Ostrov is preparing the renovation of a cultural house built in the style of Sorels

Ostrov (Karlovy Vary) - Ostrov is preparing a large-scale renovation of its cultural house, which is a typical example of the architectural style of socialist realism from the 1950s, abbreviated as Sorela. The costs of the reconstruction are around 28.2 million crowns. The city aims to obtain a significant portion of the funding from so-called Norwegian funds. This was stated today by Mayor Jan Bureš.
If the city is successful with its application, it could receive up to 85 percent of the total costs for the renovation of the cultural house. Its condition is nearly disastrous. Water is leaking into the building through the damaged roof, undermining the load-bearing structure. “The project will address the drainage of the entire roof, insulation of the ceiling spaces, repair of the roofing elements and covering. The facade also needs renovation,” stated Romana Stolínová from the city's Department of Development and Urban Planning.
Restoration work is also urgently required for the sculptures and reliefs on the facade of the building. The work of sculptor Jaroslav Šlesinger consists of three life-sized figures representing a student, a miner, and a female harvester. “The sculptures have been damaged by corrosion of the armature, which is exposed in many places. The surface of the sculptures is also attacked by moss and lichens. A lightning rod, insensitively placed, is embedded in the group, which is encased in asphalt,” noted Lucie Mildorfová from the mayor's office.
The mayor hopes that the project to preserve cultural heritage has a chance of success. He considers the building to be an important architectural monument. However, he is not pleased with the lengthy time required to process the application, which necessitates postponing the start of repairs until at least next year. “If we were unsuccessful and did not receive the grant, we would have to spread the reconstruction over several years and proceed in phases,” Bureš stated. The Norwegian funds were established in 2004 and are intended to provide financial assistance to ten new EU member states until 2009.
The author of the cultural house project in Ostrov was architect Jaroslav Krauz and a team led by architect Josef Sedláček. The project was completed at the end of March 1954, and the cornerstone was laid on May 1 of the same year. The construction was completed and ceremoniously opened exactly one year later, on May 1, 1955.
The architectural style of Sorela corresponds to traditionalism in the world, and post-war modernism in Germany. These styles were used to build comprehensively conceived developments according to ancient rules of composition with an emphasis on symmetry. Similar buildings to those in Ostrov can also be found in Austria, Hungary, Poland, and Germany. However, the largest example is the French city of Le Havre, which is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.