The foundation stone of the Janáček Cultural Centre was laid yesterday morning, marking the official start of the construction of Brno’s new concert hall. The event was attended by many prominent public and cultural figures, including Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala, Minister of Culture Martin Baxa and Brno Mayor Markéta Vaňková, all of whom emphasised the importance of the project for Brno and the Czech Republic, and said that the long-awaited venue will finally give the city and Filharmonie Brno a a world-class concert hall worthy of its rich musical heritage.
The Janáček Cultural Centre will provide a proper home for the city’s orchestra, Filharmonie Brno, and its music lovers. The current venue, Besední dům, is too small to accommodate a full orchestra, making it impossible to perform large symphonic works, and its limited capacity of 500 seats often results in sold-out concerts, leaving many without tickets. In addition, the Janáček Theatre, which is occasionally used for full orchestral performances, lacks the necessary acoustics for symphonic music.
The lack of a suitable concert hall means that audiences cannot fully appreciate orchestral performances, and top international artists often bypass Brno for cities with better facilities. With the construction of a world-class concert hall, the city will gain a venue capable of hosting symphonic concerts at the highest level, both in terms of technology and capacity. For a world-class orchestra, a high-quality hall: modern, appropriately sized, and equipped with world-class acoustics, is essential not only for performances but also for rehearsals, ensuring that the city can maintain its rich musical heritage and attract top talent. Filharmonie Brno will therefore finally have a permanent home, after years of touring prestigious venues like Carnegie Hall and performing across Europe, South Korea, and the United Kingdom.
The signing of the contract with the construction company was accompanied by the first movement of Janáček’s ‘Intimate Letters’, while the laying of the foundation stone was celebrated with fanfares composed especially for the occasion by Petr Jirák, the tuba player of Filharmonie Brno. Preparatory work is currently underway and construction crews will soon be moving underground. The above-ground part of the hall could begin construction later this year.
“Brno is visibly developing and major projects that seemed unrealistic a few years ago are now being realised,” said Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala. “I am delighted that the Janáček Cultural Centre is finally being built. In two years’ time, the city of Leoš Janáček will have a concert hall that reflects its importance and musical tradition, attracting outstanding musicians and symphonic music lovers from all over the world. Filharmonie Brno will finally have the opportunity to perform at full capacity in a suitable environment.”
Discussions over the construction of a new concert hall in Brno date back almost 100 years, but the modern history of the Janáček Cultural Centre dates back to 2002, as recalled by Brno Mayor Markéta Vaňková, who noted that like their predecessors, the current investors faced many challenges.
“The construction site for the Janáček Cultural Centre was handed over to the contractor in September,” said René Černý, First Deputy Mayor of Brno responsible for investments. “Since then, a transformer station has been demolished to build Ludvík Kundera Square. Archaeological surveys are underway. Construction workers are laying power lines and sewers on Veselá. We will reinforce some underground parking structures to prepare them for the new building. We are reducing the archaeological survey’s duration by optimising it. The next steps will be excavating and securing the building pit, then drilling foundation piles for the technology centre. Above-ground construction could begin later this year.”
The construction of the Janáček Cultural Centre underground car parks is being co-financed by Brno and its municipal company, Brněnské komunikace. Construction was halted in 2018, but the 200-space underground car park is finally opening with the start of the hall’s construction.
According to architect Petr Hůša, the design for the new cultural space is inspired by the architecture of Besední dům. Its ‘shoebox’ design will feature exceptional acoustics with raw concrete surfaces and warm wood elements in a unique pattern. Designed for 1,200 visitors, the hall will fulfil a long-held vision of combining 19th century cultural values with 21st century design.
The JKC Brno consortium (made up of OHLA ŽS, Strabag constructions engineers, and Unistav Construction) won the contract to build a modern concert hall for CZK 2.3 billion (excluding VAT). The Ministry of Culture is set to contribute CZK 600 million to the project.
