New building of Belgrade Philharmonic Orchestra in block 13 – Architectural plan contest opens

The Belgrade Land Development Public Agency has opened a contest for the urban-architectural solution for the section of New Belgrade's block 13 along with the Belgrade Philharmonic Orchestra building.

Block 13, a section near the foundations of the never completed Museum of the Revolution, is reserved in the planning documents of the City of Belgrade for cultural institutions of national importance, which the Philharmonic is, and the realization of the new facilities is the be preceded by the Detailed Regulation Plan with the obligatory urban-architectural contest.

The contest pertains to the area defined by Nikole Tesle Blvd, Usce St, Mihajla Pupina Blvd and the access-service route towards block 12, with a total area of 47.2 ha.

The contest program envision capacities for features meant for customers, employees and accompanying features in the new building of the Belgrade Philharmonic Orchestra, and the participants need to present solution meeting the requirements regarding the number of visitors.

A large concert hall with 1,500 seats and a stage with an area of 500 m2 is to be built, as well as a multipurpose hall with 400 seats. The summer stage with the proportions of 32 m x 25 m should have enough room for around 200 portable seats and a standing capacity of several thousand visitors.

The solutions should include audience halls with all the accompanying features (info desk, wardrobe, ticket booth, exhibition space, cafe, stores and others), rooms for musicians, other performers and employees, and a playroom, a space meant for educating children, as well as a restaurant.

The solutions for the parking lot for passenger vehicles should take the form of an underground garage and an open parking space, whereas the documentation envisions around 230 employees in the new building.

The total net amount of the prize fund is RSD 2.688 million, and the submission deadline is December 13.

Prominent artists which have guested at the Philharmonic, among whom is the world-renowned conductor Zubin Mehta, have noted several times that the orchestra needs a world-class home.

The location for the new building has been sought for a long time. There have been proposals to raise it on the Danube next to the Yugoslavia Hotel, or in the Belgrade neighborhood of Cubura, as the Detailed Regulation Plan for Vracar envisions the construction of a public cultural facility – a music center.

Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic announced last year in his conversation with Mehta that a new concert hall would be built, not costing more than EUR 50 million.

– We will raise one of the best concert halls in the region, with 1,500, and the best acoustics. We will work with top quality world companies, several of which have been recommended by Mehta – Vucic said last September, as reported by Tanjug.