In the Zlín Castle, there could be a museum and a hotel after revitalization

source: zlin.cz

Zlín - The Zlín Castle, which is the oldest building in the city, could after revitalization become the site of a modern city museum with an emphasis on architecture. Čestmír Vančura, a representative of the non-profit organization Zlínský zámek, which has leased the building from the city and is striving for its restoration and opening to the public, told journalists this. The castle should also house a ceremonial hall, studios for designers and other creative artists, a hotel, a restaurant, and a café. This is evident from the architectural study for the revitalization of the castle, created by architect Pavel Míček.
The study was commissioned by the Zlínský zámek organization, which was preceded by a structural historical survey of the building. During this survey, conservators discovered, for example, new remnants of decorative elements on the corners, which had been hidden under modern plaster and were unknown until now, surviving for 500 years. The foundations of the building date back to the second half of the 15th century, when an old Zlín fortress stood on the site. The first written mention of the Gothic fortress appears in 1360.
The castle was closed to the public for a year; last year, the museum and the regional gallery moved to the new Baťa Institute. The city then sought a new purpose for the building. It leased it to the Zlínský zámek organization, which opened a gallery there and hosts various events.
Míček's design builds on the fact that the appearance of the castle has changed over time. "It is about searching for the genetic code of the building. It was not created in one specific epoch but evolved from the original fortress, and it has been continuously added to right up to its present form. This ongoing addition, which took place over 500 years, is a key motivation for further work with this building. It is a continuation of what has been happening here for 500 years," Míček told ČTK.
The most significant intervention in the study is the placement of a modern extension that will replace the current roof. "The extension has a certain form, which corresponds to its time. However, the reason is not the form, but the functional purpose, which is the architecture museum. It requires a specific type of space that is not available in the historical three floors, and we do not want to deform them, so we are placing it on the upper floor," the architect noted. The museum should outline the history of Zlín, its prominent figures, and the fields that have made the city famous, besides architecture also industrial design, for example.
The Zlínský zámek organization has already presented the study to the city hall representatives. "I consider this proposal an interesting initiative, which will certainly be discussed further. The intention to reconstruct the castle is definitely a step in the right direction," said Mayor Miroslav Adámek (STAN).