Crystal chandelier and a wire coat of arms: what Brno's mayoral office looks like

Markéta Vaňková (ODS) has led Brno, the Czech Republic's second-largest city, since 2018 and has served two terms as mayor. Under her leadership, the city finally began long-awaited construction of the Janáček Cultural Centre and launched an overhaul of its transport infrastructure. She will not seek re-election for a third term due to health issues.

Vaňková's name has also appeared in the media in connection with an investigation into possible irregularities involving city property — she herself has stated that she broke no laws. Regardless, she has become the longest-serving mayor in Brno's history and only the second woman to lead the city. Journalists were given access to her official office and showed how the mayor's workspace is arranged.

Inside the office

The office is decorated in neutral tones: the furniture and walls are chosen in a calm palette, with a mayoral desk, a meeting area, a sofa and armchairs. The main light source is a crystal chandelier.

According to architect Patrik Tichý, a lecturer at the Department of Interior Design at the Faculty of Architecture of the Czech Technical University, the room makes a generally good impression overall, though the influence of heritage-protection requirements is noticeable — for instance, the combination of white-painted walls with dark oak panelling comes across, in his words, as an overly simplistic solution.

The architect believes the space lacks colour unity: had the walls, ceiling and entrance door matched the tone of the floor, the office would feel more cohesive and cosy. He also called the crystal chandelier an unfortunate choice.

Head of the mayor's secretariat Hana Havlínová explained that the colour scheme was matched to the adjoining rooms — the secretariat and the mayor's representative lounge, which also feature crystal chandeliers. According to her, the office itself has additional lighting as well, near the wall sculpture and in the display cabinets.

A wire panorama of the city and angels in a display case

The architect considers the office's main asset to be its functional, ergonomic furniture: comfortable armchairs and a sofa for a short rest, a suitable desk chair, and meeting furniture that harmonises with it. His only reservation concerns the shape of the tables — oval, which in his view is unjustified and unrelated to the rest of the design.

Among the decorative items is a water tap from Villa Tugendhat, a gift from former mayor Roman Onderka, along with flowers and angel figurines in a glass display case, which are the mayor's personal belongings and have no thematic connection to the city.

The interior's main focal point is a wire sculpture behind the mayor's desk titled "Relief of the City of Brno" by artist Veronika Psotková, depicting a panorama of the city centre. The architect believes the wall behind it could have been fully clad in wood instead of plaster — the model's three-dimensional effect would then stand out better with more effective lighting.

The expert has more reservations about the rest of the décor, including the flowers and angels in the display case — in his view, they don't fit the room's overall style, though he understands the desire of anyone using the space to make it more personal.

Havlínová explained that working offices are not usually decorated with personal items and gifts, but the mayor spends a great deal of time here, and having some personal objects helps her feel more comfortable. Most negotiations and meetings, she noted, take place not in the office itself but in the separate representative lounge.

What would the architect change for Vaňková's successor? Replace the cold white with a muted shade matching the floor tone, swap the crystal chandelier for different ceiling lighting, avoid displaying gifts and awards openly, and choose plants proportionate to the office's size where possible. As for Vaňková herself, according to Havlínová, she considers the office functional and pleasant to work in and has no plans to change anything there for now.

Municipal elections in the Czech Republic will take place on 9–10 October 2026, after which newly elected city council members will choose the mayors of the country's largest cities.

Read also: 9 restaurants in Prague with the best city views: where to go for dinner and a panorama

Source: seznamzpravy.cz