The Vltava Philharmonic Hall

The Vltava Philharmonic Hall offers an active, dynamic, and exploratory experience, familiar to the current urban fabric of Prague yet remains distinct with an iconic identity. The building, located within the urban context of Prague, Czechia along the Vltava river, buffers the historical edge of Old Town Prague and the contemporary area of Holešovice. The Philharmonic Hall lies strategically in continuing the urban vectors of the city and adopting Prague’s city formation as a landscape reference. The Hall maintains the historicity of piazzas and loggias in a contemporary light along its immediate edges while offerings views of the historical features of the city.

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The Philharmonic Hall upholds five design drivers: world-class music experience, identity, dynamic and vibrant space, human scale, and connection to skyline and water. Acoustic features are established through urban forms and building layers as buffers for noise and massing of the theater’s interior to direct soundwaves of ambient quality. Human Scale develops through the personal site interaction, meanderings into the loggia, and exterior ramps to ascend on the back terrace of the building. This back terrace also connects the skyline and water that is optimal for outdoor concerts and events.

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The final two design drivers were the focus of the Philharmonic Hall, accentuating the identity of the city of Prague and creating dynamic and vibrant spaces. The identity of the Philharmonic Hall derives from the staple, organic from drawn from the Vltava river and emphasizes a unique aesthetic that marries Prague’s context with an iconic presence. The dynamics and vibrancy of the Philharmonic Hall are embedded in the site’s activation. The site accommodates all durations of time for all people. It offers gardens, exploratory paths, restful spaces, an amphitheater, a water play area, an outdoor terrace, and outdoor learning spaces. Whether a local or a tourist, one can enjoy the site on a daily walk, for a cup of coffee, maybe stay for a picnic, or dinner and a show.

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These attributes are not constricted to the exterior but are brought into the heart of the theater, offering an innovative twist on a show. The theater maintains the organic forms of the building’s body and brings in iconic site features. Furthermore, it also offers a dynamic option of removable seating, allowing for intimate shows and a close connection between performers and the audience.

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In conclusion, the Vltava Philharmonic Hall offers an active, dynamic, and exploratory experience, familiar to Prague yet distinguished in its iconic identity.