Obchodní dům Baťa, Functionalist commercial building in Liberec, Czech Republic.
Obchodní dům Baťa is a nine-story reinforced concrete building on Soukenné Square, built in 1932 for Tomáš Baťa's shoe company. Its curved corner facade has alternating bands of windows and narrow plastered parapets. The lower floors held shoe retail space, while upper floors housed offices and services such as shoe repairs and manicures.
The block of houses on Soukenné Square, including Jan Mráz's ironmongery, was bought by Tomáš Baťa in 1930. The Prague firm Fanta a spol. built the department store to designs by Baťa's projection office led by Vladimír Karfík. Serious defects forced parts to be rebuilt, and the building was completed in December 1931; it was returned to the original owner in 1992.
The building showcases a forward-thinking approach to retail with open floor plans and dedicated service areas that reflect modern shopping practices from the 1930s. Its functional design was revolutionary for the region at that time.
The building is easily accessible via Soukenné Square street with its distinctive rounded corner serving as a clear landmark. The facade is fully visible from street level, allowing detailed observation of the functionalist design elements.
The distinctive rounded corner and recessed upper floors create a stepped profile that stands out sharply in the city landscape. This design approach was a modern interpretation of functionalist principles from that era.
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