In Brno, a center for the restoration of modern monuments will begin operations within a year

Brno - The Stiassny government villa in Brno is set to start operations for the Center for the Restoration of 20th Century Architectural Monuments (COPA) from January next year. The institution will be established by the National Heritage Institute of the Czech Republic. The center will provide methodological assistance to all those involved in the restoration of modern monuments. The project will cost approximately 179 million crowns, most of which will be funded by the EU. Zdeněk Musil from the Brno office of the institute announced this today.
    Brno was chosen for this institution because it is internationally known for its modern architecture, particularly functionalism. The Tugendhat Villa in Brno is listed on the UNESCO heritage list.
    The entire complex will have two parts. The main one is the first-republic Stiassny villa. The building was commissioned in 1927 by textile industrialist Alfred Stiassny, who was of Jewish origin, according to the design by architect Arnošt Wiesner. He owned a factory on Přízová Street in Brno, later known as Vlněna. During the occupation, it was confiscated by the Gestapo from the original owners, and after the war, it remained with the state. The family lived in the USA after the war.
    Stiassny and his wife Hermína died in the 1960s in Hollywood. During communism, the building became a government villa. Cuban revolutionary Fidel Castro stayed there. It will be restored to its original form as an example of a restored modern monument. Partial accessibility is planned, and it will be a venue for social events, but mainly it will serve as a place for experts to share experiences.
    A new building will also be created for them in the spacious area by the villa. Its foundation stone was laid today. It will house a reading room, a library of modern architecture, a lecture hall for nearly 80 people, a modeling workshop, and a lapidarium. Heritage experts emphasize that the restoration of modern buildings is different from the reconstruction of old sites. The Brno center is expected to be an institution of international significance.