Pavilion Z

Pavilion Z was created during the expansion of the Brno Exhibition Centre at the end of the 1950s. It was intended to enclose the western part of the complex and become its new dominant feature symbolizing technological progress and the mission of exhibitions. It was the largest exhibition pavilion in Czechoslovakia.

The construction rests on a circular plan with an external diameter of 122 m. From the lower, 19 m high cylindrical base protrude six offset entrance sections, regularly spaced. The glazed perimeter walls lean slightly, and their panels are divided by vertical steel sunshades. The subtle reinforced concrete structure supports a lightweight dome of monumental size. Its span is 93 m and it reaches a height of 46 m at the apex; the elegant structure of steel tubes is one of the brilliant projects of Ferdinand Lederer. An eight-meter glazed band encircles the lower edge of the dome, and a lantern with a diameter of 18 m caps the top. The interior space of the pavilion is undivided under the dome, thus forming a universal exhibition area, while two floors of open galleries are located around the perimeter.

Fifty years ago, the pavilion impressed visitors of the exhibitions as an exceptional building, both in terms of scale and technical execution. The generous dimensions are enhanced by the simple geometric shapes of the structure, while significant illumination in the interior contributes to the impression of lightness and fragility of the construction. The circular building with a dome can symbolically remind one of the Roman Pantheon or some Christian temples, thus indirectly emphasizing its role as an "exhibition of progress."

Pavilion Z is a completely exceptional building in our environment. However, looking at the situation in Europe, we find several similar examples before 1960. A comparison with the famous buildings of Pier Luigi Nervi, Palazzo and Palazzetto dello Sport in Rome is particularly compelling. The smaller of the two, Palazzetto (1956-1958), which has a structure made of prestressed concrete, has a considerably similar dome structure, including a lantern in the center and continuous glazing around its external circumference. The significantly larger Palazzo (1958-1960) with a dome diameter of 100 meters is almost a modern Roman coliseum, a monumental sports arena. Just like in the case of Brno's Zetka, the dome rests on a circular base, a cylindrical foundation that forms a ring around the central space. However, the largest dome of the 1950s can be found in the Exhibition Pavilion in Belgrade (architects Branko Žeželj and Milorad Pantović, built 1954-1957), which, with its span of 109 m, was the largest in the world until 1965 (until the Astrodome in Houston surpassed it) and still holds the European record. Pavilion Z seems almost to have emerged from the Belgrade example. The geometric division of shapes is quite similar, and a unified interior space is similarly surrounded by two gallery levels. The Balkan giant was most likely the inspiration for the one in Brno. However, the noticeable difference between the two lies in their proportions – in the case of the larger one, the apex of the dome is just under 31 m above the ground, meaning it is relatively flatter and not as imposing in relation to its base as the steeper and much more pronounced dome of Pavilion Z, whose overall impact is much more impressive.