Renovated building and Grand Concert Hall of JU BKC KS ceremonially presented

(Patria) - On the occasion of March 1st, BiH Independence Day, the renovated building and the Grand Concert Hall of JU „Bosanski kulturni centar KS“ were ceremonially presented. The audience and numerous distinguished guests who attended this event had the opportunity to listen to a concert titled „Sevdah orient express – polazna stanica BKC“ prepared specifically for this occasion.

The construction of the former Sephardic temple, and today's BKC building, began in 1926 and was completed in 1930. The appearance of this monumental building, crowned with a dome, is the idea of architect Rudolf Lubinski, who designed it in the Moorish style. At that time, the building was the largest Sephardic temple in Europe.

The architectural appearance of the BKC's grand hall as we know it today was created after the end of World War II, when the Jewish Community donated the Temple building to the city of Sarajevo for the purpose of organizing cultural events. For this purpose, in 1965, architect Ivan Štraus was tasked with renovating the old Temple and adapting it to the current needs of the city. Štraus transformed the temple building into the Workers' University „Đuro Đaković“, and created a hall with the best acoustics in the former Yugoslavia. The hall, with a capacity of 854 seats, is lined with special wood from Australia, which is said to be priceless today.

The ceiling was also raised to maximize the acoustics of the space. Given that the last adaptation was done in 1965, and that there had been no major investments for many years, the management of BKC initiated the idea of renovating the hall to preserve its heritage and historical value, and to make it shine with new splendor. At the same time, the intention was to maintain the modernity and functionality of the space, so that all forms of cultural events could take place in it.    

Extensive work on the complete reconstruction of the Grand Concert Hall, which many consider one of the most beautiful cultural buildings in Sarajevo, began at the end of October 2019. This was a demanding and extremely important job that included, among other things, the renovation of the stage and auditorium. The work included replacing the lower part of the wooden stage frame, the complete replacement of the wooden stage floor, as well as the plush curtains and stage drapes. After this renovation, the stage extends towards the audience.

It was extended into a semi-circular shape and lowered to a lower level, making it closer and more visible to the audience in the auditorium. This resulted in an additional 25 square meters of usable space. By repairing and renovating the stage in the BKC's grand hall, the conditions for performing all types of arts have been improved, now on a stage with a significantly increased area and in a new design. Also, as part of the restoration, the worn-out floors in the hall were replaced, and by installing new floor coverings in the BKC's grand hall, safety conditions, as well as the acoustic and visual experience of visitors in the auditorium, have been improved.

Special attention during the restoration was paid to the area intended for the audience. The chairs in the auditorium were repaired and reupholstered with new plush fabric. The plush upholstery on the outer side of the seats gives a new aesthetic look, but also ensures sound absorption. This means less unwanted echo, making speech and music more understandable. The wear and tear of the seats in the hall due to long-term use affected the overall experience that visitors had while attending various programs. With the restoration of the seats in the auditorium, the audience is offered a more comfortable stay in the grand hall, which has now gained a more representative appearance.  

To make the visitor experience complete, as part of the restoration, a new state-of-the-art sound system and modern lighting equipment will soon be installed in the grand hall. With the help of these devices, the sound and light experience that the audience will receive from the stage will be raised to a higher and even more professional level.

Thanks to all of the above, this restoration will ultimately fulfill the fundamental requirements of any hall: good sound, a beautiful view and visibility, and comfortable seating.
Funds for this work were provided by the Ministry of Culture and Sports of Sarajevo Canton, and the total value amounts to 127,000 KM.

History of renovation and restoration

From 2017 to the present, the renovation of the BKC building has been ongoing, and the renovation and restoration of the Grand Concert Hall represent a crown of the work done so far. The management of JU BKC KS initiated reconstruction work three years ago, starting from the very entrance to the building. A decorative wrought iron gate was installed on the entrance facade. This not only appropriately arranged the entrance but also ensured that the building is protected from vandalism, to which it was occasionally exposed by hooligans, even in the late evening hours. The next phase of reconstruction involved the entrance Atrium. The roof coverings in the Atrium at that time were leaking, so they were replaced with a new roof, which now includes tempered glass.

This resulted in much greater illumination of the interior space of the Atrium. Also, the stone floor tiles and the complete installation beneath them were replaced. Work on the renovation of the Atrium was completed in November 2018. The adaptation of the roof and floor of the atrium was carried out with the financial support of: the Ministry of Culture and Sports of Sarajevo Canton, the Municipality of Stari Grad Sarajevo, which co-financed the works with the amount of 26,000 KM, and the Municipality of Centar Sarajevo, which co-financed the works with the amount of 15,000 KM. The total costs of the reconstruction amounted to approximately 120,000 KM.

The next phase of BKC renovation concerned the entrance hall, or foyer. In this part of the building, at the end of May 2019, the ceiling that had previously obscured the decorations on the ceiling and walls was removed, given that the building was originally built as a Sephardic temple and served that purpose for many years. Detailed restoration and conservation of these ceiling and wall decorations, which have historical, artistic, and aesthetic value, are yet to begin, and conservation-restoration work will be carried out in cooperation with conservators from JU „Zavod za zaštitu kulturno-historijskog i prirodnog naslijeđa KS“, who have already carried out research and preparatory work. The work on the restoration of this part of the building so far has been financed by the Ministry of Spatial Planning, Construction, and Environmental Protection of KS, with an amount of almost 8,000 KM.

At the end of May and the beginning of June 2019, work also began on insulating the BKC building. These works were financed by Sarajevo Canton and the UNDP agency within the framework of the "Green Economic Development" project. The goals of the project were: reducing negative impacts on air quality, rationalizing energy consumption costs, saving budget funds, and increasing comfort for end-users through better heating in the Grand Hall and the entire BKC building.

During the building's insulation, construction works were carried out, including: thermal insulation of external walls, replacement of part of the facade carpentry, thermal insulation of the ceiling and attic space of the building. Mechanical works were also performed, which included: installation of new air handling units with associated automation. Intervention was made on the pipe and ductwork. Replacement of part of the piping system in the building was carried out, including the necessary pipe fittings and the installation of a heat meter with the necessary fittings. Interventions on the piping system include: installation of radiator valves with thermostatic heads, modernization of the heat substation, and construction of a connecting heating pipeline with all necessary accompanying activities, etc.

The next part of the BKC to be renovated was the Gallery located on the ground floor. The entire ceiling in the Gallery was replaced, with new material and fixed lighting installed. A new sound and lighting system was also installed. An electronic access ramp for people with mobility difficulties was installed in the Gallery. This ramp facilitates access from the ground floor to the upper floor, to the Grand Hall.

The ramp was put into use on December 3, 2019, on the International Day of Persons with Disabilities. The procurement and installation of the access ramp were largely financed by the UNDP agency within the framework of the "Dialogue for the Future" project, implemented by United Nations agencies in partnership with the BiH Presidency. One of the most important activities within the project was the removal of architectural barriers. The project also included drama and music workshops for children with special needs lasting eight months, for which UNDP funds of approximately 40,000 KM were provided.

The reconstruction of BKC would not have been possible without significant financial assistance from: the Ministry of Culture and Sports of KS, the Municipalities of Stari Grad Sarajevo and Centar Sarajevo, and the UNDP agency. These institutions have significantly helped the JU BKC KS building to gain a new and representative appearance. Through financial assistance for adaptation, these institutions have recognized the importance of the JU Bosanski kulturni Centar KS building as an object of cultural-historical and tourist significance for Bosnia and Herzegovina, Sarajevo, but also for the audience, which for generations has had the opportunity to follow various artistic events in this building, which many consider one of the most beautiful cultural buildings in Bosnia and Herzegovina.