In Zlín, an association will be formed aiming for inclusion on the UNESCO list

Zlín, February 19 (ČTK) - A civic association will be established in Zlín, tasked with promoting the inclusion of the city or part of it on the UNESCO list. Furthermore, citizens will have the opportunity to express their opinions on this intention through a survey, which will take place until the end of April. These are the conclusions of today’s expert meeting held at the Baťa Villa in Zlín. The inscription will primarily concern the colonies of so-called Baťa houses. However, architects point out that most of the houses have long lost their original appearance.
    Various types of Baťa houses make up entire neighborhoods in Zlín, which were created mainly in the 1920s and 1930s to accommodate the workforce of the rapidly developing Baťa factories. A typical feature is brick facades. They form the majority of the urban heritage zone defined by the city boundaries from 1939. It includes about 1,750 properties in the areas of Letná, Lazy, Podvesná, Zálešná, Díly, and the factory complex in the center of Zlín.
    Experts from among leading architects particularly pointed out the inconsistent property rights issues. Baťa houses are largely not owned by the city, but by private individuals. Moreover, the buildings have long lost their original philosophy. Instead of wooden windows, there are plastic ones, and many houses have extensions.
    "They are simply not authentic. The same applies to the former Svitu complex; there are dozens of investors there," said chief architect of Zlín, Dagmar Nová. "Of course, I like the idea of the inscription, but to be honest, the citizens don't really desire it," she noted.
    The prominent Zlín architect Ivan Bergmann has a slightly different opinion. He agrees with the view that the Baťa philosophy is evaporating from Zlín, but he believes there is still much to save. "I fear that this issue will be raised again in twenty years, and by then it will be too late. Right now, we still have the opportunity to save and rectify everything and, above all, to preserve it for future generations," he reacted.
    The discussion so far has not revealed which parts of Zlín the inscription should concern. However, several proposals emerged during it, which experts wish to continue discussing in a broader context in the coming months.
    Tomáš Baťa started the shoemaking business in 1894 together with his three siblings and three employees. In 1900, the company gained legal status as a public company and employed 50 people; in 1908, Tomáš Baťa became the sole owner of the company. At the beginning of World War I, the company had 400 employees, and by 1925, it had grown to 5,200 people. Along with the growth of the Baťa company, the city of Zlín also developed.