A structure of sloping roofs and plazas conceived by Danish architecture firm Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG) took first place in a recent international design competition hosted by the City of Prague. Beating out renowned firms like Snøhetta, David Chipperfield Architects, SANAA, Diller Scofidio + Renfro, and Ateliers Jean Nouvel, BIG’s plan for the Vltava Philharmonic Hall impressed the judges with its ability to connect visitors with the surrounding cityscape.

“Many aspects had to be taken into account when selecting the winning design,” explains Michal Sedlá?ek, chairman of the competition’s jury. “The site for the philharmonic hall currently complicates the opportunity for people to meet instead of encouraging it, so the emphasis was not only on the architecture and operation of the building, but also on the design of the public spaces in the surrounding area. The Vltava Philharmonic Hall will become a vibrant center of life in Vltavská street — a new city park will stretch eastwards from the building, the south side will open up access to the water, a square will be created on the west side, and there will be a view of the new Bubny-Zátory district to the north. The building itself will be accessible from all directions and levels.”
To fortify Prague’s reputation as a European capital of culture, BIG architects embraced elements of music and rhythm in the 1,800-seat concert hall’s layout an...