In the heritage-protected Masná burza in Brno, design will be sold

The Soho Interior Center was opened in the south of Brno 5 years ago. In June, its competitor - BuDu - will open in the Masná market.

Brno - The former Masná market in Brno, a heritage-protected building by architect Bohuslav Fuchs, will be transformed into a design center. A group of manufacturers and sellers of furniture, accessories, and other interior items has rented a shared space in the market. Visitors will be able to see products from 11 companies under one roof. The center, named BuDu, will officially start operations on June 9, organizers announced today in a press release.
The Masná market ceased to serve its original purpose half a century ago; now, it primarily contains offices. Although heritage conservationists were not aware of the design center's establishment, they do not mind the idea of new use. "If the building is alive, that is a good thing. It is always better than it being a dead monument, a relic of the past," said architect Roman Čerbák from the National Heritage Institute to ČTK. The condition is, of course, that no insensitive construction changes are made.
    Design firms in the establishment of BuDu were inspired by a business model that is common abroad. "Individual companies rent shared spaces, offering all their customers and business partners the opportunity to gain a complete picture of design and interiors, including professional consultations under one roof," said Milan Vrbík, manager of one of the companies that will also present in the Masná market.
     The companies associated with BuDu offer, for example, designed residential interiors, fireplaces, bathroom equipment, doors, floors, home textiles, or luxury audiovisual technology. They reportedly chose the market on Masná Street for its accessibility from the center, parking options, and valuable architectural solution. According to the press release, it will be the most modern and largest space dedicated to design in Brno.
     The Masná market dates back to 1925-1926 and according to Čerbák, is an example of early Fuchs's work and one of the first examples of functionalism in Brno. Despite the architectural value of the building, it faces the risk of devaluation. Due to the construction of a railway link, which is part of the reconstruction of the railway junction in Brno, transport engineers have proposed the demolition of one wing of the building.
     It is not yet clear whether and when demolition will take place. There is a lack of funds for the so-called relocation of the railway station in Brno.