Zprávy památkové péče 2014, 74(6):513-518

Research on the surface finishes of the Tomáš Baťa Memorial in Zlín

Petr Kuneš, Dagmar Michoinová, Vladislava Krajčová

The Tomáš Baťa Memorial is an important monument to interwar functionalist Baťa architecture. It was built in 1933 based on a design by František L. Gahura as a building-statue with purely a memorial function that was supposed to commemorate the person of Tomáš Baťa, his tragic death, and his legacy to future generations. Gahura wished to restrict the list of used materials to reinforced concrete, steel, and glass; this was based on his concept of aesthetics and was also intended to symbolize Baťa's qualities - generosity, clarity, ascension, optimism, and simplicity. The memorial was ceremonially revealed on 12 July 1933 on the day of the first anniversary of Baťa's death. It fulfilled its memorial function until 1948, when after nationalization it was renamed the House of Arts and designated as the seat of the Zlín Philharmonic and regional gallery. In the 1950's, 60's and 70's, adaptations and extensions were made for the purposes of these two institutions, including changes to the original layout of the building and the construction of two brick outbuildings on the east and west sides. In 2013, the city of Zlín invited the Technological Laboratory of the National Heritage Institute in order incorporate a survey of surface treatments to the preparation process of restoring the monument's original appearance. The surface rendering of the exterior and interior elements represent an important step in the overall tone of the monument's functionalist architecture. A knowledge of the original surface finishes plays a significant role in the faithful reconstruction of a monument. The finishes of the reinforced concrete walls of the building, columns, ceilings, and floors were examined, as were the finishes of the steel structures, doors, the surviving part of the original railing, and the ventilation rods. The research yielded a number of somewhat surprising findings that open up space for further investigation. Contrary to expectations, it was discovered that the reinforced concrete skeleton had not been left as raw untreated concrete, but that it had been most likely plastered with whitish lime plaster applied in two layers as necessary with a modified roughness of identical aggregates. In the case of the exterior columns, a coat of white paint had been applied to the plaster as the original visual surface finish, while the interior columns had originally been painted with a blue (oil) paint. The visual concept of the monument showed moderation on its exterior, corresponding with the ideological conception in which the columns were plastered and painted white, while the steel elements along with the entrance doors were treated with the same gray-blue paint. This simplicity, of course, does not apply to the interior finishes, where the floors were made of polished red cement, the ceilings were plastered and painted white, and the columns, original railings, and steel structures were blue. The precise execution of the construction, together with its proper painting maintenance, at least in the early years, now allows for the study and documentation not only of the original architectural appearance, but also of changes in its later modifications.

Keywords: Zlín, Tomáš Baťa Memorial, František Lydie Gahura, restoration, surface finishes, functionalism

Published: December 1, 2014  Show citation