Architect Tomáš Vymetálek from Hradec Králové and his team have signed the design of the new multifunctional football stadium in Malšovice. Which arenas were his role models when designing the Hradec Králové stadium? Why, according to him, was there no question of the possibility that the iconic lollipops would be missing from the new stadium? What surprises await Votrok fans in the new stadium’s auditorium? And what does he say about the words of FC Hradec Králové general manager Richard Jukl, according to whom Hradec will be the second best stadium in the Czech Republic? “I am even convinced that in many respects the stadium surpasses even the stadium in Eden,” answers its author Tomáš Vymetálek in an interview about the Hradec Kralove arena. Tomáš Vymetálek
How long did you work on the project of the new football stadium in Hradec Králové?
We did the first study in 2015 after the option of a stadium connected to a shopping center fell through. The mayor at the time approached us to try to draw a stadium without a mall. At that moment, the stadium got a second wind, because the published visualizations caused a huge response from the public. People liked our proposal and that started the story that is currently culminating in the realization of the stadium.
How similar will the arena that is growing in Malšovice today be to your original proposal from 2015?
I would say it will be a bit similar. Our original study was purely for a football stadium, whereas the project that is being implemented now was already intended for multifunctional use. That stadium will definitely be more voluminous, and therefore also more expensive.
The new stadium project in Hradec has gone through various ups and downs in recent years. Did you believe all this time that the stadium would really be built?
My faith went through a gradual development. I believed in it a lot in 2016, I stopped believing as time went on. However, at the moment when the city announced a tender for a new project with new terms of reference, I decided to go for it again. I felt a chance to do it all over again, differently, with all the multifunctions. Thanks to that, the stadium is practically standing today. Today, probably no one doubts that he will show up.
In the past, you designed the smaller Bavlna stadium in Hradec Králové or the stadium in Vrchlabí. How much more demanding was the project of a really large football arena in Malšovice?
Of course, it was more demanding, but the experience from previous stadiums helped us a lot. I can’t imagine at all that this would be the first stadium one would do. This type of construction requires experience. And this is especially so that the building works perfectly from an operational and technical point of view. Of course, we learned that on smaller construction sites. We also visited many stadiums. Many of my colleagues are football fans, colleague Láďa Tuček was an active player in Hradec Králové, so we know the football environment perfectly. I also played it in my youth. I am convinced that knowledge of the topic is absolutely crucial for the correct design of the stadium.
You said you went to see many stadiums. Do you have someone in particular who was your role model when you came up with the one from Hradek?
In general, I would say that the model for us was the stadiums for the second German league. We really liked the stadium in Ingolstadt and also some of the stadiums in the former East Germany, which are culturally closest to us.
Does he remember what basic ideas you started working on the project with?
The main idea was related to the place. I remember how I ran at the All-Sports Stadium as a student, I experienced the finish line of the Peace Race there, I experienced some spartakiades there. I have had a place connected to sports since childhood. We went into the project with the clear intention that we want the stadium to become the Greek ideal of beauty of body and spirit. We also based our design on this. We realize that the location is absolutely unique for the stadium. The stadium is practically part of the park near the river and at the same time very close to the city center. I wanted to make a building that would be timeless, elegant and stand out for its beauty for at least another 100 years. The entire composition is then crowned with lollipops, to which the Hradečac people have a special relationship. We wanted the stadium to be structurally simple, not complex in terms of construction and to be built for reasonable money.
Were you clear from the start that lollipops would be part of the new stadium?
Definitely yes. In all phases of the project in which we participated, this was beyond any discussion. We knew that there had to be lollipops at the Hradec Králové stadium. We never doubted it in the slightest. Lollipops belong to Hradec and the people of Hradec have a special relationship with them. Similar to how the people of Prague relate to the castle or the Parisians to the Eiffel Tower.
Do you already know when the lollipops will return to the stadium?
It will definitely be during the fall. The renovation is currently underway and we are all very much looking forward to the first lollipop being lifted. We are all ready for the day, it will be a great experience for sure.
According to FC Hradec Králové general manager Richard Jukl, the stadium will be the second most modern in the Czech Republic after Prague’s Eden. Do you agree with that?
I think it will. I agree with that. This is due to the fact that it is being built now in 2022, because practically all large stadiums in the Czech Republic have been completed or modernized for some time. The last stadium that was built here in the recent past was the one in Karviná. Compared to the one in Hradec Králové, it is one level lower in terms of size. Since it is a new building in Hradec, we were given the space to do everything there at the level and standard of the 21st century. I am convinced that, in many respects, the Hradec Králové stadium surpasses even the Slavonic Eden, the project of which was designed by our colleague Leoš Zeman.
In addition to Hradec Králové, the neighboring Pardubice is also currently building a stadium. How would you compare them? Will the Hradec Arena be a level higher?
I think that the Pardubice stadium has a slightly different story than the one in Hradec. Pardubice’s main theme is hockey, and the amount of investment corresponds to that, as well as the size of the local football stadium, which cannot be compared to the one in Hradec Králové.
What facilities can footballers and other athletes look forward to at the new Hradec Králové stadium?
The Hradec Kstadion will meet the conditions of UEFA category 4, which is related to the level of all equipment. We are not only talking about changing rooms, but also about wellness, areas for warm-up or regeneration, gyms or all modern facilities for the media. The stadium will also have facilities for women’s and youth teams. If we go beyond football, the stadium will also include, for example, a running tunnel or youth accommodation.
Moving from the athletes to the visitors, how much have you been concerned with spectator comfort?
Very thoroughly. Recently, for example, we were choosing sofas. They won’t be monochromatic and I think fans can look forward to a nice surprise. The seats will be designed in an alternating shade of white, gray and dark gray. The arena will be really interesting even when viewed from the inside. Social facilities and refreshments will also be at the most modern level. The facilities for refreshments cannot be compared at all to what was at the old stadium. During operation, it will of course be important that the city chooses the right tenants who will then operate the refreshments there. But what I think is the most important thing for fans is the view of the playing area. We have really steep grandstands that will create the right atmosphere. You will have a great view of the entire field from every seat in the arena. Spectators will also be served by two large LED screens above each of the goals.
In addition to football, the arena is also intended for other events. What exactly will the stadium be prepared for, what could be held there?
It should be said that the multifunctional spaces are primarily intended for hobby sports activities. We can’t imagine 10 more professional-level sports fitting into the stadium. We thought primarily of sports families with children. The stadium will have gymnasiums, a running tunnel, accommodation for athletes, and an outdoor running track. In addition, the stadium is also designed for cultural events. For example, concerts and other productions that require audio equipment and a stage. For concerts, the maximum capacity is up to 25,000. It will surely be the biggest concert venue in the wide region. Other events, such as Harvest Festivals or youth sports games, could then take place in the vicinity of the stadium.
Currently, the former tribune, which houses the football club’s facilities, still stands immediately next to the new arena. What will happen to her in the future?
It is about to be demolished. The building is already in such a state today that it would not be economical to use it, and of course it does not fit the new stadium in terms of appearance either. It is expected that some additional parking spaces will be created in that location. In the future, however, it is certainly a place where some other object for sports could be created, which would be coordinated with the stadium in design. There could be, for example, other indoor sports fields that could no longer fit into the stadium. In our opinion, the whole location has huge potential. We would like to see the Malšovice Sports Park there, with the stadium being its largest part.
You mentioned that you were an active football player yourself in your youth. Are you a fan of the Votroks? Are you looking forward to walking into the new arena yourself soon?
I’m generally a sports fan. Of course, I remember the glorious times when Hradec was at the top of the league and the Malšovice Stadium was full for Sparta, that was a really nice experience for me. I am really looking forward to the first opening match with lighted lollipops and the Czech national anthem at the beginning. I admit that I have dreamed about it several times. I would like to invite all Votroks fans and I hope it will sell out.
FCHK
