Zprávy památkové péče 2020, 80(2):166-173 | DOI: 10.56112/zpp.2020.2.03

History and principles of heritage protection of exhibition grounds using the example of the Brno Exhibition Grounds

Lenka Štěpánková

Fakulta architektury, VUT v Brně

The complex of the Brno Exhibition Center is comprised of a unique preserved ensemble of modern architecture from the interwar period, having retained its original function for many decades. The reconstruction of the original complex from the 1920s took place in two important stages. First, in the second half of the 1950s, new exhibition halls were built for engineering fairs with respect to the original composition; this determined the appearance of the complex for several more decades. Later, new modern exhibition halls were built in the western part of the complex from the mid-1990s; the key project, which organically connected the historical part of the complex with the new hall development, was the reconstruction of pavilion G. In the post-war period, mainly due to the adoption of the Act on Heritage Care in 1958 and later in 1987, the grounds gradually fell under heritage protection. In addition to the heritage protection of individual buildings, which are registered in the Central List of Cultural Heritage Properties, the entire area is also partially protected as part of the protection zone of the Brno Urban Heritage Reserve. This involves the definition of heritage protection of individual buildings and plots in spatial planning documents and documentation as well as in the real estate cadaster. On closer examination, however, it turns out that although there is general agreement between these documents in the manner and extent of heritage protection, they differ from each other in specific details. This ambiguity can be a source of complications in assessing specific development plans in the complex. The fact that the exhibition grounds are still used for their original purpose without change, without its historical urban concept having been fundamentally affected by reconstructions, is one of the factors that significantly contributes to the historical value of the exhibition center as a whole. On the other hand, the fact that the exhibition center still serves for trade fair operation makes intensive heritage protection difficult to some extent. The situation regarding heritage protection of the exhibition grounds as a whole is further complicated by the fact that due to the relatively small number of preserved exhibition areas in the Czech Republic, each of these grounds is practically original with a unique architectural and cultural history, and it is difficult to deduce a general set of rules for the protection of this specific urban type. The Brno Exhibition Center certainly deserves increased attention for its cultural and historical significance and its role in the development of 20th century architecture. The specific level and form of its protection in the future, however, should be the subject of intensive interdisciplinary discussion between heritage care experts and professionals dealing with exhibitions, trade fair business, and the creation of the urban environment.

Keywords: exhibition grounds, heritage protection, urbanism, composition, Brno Urban Heritage Monument Reserve, development, 20th century

Published: June 1, 2020  Show citation