Public fundraiser launched to save unique Adolf Loos villa in south Moravia
The town of Hrušovany near Brno plans to renovate a unique villa designed by the pioneering modernist architect Adolf Loos. The municipality bought the dilapidated building five years ago, aiming to turn it into a cultural centre. It has now announced a public collection to fund the reconstruction.
Adolf Loos designed the villa in 1914 for Viktor Bauer, the renowned Brno industrialist and the director of the local sugar refinery. The building features a simple white façade, a two-armed staircase, and two mirror-oriented terraces, accessible from the bedrooms on the first floor.
What makes it truly unique, though, is the roof – designed as a walkable garden. This feature likely makes it the oldest residential house with a flat top in the country.
The town of Hrušovany purchased the villa for CZK 14.4 million from a private owner in 2020, after years of neglect. Their top priority now is to repair the roof, says architect and deputy mayor Dušan Knoflíček.
“Roughly 80% of the wooden parts are in disrepair and are holding together by sheer will. Once we secure the roof, we’ll finally breathe a sigh of relief and start looking for additional funding.”
The villa suffered its worst damage under communist rule, when it underwent a series of devastating reconstructions. These significantly altered not only the interior layout, but also its outer appearance. Architect Petr Všetečka, who is involved in the reconstruction, adds more detail:
“They have also made structural changes, resulting in having different doors in different positions. The beautiful garden façade also has differently positioned windows.”
Mr. Všetečka has already secured some historical window glass for the villa.
“When I walk around the district of Královo Pole, where I live, I often see people replacing windows. I try to salvage at least some of the glass that we can then use here in the villa. In cooperation with the municipality, we have already managed to save some of the frames.”
After the reconstruction – expected to cost around CZK 100 million – the villa will serve as a cultural centre. An exhibition dedicated to Adolf Loos is planned for the raised ground floor. The upper floor will commemorate the story of the Bauer family, says Mr. Knoflíček:
“It should serve primarily as a cultural centre, hosting exhibitions, talks but also commercial events. We would also like to create an apartment on the upper floor, where it once used to be and offer it for rent to wedding guests.”
Another CZK 100 million will go towards restoring and extending the surrounding garden. This includes building a new apartment house or a municipal library in the form of a sloping greenhouse, which will also shade the grandstand of the nearby football field.
The municipality hopes to restore the villa by 2030, and to complete improvements to the surroundings by 2033 – the centenary of Loos’ death. People can contribute to the collection through a transparent account on the Hrušovany website.
