The former Workers’ Club of the Považské strojárne is one of the finest examples of 1960s architecture for culture in Czechoslovakia. The building features an elegant cubic form, articulated by extensive glazed façade surfaces that are contrasted with solid walls combining stone cladding and roughcast — both of which are characteristic elements of contemporary modernist design, often referred to as the International Style.
The building is exceptional for its rich programme and its carefully conceived spatial and operational layout. Its main functional components include a large cinema-theatre hall with seating for 496 spectators. The hall is equipped with a sizeable stage, a nine-metre-diameter revolving platform and a panoramic projection screen. Another principal space is the ballroom with a balcony for 600 people, accompanied by a separate puppet theatre for 150 visitors. In addition to these main social halls, the building contains numerous smaller rooms intended for clubs, lectures, courses, hobby groups and community activities, as well as a bar and representative entrance spaces.
The building's complex and richly designed interiors are of significant value, featuring a range of original artisanal and artistic details, including furniture by Jindřich Halabala, a sculpted plaster ceiling, metal stair railings, ceramic screens and a stage curtain. Artistic works also play an important role in shaping the interior and exterior. Examples include Ruky (Hands), a sculptural ensemble by Miroslav Ksandr in the square in front of the building and Pegas, a sculpture by Tibor Kavecký inside the building.
The project's architect was Evžen Šteflíček, a Czech architect who worked at the Brno branch of the Potravinoprojekt design institute at the time. He also distinguished himself through the completion of several notable pavilions at the Brno Exhibition Grounds.
Bibliography:
MORAVČÍKOVÁ, Henrieta - SZALAY, Peter. Domy kultúry na Slovensku: Vzostup a pád stavebného typu. In: Osvěta, kultura, zábava: Kulturní domy v Československu. (eds. Irena Lehkoživová a Míša Kanečková) Praha: VI PER Gallery, 2023, s. 717.
Jozef Pekár, Nová šanca pre kultúru a jej rozvoj v meste. Považskobystrické novinky, 2021, č. 43, s. 7 dotupné online: https://issuu.com/povazskobystrickenovinky/docs/43pbn2021
