The Zlín Region is finishing the renovation of the facade and roof of the Baťa skyscraper

Zlín - The Zlín Region is completing the repair of the façade and roof of the Baťa Skyscraper in Zlín, where the regional government is located. The main work is expected to be finished by the end of the year, spokeswoman for the regional authority Soňa Ličková said today. Today marks 85 years since the completion of the building, which was constructed in the 1930s on the initiative of Jan Antonín Baťa, based on the design by architect Vladimír Karfík, as the new headquarters of the Baťa shoe company. At a height of 77.5 meters, it was the tallest building in Central Europe at the time of its creation.

"The Baťa Skyscraper is an architectural gem with an inspiring story and simultaneously a symbol of the city of Zlín and the Zlín Region. We are proud to have our headquarters here. We want it to serve for a long time, and therefore we have started the renovation of its façade, insulation, and roofing for nearly 50 million crowns this year, which is currently nearing completion. It is our gift to the building for its semi-centennial," said the Governor of the Zlín Region Radim Holiš (ANO). The work began at the end of May this year.

This year's work follows the first phase of repairs, which the region completed in 2019. At that time, the low-voltage power distribution system was refurbished, the paternoster was repaired, the fast elevators were replaced, and construction modifications were made to the entrance on the second floor. The floors on the third floor were also restored, and exhibitions on the second, eighth, and sixteenth floors were modernized.

The Baťa Skyscraper is a significant monument from the functionalist period. A rarity is the director's elevator office, also known as Baťa's elevator. From 2003 to 2004, the building underwent a total renovation costing 630 million crowns and became the headquarters of the regional and financial office.