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Listed industrial architecture It was immediately recognized as a masterpiece of modern-day industrial architecture: the headquarters of the Bata footwear empire in the Czech town of Zlin. Designed in 1936 by star architect Vladimir Karfík, optimally harmonized with the surroundings of this industrial site, it featured a multiplicity of ingenious technical refinements. In the past two years, the listed building has been refurbished, and now accommodates regional council departments. The Bata company is synonymous with the industrialization of footwear manufacture. Its founder, Tomás Bata, introduced USA-style assembly line production to his home town of Zlin and began to manufacture his own brand of shoes. By 1938, Bata was employing 65,000 people worldwide. Tomás took his responsibilities as the company's founder with all due seriousness, and together with eminent architects like Le Corbusier created an industrial estate complete with houses for his workers, schools and hospitals. 1936 saw completion of the administration building, whose 17 storeys made it one of Europe's highest buildings in its time. America was the inspiration behind the planning work for the region and for Building Number 21 (the 2nd building from the east and the 1st from the south on the company premises). Functionality had top priority: steel, concrete and glass were the predominant materials used. The technical highlights of the 72-meter-high building, one of the first to feature open-plan offices, included a system for cleaning the glass façade, a radio system for the entire plant, and several lifts, not least a six-by-six-meter one to accommodate the proprietor's office. The major focus during refurbishment of the industrial complex was to preserve the original building. Since the beginning of World War II, it had received only makeshift maintenance. Its original state was for the most part clearly discernible, though severely damaged. Wherever possible, the original materials were reworked or replaced by materials from the era involved. Where original materials were not a feasible option, the clients insisted on maximally authentic replicas. Special attention was devoted to the boardroom level on the 8th storey. The eye-catcher there is the flooring: in the wide corridor, marbled Zlinolit rubber provides structural integrity in a variety of s. However, the passing years had not been kind to the flooring, which Bata had in fact produced itself. A new rubber floorcovering was required. The task of duplicating the more-than-70-year-old design and colour scheme was entrusted to Freudenberg Bausysteme. In order to recreate the sometimes three-coloured marbling typical of the era, with its relatively clear colour delimitations, the nora® rubber specialists embarked on a journey into the past, to a bygone time and technology. It culminated in noraplan® floorings that in colour and design met the stringent requirements of the Listed Buildings Department, and recaptured the ancient glories of the boardroom storey. noraplan® rubber floorcoverings were also used on the other storeys. Approximately 20,000 square meters from the world market leader's standard range here ensure that the new occupants of Building No 21 can enjoy an authentic ambience without having to sacrifice nora®'s tried-and-tested product quality in terms of walking comfort, safety in the event of a fire or easy cleaning, for instance.
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