Brouk a Babka, Department store in Moravská Ostrava, Ostrava, Czech Republic
Brouk a Babka is a six-storey reinforced-concrete department store at Smetanovo náměstí 8 in Moravská Ostrava, built in 1928 to Karel Kotas's design and now housing the Knihcentrum bookshop. Its glazed inner hall runs through all floors, and the facade's between-window piers were clad in opaline glass in 1931.
Built in 1928 as the most modern store in the Brouk a Babka chain, the building was designed by Karel Kotas with a reinforced concrete frame and a skylit hall, making it Ostrava's first functionalist structure. A 1944 American air raid damaged the top floors; after nationalisation in 1945 it became Ostravanka, and Librex restored the hall during its 2001 renovation.
The name Brouk a Babka comes from the original department store chain; since 2001 the building has housed a large bookstore, and from 2008 it hosted the discussion stage of the Colours of Ostrava festival. Book launches, signings and talks are held here, and a café and children's corner are on site.
The bookstore stands at Smetanovo náměstí 8, next to the Antonín Dvořák Theatre. The sales floor spans several levels around a restored central hall, with a café and a children's corner inside. Talks, signings and book launches take place here, and since 2008 the building has hosted the discussion stage of the Colours of Ostrava festival.
Belgian opaxite glass was installed in 1931 between the window pillars, creating an optical effect that makes the windows appear to merge into continuous horizontal bands. This specialized glass type was an advanced design technique that distinguishes the facade.
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