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Description
Arnold Villa (AV) is a cultural heritage building located in the oldest Brno residential housing neighbourhood. It is located in close proximity to Villa Tugendhat (VT), the most sought-after tourist attraction of Brno. The villa of Josef Arnold, a renowned Brno builder, was the second building on the slope above the Lužánky park; it was built in 1862 after his own design and subsequently adapted by its next owner C. Hože in Art Deco style. Although the building has preserved its authentic character and a number of original features to this day, the National Heritage Institute keeps it on the List of Endangered Cultural Heritage Buildings in the CZ due to its state of disrepair.
The objective of the project is the rescue and comprehensive heritage conservation of AV; its revitalization will be carried out with regard to its architectural and historical value, the original floorplan and volume design and its new functional use. After the renovation, the Brno City Museum will adapt the building for cultural and educational community purposes. In the attic, there will be a permanent exhibition on the history of AV, the personality of builder J. Arnold and the first residential housing neighbourhood in Brno. Other multifunctional rooms in the villa will serve social activities of the general public. The villa will provide facilities for the Study and Documentation Centre of the VT and other institutions, including the Project partners. AV villa will become part of the international project Iconic Houses Network, bringing together historically important houses accessible to the public (house museums). Museum has long been cooperating on various projects with the National Museum in Norway and with the City of Prague Museum within the Iconic Houses Network. Norwegian partner will consult the methodology of the Arnold Villa restoration and current approaches to the public presentation of history of architecture in houses whose original function was residential.
Summary of project results
The project was based on the need to save and revitalize the Arnold Villa through construction, conservation-restoration works and exhibition. The Arnold Villa is open to the public and used for cultural and educational purposes and acts as a community centre. The progress has been complicated mainly by the constraints resulting from COVID 19 and the increase in the cost of materials and works for the same reason, compounded by the Russian aggression in Ukraine.
The project included a total of six activities. The main activity was the revitalization of the Arnold Villa. As part of the project publicity, planned professional and press conferences were held, articles were published in the professional press and national and regional media. The public was informed about the progress via the Brno City Museum website. The permanent exhibition in the Arnold Villa "Legacy of the Past in the Passage of Time" consists of three parts - Genius Loci, Josef Arnold and his House and Jews in Brno. In cooperation with partners, there were also accompanying programmes - discussions, tours, walks, etc. A business strategy was developed and started to be implemented. Bilateral cooperation with the National Museum of Art, Architecture and Design included the preparation and implementation of professional conferences, workshops, inspection and study tours. Management was carried out through the project team.
The project achieved a key output in the form of a complete revitalization of the Arnold Villa, which now serves as a cultural and educational center. The exhibiton and activities including lectures, workshops and community events have attracted of 13,358 visitors to the Arnold Villa and a total of 38,066 visits to the site as of Nov. 7, 2024. Significant unintended effects include high levels of public interest, which has enhanced the cultural identity of the region, and expanded collaboration with project promoters partners.
The implementation of the project contributed significantly to strengthening social development through cultural cooperation. The project promoter has revitalised an important cultural monument that will continue to meet the cultural and social needs of the city''s residents and visitors. The project was based on bilateral cooperation with the National Museum of Art, Architecture and Design in Oslo and other partners.
Summary of bilateral results
Bilateral cooperation with the NMA, the main partner of the project, was crucial for the National Museum of Art, Architecture and Design in Oslo team in the restoration of the Arnold Villa. The exchange took place during the inspection trips of the Norwegian experts to Brno and the study trip of the Czech team to Norway. The focus was on restoration methodologies, modern approaches to the use of historic villas and innovative heritage presentation techniques. During the project, Norwegian and Czech experts shared their experience in heritage restoration and education, which contributed to improving the methodologies and professional competences of the Czech team. The partnership has brought shared results in the preservation of architectural heritage, strengthened ties and opened the way for lasting cooperation, thus enhancing the prestige of the project. Another ongoing collaboration between both bilateral partners is focused on educational programs in the field of architecture. This has been supported, among others, by the Fund for Bilateral Relations at the programme level of the Culture Programme (EEA Funds 2014-2021) in 2024.