The heritage protectors want to make the government villa in Brno accessible in August

Brno - The Brno National Heritage Institute today took over the functionalist government Stiassny Villa. At the beginning of August, it will be opened to architecture lovers for a week. Petr Kroupa, the director of Brno conservationists, said this to ČTK today. The building awaits reconstruction. It will be used for regular tours as well as for representative purposes of the South Moravian Region. A documentation center of the heritage institute dedicated to the reconstruction of 20th-century buildings will be established there.
    The conservators want to use the winter for the villa's repairs, which will not be demanding. In 1927, it was built according to the design of architect Arnošt Weisner by the textile industrialist Alfred Stiassny.
    During the occupation, the Gestapo confiscated it from its original owners, and after World War II, it remained state property. In addition to Czechoslovak presidents, Fidel Castro also lived there, for example. After 1989, the building had less and less use. Most recently, it served as a social center for Brno Trade Fairs and Exhibitions. In recent years, the architecturally unique building has been completely empty.
    According to experts, the Brno government villa is as interesting as the most famous Brno functionalist building, the Tugendhat Villa.
    The center that will be established in the building will keep documentation and provide information on the reconstructions of heritage sites from the last century. Repairing these buildings requires entirely different procedures than restoring classical historical residences. There is currently no similar center in the Czech Republic. Kroupa expects that this project will significantly improve the quality of care for modern buildings.
    The conservationists will offer spaces in the villa to the region and Brno for occasional representative events. The South Moravian Region especially lacks such spaces. There are also plans for the commercial rental of part of the building.