of the condition of concrete structures was entrusted to the Klokner Institute of the Czech Technical University . A model of the building was created including data about the samples taken . Repair procedures for typical damage were proposed based on this diagnosis . The rehabilitation work carried out has been fed back into the model and the resulting file will serve as a database for future maintenance . The final number of reconstruction interventions exceeded fifteen thousand . However , even this was not enough to fully remedy the situation and some parts of the building had to be completely replaced , such as the ceiling of the conference hall . Its three-dimensional structure consisting of twenty-four blocks was recreated essentially as a bridge structure with a span of almost twenty-five metres in prestressed concrete and is a geometrically exact copy of the original version designed by architect Jan Šrámek . A number of techniques had to be developed for the visual aspect of the material in order to endow the faced concrete with a consistent tone , including the impressions of the wooden formwork planks , irregularities in texture and certain imperfections of design that are characteristic to the structure . The individual parts have undergone rigorous washing , cleaning of all surfaces , and an almost restoration-like renovation of some parts . “ The result is almost invisible to the viewer from a distance and shows the building in its original strength and expression of its brutalist architecture ,” Tichý concludes .
Showcase of art and design
Concrete , the characteristic basic material , is complemented by glass and wood in various forms . The interior elements and artworks of the hotel , which was conceived as a “ Gesamtkunstwerk ”, i . e ., an object artistically designed in every detail , are undergoing restoration . However , many of them have survived only partially or not at all . As a result , several predominantly family-run artisan companies with a long tradition as well as renowned contemporary artists have been involved in the entire process .
For example , the crystal chandeliers by artist René Roubíček , evoking the motif of nature , which is interwoven into the artistic concept of the entire hotel , were faithfully restored by the glass studio Bejvl . The key to the restoration of the extremely complex structure consisting of fragile glass rods intricately arranged around a special metal structure could only be found by studying sketches , models and records preserved in the artist ’ s studio as well as through interviews with colleagues and family .
A series of 24 luminaires will complement the concrete ceiling of the conference hall . Wood will return to the interiors in the form of a composition of column sculptures – Enchanted Forest – by sculptor Miroslav Hejný and ceiling carvings based on guild coats of arms by Čestmír Kafka . Metal chandeliers in the form of clusters of golden bubbles by Czech sculptor Hugo Demartini will return to the reopened rooftop restaurant . www . refurbandrestore . co . uk - 43