Malá scéna (Společenský dům) was built in the year 1937 according to the architect Karfík design. At the time of its construction, it was a peculiar architectonic object lying somewhere between the Zlín industrial tradition and the constructivism of Russian avant-gardes. For this reason, it keeps a unique position in the Zlín architecture, as besides the Baťa monument and the skyscraper, it was the next building free of routine scheme and more looking up to examples of that time. The first feature of the "material-free glowing house for workers to relax“ was based on its first mission. Here was a cinema, shops and library in the ground floor and gymnasium and cafe with bowling in the first floor. The gymnasium and cafe with bowling were cancelled later and an Art school was established there. Due to its height, the school requested an additional floor, by which way the glass facade in the first floor was irretrievably lost. In the ground floor, there subsequently occurred random modifications of commercial areas, after the library was cancelled. The cinema located in the semi-basement was temporarily changed to a theatre. The aim of today’s reconstruction is the restoration of the lower hall for needs of the current theatre and creation of multipurpose hall with cafe in the ground floor.
Ing.arch.Pavel Martinek www.pavelmartinek.com
