čekárna tramvajové zastávky Obilní trh Other

The Obilní trh tram stop waiting room, a functionalist monument, stands on Údolní street at the lower end of Obilní trh square in Brno. Designed by architect Oskar Poříska in 1926 and built around 1928 or 1929, it is the last surviving waiting room by this architect and is protected as a cultural monument.

Oskar Poříska designed the structure when he was under thirty years old. He also created waiting rooms with shops at Moravské náměstí and náměstí Svobody, though those have not been preserved. The building was likely constructed in 1928 or 1929.

The monument features a simple reinforced concrete shelter open to the south. Its design includes a characteristic rounded edge where the rear wall flows into the ceiling slab. Originally, it had a red artificial stone bench and glass side walls. The rear wall was finished with white opaxit tiles and included a door leading to a small space, likely used as a telephone booth. The floor contained glass bricks that provided light to toilets located beneath the stop, which were accessed via stairs on both sides.

The building is owned by Dopravní podnik města Brna. By the 1980s, the underground toilets were out of service, and the entire structure began to deteriorate. The owner provided only basic maintenance, such as installing a new grate over the toilet area. In August 2008, the site was officially declared an immovable cultural monument.

In 2012, architects Tomáš Rusín and Ivan Wahla from Atelier RAW proposed converting the waiting room into a cafe called Tram Café. This plan was abandoned due to heritage concerns, the condition of the sewage system, fire and hygiene regulations, and the high cost of restoring the toilets. A simpler reconstruction to maintain its original purpose began in August 2015.

The reconstruction process faced significant complications. The contract with the firm Štuk Helma was terminated in February 2016 because the work did not follow project documentation. The firm performed concrete work without approval from the structural engineer, which altered the shape of the building and involved inserting a steel beam into the reinforcement, damaging the monument. A second firm, Tocháček, was hired to remove the faulty work and rebuild it correctly.

This damage led restorer Radek Ryšánek to suggest removing the site from the list of cultural monuments. He argued that nearly half of the original material, the original tiles, and the underground toilet section had been destroyed, with the underground part being filled with concrete and the glass bricks removed. While the Ministry of Culture found this motion justified, the National Heritage Institute in Brno disagreed with the removal, despite acknowledging the damage.

The reconstruction was completed on May 31, 2017, at a total cost of 2,668,959 crowns. The original steel glazing of the side panels and doors were restored. Because the original glass cladding on the rear wall, floor, and artificial stone bench were missing, they were replaced with replicas.

Today, the stop serves tram line 4, trolleybus lines 38 and 39, and various night bus lines. It remains a functional part of the city's transport infrastructure.

This monument serves as a rare remaining example of Oskar Poříska's functionalist urban design. It is a significant site for those interested in early 20th-century transport architecture. Visitors are invited to observe this unique piece of Brno's heritage.