Nová scéna, Theatre in New Town, Prague, Czech Republic
Nová scéna is a modern theatre building next to the National Theatre in Prague's New Town, distinguished by its glass façade and geometric shapes. The architecture creates a striking contrast with the older buildings surrounding it and allows visual transparency to the stage.
Architect Karel Prager designed this building as an extension to the National Theatre complex, opening to the public in 1983. It was constructed during a period when Prague was exploring new directions in modern architecture.
The opening performance on 20 November 1983 was Tyl's play Strakonický dudák, staged by director Václav Hudeček with the auditorium arranged as an arena and the stage in the centre, and broadcast live on television. The building was designed for Laterna Magika, Josef Svoboda's company combining film and live performance.
The building is easy to reach from the National Theatre, which stands directly beside it and is clearly marked. The entrance area is straightforward to locate, and staff can answer questions about performances and showtimes.
The 4,306 cast-glass blocks of the façade, each 80 × 60 × 40 cm and about 40 kg, were made by the Kavalier glassworks in Sázava from SIMAX glass. Lighting for the glass wall was designed but never installed. The blocks were added as a third layer because the green Cuban serpentine cladding alone did not insulate the hall from Národní třída's traffic noise.
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