a study for the location of a building intended for the university exists. Additionally, the region has started negotiations to acquire the premises of the former saltworks in the city center. It currently belongs to the beverage group Mattoni 1873 but has been unused for a long time. According to Mračková Vildumetzová, there could be a support facility for the university or some secondary schools, dormitories, and similar amenities there.

The reconstruction of the historical building and the construction of the new SUPŠKS facility have been included among the priority projects of the grant program for a Just Transition for the Karlovy Vary region. This allows the region to obtain up to 85 percent of the costs as grants. The first phase of construction is expected to be completed in 2027, while the second phase, including the construction of the new building, should finish in 2028. Total costs could reach 1.57 billion crowns.

The original historical building of the secondary school is currently not in use due to the emergency condition of the concrete of the original structure. The school is operating in adjacent buildings constructed during socialism. These buildings are set to be replaced by a new, modern, multi-story glass building that will surround the renovated historical building. It will be designed by the architectural office Petr Hájek - Architekti, which also designed the built-in hall in the Imperial Spa in Karlovy Vary. SUPŠKS will be the second most expensive investment in the region in recent years, after the Imperial Spa.