Morava Palace

In 1926, an architectural competition was announced for the design of the Ritz Hotel, which was to be built on the site of the former variety theater (in addition to domestic architects, global giants such as Peter Behrens and Jacobus Pieter Oud participated in this competition). However, this site was ultimately occupied by Arnošt Wiesner with a somewhat different complex of buildings. Wiesner had to deal not only with the challenging layout of the plot but also with geologically poor soil. During the design process, he collaborated with structural engineer Jaroslav Valenta, among others. The lower part included the commercial section, a basement cinema, and a bar. Originally, a large terrace adjoined the café on the first floor. In the upper part, which was broken through for good lighting, Wiesner designed apartments. The contrast between the reinforced concrete skeleton and the red brick masonry is also interesting here. Later, Wiesner added the building of the Moravian Provincial Life Insurance Company to the complex.