Architect Jiřičná designed a bubble acoustic ceiling for the castle in Pardubice

Pardubice – The first pieces of the ceiling, which will be wavy and made of plaster bubbles for the right acoustic effect, are beginning to be created for the social hall in the castle in Pardubice. Another new element will be a glass spiral staircase. Representatives of the region and companies told journalists today. Architect Eva Jiřičná and her team from the company AI - Design are working on the appearance of the castle spaces.

"An architect can achieve very little on their own in life; it is always a team effort," Jiřičná said. She praised the quality of the work done by the contracting companies in Pardubice. "It is better than I am used to from England and from projects around the world that we have done," she added.

In the castle, which belongs to the Pardubice region, a representative hall with a foyer, catering facilities, changing rooms, and toilets is being created in the northern wing since May last year. The music hall posed a significant challenge as the room did not have good acoustics. A wavy bubble ceiling is intended to ensure that. Bubbles will also appear on one rung in the hall and on the stage for performers.

"It is made of plaster; it is suitable for casting and is stronger. There are acoustic calculations that worked with these shapes, and the acoustic values turned out very well. The weight of one casting is 12 kilograms, and it will be assembled in parts. The footprint of the ceiling is 25 meters long and 9.5 meters wide," said Marian Lacek, the director of Studio Krygi.

Jiřičná's team has experience with glass staircases, having created 47 in various forms and sizes. Another one has been designed for the Pardubice castle. A specialized company is already working on stainless steel connectors so that the spiral staircase can be installed in the castle in Pardubice in the spring of next year.

"There are 12,000 pieces of basic connecting components; it is polished stainless steel. The cylinders will be in the highest gloss; it is mirror quality. Other elements are glass. It is an extremely complex structure. Similar stairs do not exist in the world. It is an artistic element," said Michal Šmidrkal from the Brno company Empate.

The company will build the staircase twice, once in the factory and then in Pardubice. "In Brno, there will be all load tests; everything is calculated. If it works, we will cut it and install it in the castle in the spring. It is the biggest challenge we have faced. The tender took only a year," said Šmidrkal.

The construction at the castle is managed by the Pardubice region, the owner of the monument. The investment will be 165 million crowns, most of which will be covered by European grants. So far, 24 million crowns have been invested. Everything should be completed by the end of 2026, said regional councilor Roman Línek.