There is no stopping Brno design. It is a phenomenon.
2. September 2021 (Hana Novosadová)
There is something going on with Brno lately. It is not the same as it was ten years ago. It is blossoming; we can all feel it. Living here is more pleasant. Where am I going with this? I’m gonna tell you about design.
Walking through the city centre, we can notice very eye-catching artistic store concepts. Shopping in small retail units boasting local fashion and applied arts is modern and cool. Unique pieces can be found among clothes or even sweets. In fact, when you go get something to eat or drink, there is no avoiding this. It strikes us when we least expect it, when our taste buds are savouring something or when we have had too much wine to resist. Coffee places have found their lost glory and present us new interiors from celebrated art studios. Art spills into the streets – often as wondrous statues, murals, paintings, Timo’s poems or new designs for public furniture.
The Cloud, Moravian Gallery exposition
Even the Moravian Gallery saw an opportunity. In 2020 it purchased a total of 68 pieces of art by contemporary artists and designers for 2.5 million crowns, following a public call for submissions. They will be added to the collections of applied art as “Czech design of the last thirty years”. These efforts won the gallery a special award (Extraordinary Achievement) at Designblok 2020. It was also a unique opportunity for young artists to present their work. As a result, the gallery has become one of the most progressive art institutions in our country and made Brno a centre for design. (The Museum of Applied Arts, which will host the collection, will open in November 2021 having undergone major renovations.)
We can visit similar institutions, such as the House of Arts or the Fait Gallery, where the best pieces are “directly in our faces”. We can also be amazed by buildings that too are a form of expression of their respective architects. A plethora of architectural styles, especially functionalism and modernism, undoubtedly shapes the people of Brno as well. There is a reason why it is sometimes called the Mecca of modern architecture. It offered fertile soil for design. It is with us and has slowly become a part of our everyday lives, without us even noticing. And if we want to notice, we have many places to do so.
Brno Design Days
If you want to meet experts, visit Brno Design Days, taking place every fall. Czech and foreign professionals come to introduce to the general public design as a motor for innovation. Lectures, fashion shows, workshops, networking…
50th MINT market in Brno
Fresh fashion, jewellery and design can be found at MINT market, which will celebrate its 50th anniversary in September. It is the place to go if you fancy handmade products from small local businesses and creators. Other design-related events can be found at gotobrno.cz.
KUMST, creative hub
Young independent fashion designers, students and the alternative fashion scene are showcased at the Brno platform known as Malá noc módy (A little night of fashion).
Supporting business in creative professions is what KUMST, a hub for creators, is doing. Come here for a place to work or have a lecture, get some good advice or attend a variety of events and workshops.
Ty Identity Brno
There is a lot to find in terms of interior design even outside organised events. There are many small stores, each offering a unique vibe in the city centre and its vicinity. Whether it’s fashion, books or that special gift, find your unique piece of art or design in Brno.
Mugs by Vendula Chalánková, photo Pocket media
When it comes to designs, even tourists can find something unique. That being said, even a local can drink coffee at home from a cup with the silhouette of Brno. Come get your souvenirs at TIC Panenská or on its website.
Vila Tugendhat interior design, photo KIVA
Fans of the aforementioned modern architecture will find their way with the Brno Architecture Manual, presenting some 400 buildings and other features dating to the period 1918–1945. The database presents the origins and history of houses, their owners and architects. Brno is not just the Tugendhat Villa.
You just cannot miss it. Maybe Brno is not the city of design. Not just yet. But it is changing.
The text is subjective view of the author and is not an official statement of the City of Brno or TIC BRNO.
Have we forgotten something when it comes to design? Let us know.