Award for Folk Building of the Year in the Zlín Region Goes to Zlámanka

Folk architecture of the Zlín region: restoration of a rural homestead in Zlámance; source kr-zlinsky.cz

Zlín - The Zlín Regional Authority today awarded the Folk Building of the Year for exemplary restoration of folk architecture in the region to spouses Vladislava and Karel Říh, who renovated a rural homestead in Zlámance in the Uherské Hradiště area. The spokesperson for the regional authority Gabriela Sýkorová Dvorníková informed ČTK. In addition to the recognition, the winners received a reward of 50,000 crowns.
    The expert committee that decided on the title awarded deemed the restoration of the building in Zlámance a successful example of residential house revitalization. "The gradual restoration of the entire complex shows that it is possible to reconcile the demand for preserving the cultural-historical values of the building with the requirements for modern living and the needs of users," stated Sýkorová Dvorníková.
    The young couple Říh embarked on the renovations thanks to Mrs. Vladislava. "In our case, it holds true: Behind every great man is a woman. When I first entered that building, I thought: No way!" Karel Říha noted, while his wife thanked him for enduring the ordeal associated with the reconstruction, but also for proactively thinking about how to tackle challenges and solve problems cleverly.
    The governor Stanislav Mišák (ČSSD) praised both the winners and other participants of the competition. "I have deep respect for people who, when faced with the decision to demolish an old folk building, choose the more demanding path of restoration instead. They often have to convince their surroundings or defend this decision, especially when it concerns municipal property," Mišák remarked.
    The region has been organizing the competition since 2008. It has honored, for example, the owners of Mikuláštík's homestead in Jasenná in the Zlín region, owners of buildings in the village monument reservation of Veletiny - Stará Hora in Slovácko, the Šenek building collection in Karolinka in the Vsetín region, and also the owners of a restored building in Komňa in the Uherské Hradiště area.
    The regional authority aims to highlight that it is possible to restore buildings of folk architecture so that they serve their owners, fit into modern times, are aesthetically pleasing, and contribute to the character of the region, while also being a testament to craftsmanship and their original purpose. The expert committee evaluates the objects based on construction methods, preservation of original purposes, and the authenticity of the buildings.