futureum

The project of revitalising the national cultural monument was designed as an experimental one from the beginning. Rather than taking any conventional, strictly conservative approach, we wanted to treat the site with innovative thinking: to combine functionality, aesthetics and the value of the property, so that it can serve future generations. We felt it was necessary to connect with the changes that are maturing across Europe, as reflected in the NEB (New European Bauhaus) initiative, in particular.

This makes FUTUREUM a result of the intersection of a number of fields and disciplines that are largely home to the creative industries. At first, there was an effort to save the national cultural monument in a sustainable way, which necessitated the use of knowledge and procedures from fields such as architecture, heritage management, conservation and restoration. As the know-how of facility management and museum science – enhanced through carbon footprint reduction methodologies – was essential for designing a sustainable operation of the facility, the project planning stage involved both specialists in the protection and presentation of cultural heritage and experts from CTU’s Centre for Energy Efficient Buildings (UCEEB), in addition to other professionals.

The whole concept is based on recycling materials and, through lower energy consumption and the use of RES, among other things, reducing the carbon footprint. This principle is also reflected in the dynamic exhibits, which can thus inspire our visitors. In addition to the fundamental form of all the preserved buildings, we have also managed to recycle original objects from the technical operations. Hence the old chests and cabinets have been transformed into unique showcases for installations or aesthetically striking decorations made from what were formerly grilles; there is even far more to surprise the guest in addition to the above.

Design thinking and collaboration with curators, creative people and artists, interconnections with the community linking creators from this country and abroad, all create unique interactions combining knowledge and the value of the new design and offer a space that feels like home – a place of well-being in the middle of an industrial area.

We believe that we are helping to inspire other owners of cultural monuments, as preservation of these should be designed from the outset to be sustainable and socially responsible. This may transform the enthusiasm from having revived a heritage site into a call to others, both private and public sectors, to dare to be unafraid of big, seemingly impossible-to-handle projects and to try to build a green, social and creative cultural heritage, based on the principles of sustainability, circularity and design thinking.