The opening of the historic café Era is delayed, it is scheduled for April

Brno - In Brno, the construction modifications of the functionalist Café Era in the prestigious Černá Pole district have been completed with a delay. The opening of the renovated historical café from 1929, which was originally planned for the end of last year, is now postponed to April. David Kuchař from the civic association Studio 19, which is responsible for the restoration of the monument, informed ČTK about this.
    "The modifications are already at an end, now only the legislative part like occupancy permits and other matters remain," said Kuchař. Era, designed by Brno architect Josef Kranz (1901 to 1968), could welcome its first clients between mid and late April. According to him, a nephew of Josef Kranz and the granddaughter of café owner Josef Špunar, who owned Era, should also be present at the ceremonial opening. The café operated on the ground floor and first floor of a two-story row house, while the highest floor housed the owner's apartment. After the reconstruction, there will likely be an exhibition on functionalism on the third floor.
    The restoration, according to Velka, was based on the original plans and primarily on preserved photographs. Kranz was inspired by the original color concept from the Dutch interwar movement De Stijl, which worked with just three primary colors: blue, yellow, and red. According to Velka, the building designed by Kranz was conceived in stark shapes based on a café in Rotterdam, which was designed by De Stijl architect Jacobus Johannes Pieter Oud in 1925.
    Among other things, Kranz gained experience working with architect Bohuslav Fuchs, who designed the functionalist Avion hotel in the center of Brno.
    The renovation of Era will cost a total of 12 million crowns. Seven million crowns of this was obtained by Association 19 from European subsidies.
   The café was nationalized in the late 1950s and later served as a pub and a storage facility. It now belongs to a private owner, and Studio 19 will rent the space.