Gallery Of Furniture / CHYBIK + KRISTOF

Architects: CHYBIK + KRISTOF
Area: 550 m²
Year: 2016
Photography: CHYBIK + KRISTOF, Lukas Pelech, Pavel Bartak
Lead Architects: Ondrej Chybik, Michal Kristof
Project Team: Victor Cojocaru, martin Holy, Voltech Kouril, Sarka Kubinova, Ondrej Mundl, Matej Strba
Client: MY DVA Group
City: Brno-Vinohrady
Country: Czech Republic

Gallery of Furniture, a showroom and office space designed by CHYBIK + KRISTOF Architects & Urban Designers in Brno-Vinohrady, has repurposed a former car showroom into a multifunctional space. Completed in 2016, the renovation involved a striking façade made of black plastic seats and an interior designed as a flexible showroom. The project reflects a cost-effective approach, integrating the company’s products into the building’s architecture while maintaining functionality and adaptability.

Materiality was pivotal in shaping the Gallery of Furniture’s identity. The choice to use 900 Vincenza chair seats for the cladding not only conveyed the gallery’s purpose but also drew attention and generated conversation within the community. This expressive design naturally engages passersby, inviting them to interact with the building. As we love to open a dialogue about architecture, it’s gratifying to see that it’s now happening naturally.
Interview with Ondrej Chybik and Michal Kristof of CHYBIK + KRISTOF

The transformation of a former car showroom on the outskirts of a Brno housing estate into the MY DVA Group’s site for office, school, and metal furniture production. The one-story building, originally of low aesthetic quality, now features a distinctive facade made from over 900 black plastic seats. This abstract facade not only serves as a functional design element but also acts as a visual advertisement for the company. After refurbishing the interior, a flexible showroom was created to showcase the firm’s various products in thematic settings.

Vinohrady, one of Brno’s oldest housing estates, was developed in the early 1980s, with the car showroom added in the 1990s. The building, outdated both technically and aesthetically, required an inexpensive and quick renovation due to its temporary use by the firm. The architects, Ondrej Chybik and Michal Kristof recall the directive: “Do it cheap, ideally for free.”

MY DVA, a leading domestic supplier of office, school, and metal furniture, required a solution that maximized impact while minimizing cost. The architects selected a black plastic seat, a standard product used by the company, as the facade material, creating an abstract texture that mirrors the interior activities. These seats, resistant to weather and UV light, are mounted on a steel structure attached to the facade. They can be easily replaced if damaged, and the facade can be cleaned with a high-pressure washer.

The interior design features a showroom and offices, with the building’s inside gutted to expand the entrance hall into a presentation space divided by polycarbonate partitions. The showroom floor is covered in white screed, while the ceiling retains the original exposed concrete panels with visible wiring. Three circular galleries within the space highlight different production segments—school furniture, office furniture, and design pieces—each with distinct flooring, lighting, and color schemes suited to their intended environments. These galleries can be adapted to different uses, functioning as a gallery space for employees or client meetings.

The offices are located along the building’s perimeter, with natural light, ventilation, grey carpeting, and white paint creating a cohesive work environment.