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The Veronica Foundation’s eco-friendly charity shop on Pekařská Street in Brno has undergone extensive renovation. Both the design and the implementation of the new interior were undertaken by students of the Faculty of Architecture at BUT (FA BUT), who conceived the project with an emphasis on the foundation’s values – promoting ideas of a considerate relationship with nature. “Our requirements were high – to design a charity shop where the merchandise on sale is constantly changing. We wanted the interior to accommodate a large number of displayed items of all kinds, to be in line with the principles of sustainability and to be durable, able to withstand the operation of several thousand visitors per month over several years. It made sense to present such a challenge to students, so that the demanding task would push them further and steer them towards an interest in recycled materials,” said Helena Továrková, Director of the Veronica Foundation.
The challenge from the Veronica Foundation was taken up by students from the Matter Matters studio at FA BUT led by architects Barbora Krejčová and Martin Doležel. “At the beginning, it sounded quite ambitious – design and build a shop. Thanks to the work of the students in school workshops and of craftspeople and volunteers on site, the plan became reality. The result is very convincing and well worth a visit,” assessed Martin Doležel, studio head.
During the month-long renovation, recycled, donated and leftover materials were used – for example recycled plastic boards and elements made of recycled concrete. “Crucial for us was the donation from the company Kronospan – MDF boards made from recycled wood using remnants of old furniture, from which shelves, islands and part of the counter were made. Students used recycled plastic boards for the sales counter, and recycled concrete from Red-beton was shaped into a sculptural torso that draws attention immediately opposite the entrance,” listed Helena Továrková.The renovation of the Veronica Foundation charity shop connects a student studio project with real-world practice and a sustainable approach to architecture. | Author: Veronica Foundation“When the goal is not only an architectural study but also its actual implementation, it is challenging to reconcile the limited time allocated for teaching with the course of the installation itself. This year, students devoted a great deal of their energy to producing interior elements, and many volunteers also joined in – whether from the faculty community or the Veronica Foundation,” commented Barbora Krejčová, studio head at the Faculty of Architecture at BUT. “Among the volunteers on the construction site were, for example, an opera singer, the owner of a yoga studio, or a museum director,” added Továrková.
The students’ project has already won an award
The students first visited several manufacturers of recycled building products and selected suitable samples. They then tested the workability and strength of the materials themselves. Finally, they constructed and assembled the interior, with the shop literally taking shape in their own hands. “For us as students, it was an important experience. We were able to get hands-on with craftsmanship, try out communication with suppliers, and gain an idea of materials, their availability and the time demands of the entire implementation. This will be useful for us in our own practice,” said student Andrea Snopková. “In the future, feedback from the subsequent use and operation of the shop will also be important for us,” added another student, Veronika Pečeňová.
That such studio-based projects make sense is also evidenced by the fact that the studio project for the Veronica Foundation with the subtitle Matter Matters received one of the Bohuslav Fuchs Award prizes, organised by the student association SOFA at FA BUT.
Source: Veronica Foundation