 |  |  |
Reconstructed original Zbrojovka headquarters, based on an original design by architect Bohumír Čermák and nearly a century old
. We’re lucky enough that Brno is one of 14 European cities that is part of the international Open House Europe project, rubbing shoulders with Milan, Dublin, Barcelona and last year’s newcomer Prague. A big thank you to the founders of Brno’s iteration of the festival, Lucie Pešl Šilerová, Martin Pešl and Milan Vrbík, who together with a number of volunteers (numbering around 110 each year), allow us to explore Brno from alternative, normally inaccessible, points of view. Tours of the buildings also open up space for discussion about our city as a socially sustainable place to live, work and play in order to improve the urban environment and ultimately the life of Brno’s inhabitants. Concerts, exhibitions, workshops and cycle tours complement the viewing of architecturally exceptional buildings, 116 of which have already been arranged for this year’s edition. The figures presented for last year’s festival, when it recorded 28,165 visitors and more than 244,000 page loads of Open House Brno 2023 in two weeks and during the festival weekend, clearly show the project’s worth and public interest.
Each year, Open House Europe works with a common theme that member festivals address in their programme. This year’s theme is “accessibility and inclusion” in the architecture of our city. This theme, which goes well beyond the simply a spatial point of view (e.g. being barrier-free), is presented by the festival’s curator, art historian Šárka Bahounková: “In simple terms, ‘accessibility and inclusion’ in architecture can be interpreted as a space that is intended to serve well and be easily accessible to all members of society, including those facing any form of exclusion (social, economic, cultural, linguistic, cognitive, physical, age, gender, etc.). This quality should then be logically inherent in all public buildings and public spaces.”
 |  |
Renovated ZET.Office building, which once served as a tool factory
Nová Zbrojovka for the fourth time on the “Open House Stage”
Once you try it, there’s no going back! And so we’re unveiling ourselves to the public for the fourth time as part of Open House Brno and we’re giving the opportunity to look “under the bonnet” of Nová Zbrojovka, to explore the exterior outside the normally beaten paths, but above all to see the interior of the existing 4 buildings.
Look forward to the magnificent industrial space of Hala 76, the authentic setting of the Kotelna, which will in future be the centrepiece of Nová Zbrojovka Square, the former tool room and the current administrative building ZET.Office, as well as the newly opened building of the original Zbrojovka headquarters from 1928, our “Hrad”, which is now our headquarters. We wonder what you’ll say about this reconstruction, which has sensitively combined original elements with the latest trends and modern technologies.
We decided to preserve these historic buildings, despite the significantly higher investment in their reconstruction compared to constructing brand new buildings. We want these structures to commemorate the colourful past of this historically important place, which dates back to the times of the Austro-Hungarian Empire.
Building on the original architecture of these historical buildings also supports our goal of creating architectural diversity in Nová Zbrojovka, which we perceive as more natural and pleasant not only from an aesthetic point of view, but also in terms of orientation.
We will offer guided one-hour tours on 18 May in 3 terms – at 11, 13:00 and 15:00. The number of places is limited by the capacity of 40 people per tour, so we recommend keeping an eye on registrations, which will be launched on May 9 at noon. Keep a close eye on the organiser’s website. And if there is no room left for you on the guided tour, don’t despair! On both festival days of 18 and 19 May you can explore the premises of Nová Zbrojovka on your own, between 10:00–18:00, without restriction. Just follow the interactive points that will guide you through the emerging neighbourhood and familiarise yourself with our news and current plans. Follow our social networks to learn everything you need.
