Janáček Cultural Centre

Year2003

CategoryCompetition

LocationBrno

StatusDesign

The design of a concert hall in the centre of Brno was developed in collaboration with the practice of Radko Květ and works with a significant restriction on the above-ground volume of the building.

Most of the facilities are therefore located below ground level, while what rises above ground is primarily the entrance building, which becomes the main landmark of the whole complex.

The simple, compact cube contrasts with the varied urban environment, and its restrained form reinforces the monumentality of the building. The transparent entrance spaces also maintain visual contact with the surrounding buildings and public space.

Client	OC Martin s.r.o.
Design team	Martin Krupauer

Underground Hall and Urban Space

The key urban design principle is placing the main volume of the hall underground. At street level, the roof of the underground section becomes part of the public realm and functions as a square for people to spend time in.

The architecture thus limits the volume of the new building in the historic centre while creating a new urban space that can be used independently of the concert hall itself.

Entrance Building and Interior Structure

The above-ground entrance section is designed as a compact standalone volume with a simple geometry. Its interior contrasts with the austere exterior through a striking rod structure with diagonal members that links the individual levels of the foyer and brings dynamism to the space.

The transparent ground floor opens the building towards the city and allows the surrounding architecture to be perceived through the interior of the entrance section.

Architecture Beneath the Surface

The underground volume of the foyer is also reflected in the design of the public space above it. Its outline is marked in the paving of the square by a line of light that makes the hidden part of the building present and connects the underground architecture with the surface of the city.

The result is a building whose main volume remains below ground, while above ground the focus is on the entrance, the public space and subtle signs of the underground structure.