Reconstruction of the New Stage will begin within a month; the builders have signed the contract

Prague - Representatives of the National Theatre (ND) in Prague and a consortium of construction companies signed a contract last week for the reconstruction of the ND New Stage. The signing of the contract was reported today by ČTK in a press release from Metrostav CZ spokesman Radim Mana. The theatre confirmed in February the winners of the tender, the consortium of companies Metrostav DIZ, OHLA ŽS, and Trigema, with a bid of 1.8 billion crowns excluding VAT. According to ND spokesman Tomáš Staněk, work will begin by the end of March.

According to the press release, Metrostav CZ is the leading consortium of contractors. Before the reconstruction of the New Stage, which has been a cultural monument since 2021, workers will prepare the site for construction work.

ND held a farewell event for the New Stage at the beginning of the 2025/26 theatre season. However, the public will have the opportunity to take a look inside the building designed by Karel Prager on Wednesday, March 18. ND will organize a day of open doors with guided tours. "The reconstruction should begin by the end of March," Staněk told ČTK.

The general director of Metrostav CZ, Karel Volf, promised to do everything possible for a sensitive restoration of the building, respecting its values while also meeting the needs of modern operations. "We greatly appreciate that the project combines the preservation of architectural heritage with the use of the latest technologies that will create a truly multifunctional space appropriate for the 21st century," said Volf.

According to ND, the reconstruction will not change the external appearance of the building and will preserve architecturally valuable elements of the interior. The renovation will particularly focus on restoring the green serpentine cladding, the spiral staircase, and the generous light object by Pavel Hlava and Jaroslav Štursa. Builders will also follow similar procedures for the façade of the building, which consists of 4,000 glass panels. The glass block façade was designed by architect Prager along with leading Czech glassmaker and artist Stanislav Libenský.

The renovation also concerns not only the New Stage, built between 1981 and 1983, but also the theatre's operational building B known as Themos. At the same time, it will connect the facilities of the New Stage and the historical building of the theatre underground.

The two-year reconstruction is expected to provide a variable arrangement of the stage and auditorium in a multifunctional hall with a capacity of up to 500 seats while preserving heritage-protected elements. A chamber theatre, rehearsal rooms, and a café on the ground floor will also be created. The modernization is anticipated to bring energy savings, reduce operating costs, and lessen the environmental burden.

The evaluation of the tender and the announcement of the winner was delayed by a filing 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 authority's ruling, ND as the contracting authority acted correctly, and the decision was confirmed in early February by the chairman of the ÚOHS, Petr Mlsna. Subsequently, ND designated the consortium of companies Metrostav DIZ, OHLA ŽS, and Trigema as the winner and contractor of the general reconstruction with a bid of 1.8 billion crowns excluding VAT. One of the tender conditions was a maximum price of 2.3 billion crowns including VAT.