Architects: the Košťál villa in the Prague settlement of Baba is not being demolished

Prague - Architects designing the renovation of the Košťál villa in the Prague settlement of Baba have rejected claims that it involves the demolition of part of the house. Its appearance is said to remain unchanged, and maintenance work is currently being done, followed by the beginning of the renovation. This was stated by architect Magdalena Rochová from the J.R.A. office, which designed the repairs. Recently, work has begun on two functionalist houses in Baba. The settlement consists of 33 houses.
    "A statement regarding the construction modifications of the Košťál villa has been issued by the National Heritage Institute and the architect of Prague 6. Both are more than positive. Everyone was in complete agreement with the proposal and appreciated the approach to the renovation," Rochová said. According to her, the villa has not been repaired since 1932.
    The construction work in Baba was brought to attention by two letters from Deputy Mayor Petr Dolínek (CSSD), which he sent to the Prague 6 city hall and the municipal heritage department - Dolínek was alerted to the construction by a local civic association. The letters suggest that insensitive interventions could occur in both houses.
    However, Rochová rejects any claims of insensitive interventions. "The building is not being demolished; we care about preserving the original functionalist appearance," she stated. The interior spaces of the house are said to be in poor condition. "We would like you to see the current state of the internal non-load-bearing partitions, installations, surfaces, fillings, etc., including massive mold and moisture degradation," she said.
    Currently, the architect reports that so-called maintenance work is underway in the house, and the building is being cleaned, after which the actual renovation will begin. "There will be no intervention in the load-bearing structures whatsoever, and no underground garages are planned there," she added.
    The Prague 6 city hall announced on Wednesday that it plans to expand the heritage protection of Baba. This should apply not only to the settlement as a whole but also to individual houses. The city hall did not specify when this will happen or what the next steps will be.
    In the past, several villas have been demolished in Prague 6, most recently concerning a villa on náměstí Před Bateriemi near the Evangelical Church in Střešovice. From the historically valuable location of Ořechovka, two villas disappeared without permission. One of them belonged to the famous fashion designer Blanka Matragi. The authorities imposed sanctions for both demolitions; however, the magistrate ultimately canceled the fine for Matragi.