The reconstruction of the Czech Theatre, located in the town of Česká Lípa, was a large-scale modernisation of a building in poor condition, which no longer fulfilled its role and required urgent intervention. New representative spaces were created in the building – both inside and outside – combining a historical appearance with modern elements.
During the work, the project authors from Adam Rujbr Architects not only changed the location of the main entrance, but also completely redesigned its internal layout. The new entrance and café on Panská Street enlivened the historic centre, especially in the early evening. The high-quality public space in Jirásek Street and the practical pedestrian connection between Jirásek and Panská Streets have raised the profile of this part of the city.
The theatre building has a rich history, dating back to the 14th century, and has been used as a theatre since 1932 after successive reconstructions. Thanks to the most recent modernisation, it gained a new entrance, connected to the town square, making it fully accessible to people with disabilities. With the addition of a foyer, the building received new functionality. The orchestra pit was restored and the auditorium was raised to provide better visibility and more comfortable seating. New dressing rooms, a rehearsal room, a costume storage room, a club room for smaller performances were created, and part of the ground floor was converted into a café.
To increase the capacity of the venue, the roof of the hall was raised by one storey to allow a second balcony to be added. After the reconstruction, the auditorium can now accommodate 371 people. On the ground floor of the four-storey building are the entrance areas, the theatre café and technical facilities. On the second floor there are two foyers and the main lobby. One floor above are the actors’ dressing rooms, rehearsal rooms and a small attic room for school and small group performances.
The main entrance from Panská Street leads to a two-storey foyer with a spectacular spiral staircase and artworks by glassmaker Jitka Skuhrava. The second entrance from Jiráskova Street has a similar combination of faced concrete and large glass surfaces, and the adjacent foyer serves as a multifunctional space for small performances, concerts or lectures. During construction, a staircase to the basement was discovered and restored using preserved stone steps. The original wooden ceiling beams in the upper foyer were also restored and now form an impressive structure.
The works also revealed several other historical elements, which it was decided to preserve. In addition to the restored staircase to the basement and the wooden ceiling beams, historic cornerstones were incorporated into the structure, which now adorn the interior of the café. In the lounge, meanwhile, the original brickwork was cleaned and conserved. Another of the preserved and restored objects is the chandelier above the auditorium, which towers above the starry sky after a complete restoration. The sconces from the auditorium were also cleaned and installed on the walls of the upper foyer and dressing rooms.
The element that binds the whole together is the brown colour that decorated the original theatre hall. It can be found in various areas and objects throughout the building. The wall of the club room is decorated with wallpaper with a painting motif found in the original theatre building.
In summary, the new theatre combines history with modernity, genius loci with contemporary technology, offers representational spaces and serves as an important cultural centre for the town of Česká Lípa.
Studio: Adam Rujbr Architects
Chief Project Engineer: Michal Surka
Architects: Monika Prostředníková, Kateřina Gayerová
Project location: 219 Panská Street, Česká Lípa, Czech Republic
Year of completion: 2023
Photographer: BoysPlayNice
Source: Adam Rujbr Architects
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Subject: Theatre redevelopment in the Czech Republic. Combines history with modernity
