The building authority imposed two fines for the demolition of the villa in Ořechovka

Prague - The building office of Prague 6 has imposed two fines for the demolition of a villa in Ořechovka. The company Matragi Design, co-owned by famous fashion designer Blanka Matragi, as well as the construction firm that demolished the house, are required to pay. The office did not disclose the amount of the fines. Adam Halmoši, a spokesperson for the municipality, said this today. The Prague heritage protectors had previously imposed a fine of 150,000 crowns. The company appealed against the penalty, stating at that time that the fault for the destruction of the house lay with the construction firm, with which they have already terminated cooperation.
The fine from the building office is directed against Matragi Design, which owns the villa and the land. The second fine is aimed at the builders who had authorized renovations of the villa since November of last year but demolished it due to an alleged emergency. "The building permit was not adhered to, and instead of the permitted modifications (extensions), the building was demolished," the building office stated. "Given that the proceedings are not public, it is not possible to disclose the amount of the fines," the spokesperson said.
The company violated the heritage law by removing the villa without an official statement, meaning the permission from Prague's heritage protectors. The house is located in a heritage zone. According to the law, the owner of a cultural monument can receive a fine of up to two million crowns if they poorly maintain it or destroy it; in the case of a national cultural monument, the maximum fine can be four million crowns; however, such high amounts are not typically imposed in practice. The house in Ořechovka is not listed separately as a cultural monument, meaning its heritage protection is lower.
The company Matragi Design has appealed the decision of Prague's heritage protectors to the Ministry of Culture. CTK is investigating how they will respond to the fine from the building office. The designer defends herself by stating that she has been working on the project for over two years and planned to establish a museum of her work in the house, which she wanted to later dedicate to "the Czech nation", and that due to her work stay abroad, she could not oversee the construction work as required.
The family house stood in the heritage zone of the Villa Colony on Pod Vyhlídkou street. Matragi Design has submitted a new project for consideration to the National Heritage Institute for a new building that is intended to be one floor higher, with changes also planned for the roof. Heritage protectors rejected such a design, stating that it does not fit the given location. However, the final decision will rest with the magistrate's heritage care department.