Public discussion about the future of the Ostrava department store Bachner

In the center of Ostrava, at first glance, you can see an unremarkable building from the 1930s, which is, however, unique. It is the only building in the Czech Republic that was created based on the design of architect Erich Mendelsohn. He is considered a significant figure in avant-garde architecture, and his buildings were constructed throughout Europe, as well as in Israel and the USA. Since the beginning of October, the Bachner department store, as it was originally named, has been receiving unexpected attention – its fate resembles a large artistic installation that occupies the shop window of the building.

The building, which today appears rather inconspicuous, was dominated during the First Republic by a large neon sign saying Bachner and an impressive circular sign with the letter B on the roof. Mendelsohn's designs are characterized by the use of typography as a prominent architectural element. The typographic elements of the Ostrava building inspired art student Štěpán Kusa to create a new interpretation. He placed a dynamic sign reading Bachner in the shop window on the ground floor of the department store and recreated the circular sign as a disappearing symbol sprayed with chalk spray on the sidewalk in front of the building. This intervention was created as part of the Kukačka festival, which focuses on art in public spaces in Ostrava and is currently in its ninth year.

The Bachner department store is listed as a cultural monument, but its condition has been deteriorating for years and still awaits a quality reconstruction. Inspiration can be found in another Mendelsohn building – the Pettersdorf department store in Wrocław, Poland.