Zlín establishment of the company for the reconstruction of the Tomáš Baťa Memorial

Zlín - Zlín will establish a non-profit organization to secure funding for the reconstruction of the House of Art, or more precisely, to restore the original appearance of the former Tomáš Baťa Memorial. This was stated today by Deputy Mayor Miroslav Kašný to journalists. The Bohuslav Martinů Philharmonic occasionally rehearses at the site, which also houses the Regional Gallery of Fine Arts. However, it will relocate to new premises in the former Baťa factory complex no later than the end of next year.
    The House of Art, formerly known as the Tomáš Baťa Memorial, is one of the peak works of Zlín functionalism. According to Kašný, it is the most valuable building in the city. "The building cannot remain completely abandoned; it is essential to think about its future purpose. According to the city council, the best solution would be to re-establish the Tomáš Baťa Memorial in it,” he stated.
    The memorial was built in 1933 in honor of Tomáš Baťa, who tragically died in 1932. The author was the significant Zlín architect František Lydie Gahura. In 1948, the building was converted into the House of Art. In the 1950s, the structure was disrupted by builders with insensitive external extensions and interior modifications. Until the end of last year, it housed not only the regional gallery but also the Bohuslav Martinů Philharmonic, which found a base in the newly constructed Zlín Congress Center.
    "I am afraid that even tens of millions will not be enough for its restoration. To achieve the original appearance, all extensions must be removed," Kašný warned.
    The councilors also decided that the area surrounding the building will be rehabilitated to resemble its appearance at the time the memorial was established as closely as possible.
    The Regional Gallery of Fine Arts will move from the inadequate spaces of the House of Art to one of the buildings in the former Baťa factory complex. The Zlín Region is building a Regional Cultural and Educational Center in buildings 14 and 15. In addition to the regional gallery, the new headquarters will also host the regional library and the Museum of Southeast Moravia in Zlín. The construction will cost nearly 900 million crowns.