NS rejected the appeal of the Botanical Garden in Prague in the dispute with architect Deyl

Brno - The Supreme Court (NS) rejected the appeal of the Botanical Garden in Prague in the dispute with architect Zdeněk Deyl regarding the intervention in the Fata Morgana greenhouse project. The decision of the High Court in Prague thus remains in effect, which partially sided with Deyl last year, stating that the garden should pay him over a quarter of a million crowns plus interest. This was reported today by Czech Television, and the court's spokesperson Gabriela Tomíčková confirmed the rejection of the appeal to ČTK. The full decision of the NS is not yet available.

The dispute between the Prague Botanical Garden and architect Zdeněk Deyl began in 2005; the Supreme Court dealt with it two years ago when it upheld the appeal of the botanical garden. At that time, it overturned a ruling that required the garden to pay Deyl 268,000 crowns plus interest for unauthorized intervention in the Fata Morgana greenhouse project. As reported today by Czech Television, the High Court ruled on the matter again last year, and this time, the Supreme Court rejected the botanical garden's appeal as inadmissible.

"The conditions for the admissibility of the appeal were not met," said Tomíčková.

The garden, which is a contribution organization of the capital city, entered into a contract with Deyl in 1996. Three years later, before the completion of the work, it withdrew from the contract. The greenhouse cost 200 million crowns, nearly ten times the original estimates. According to the architect, this was also due to changes that the garden allowed to be made in the project after it ended its cooperation with him. Deyl claimed that he only had the opportunity to see the changes made as a paying visitor, and he disagreed with many of them.

Several years ago, the courts already ruled that the misuse of the author's work had occurred. However, the awarded amount varied. According to the Municipal Court in Prague, the garden was to pay Deyl 1.5 million crowns. The High Court reduced the amount to approximately 268,000 crowns.

The Fata Morgana greenhouse has previously been the cause of further legal disputes between Deyl and the botanical garden. The garden demanded that the architect return 2.5 million crowns, which it had paid him as an advance for the project documentation of the greenhouse. The courts eventually concluded that the sum was due to Deyl for work performed before the contract was terminated and as compensation for expenses incurred.

In another dispute, Deyl sought payment for additional work. The dispute ended in early 2015 with a settlement, according to which the architect was to receive over 1.1 million crowns.