The remains of the original Deutsche Linoleum Werke (DLW) flooring were among the authentic fragments discovered during the renewal and restoration work over the years 2010-2012 at Villa Tugendhat. As part of the renewal work on the Villa in the 1980s, so-called Sorel cement, patented in the year 1927, was discovered under the PVC laid in the main living space and in the rooms on the bedroom floor. This was replaced in the 1980s by a concrete slab with steel support in the main living area. The original xylolite was preserved on larger surfaces in the bedrooms on the 3rd floor and in the former rooms for the cook and the chambermaid on the 2nd floor.
Ing. Helena Adlerová from the company Armstrong Floor Products Czech Republic, s.r.o. stated her views on the question of the new flooring surfaces, having said amongst other things:
“We supplied sample books of the DLW linoleum from the 1930s and 1940s and the original colour was identified. We produced a sample in the ‘white’ colour and submitted it for approval. The final material was made to order Uni Walton linoleum of a thickness of 3.2 mm, PUR finish, colour Villa Tugendhat and Uni Walton grey linoleum from the standard collection, which is used in the personnel tract. The original placement plan was kept to with the axes being indicated by the columns in the room. These involved a non-standard width of approximately 1.6 m (the rolls were supplied in a standard width of 2 m). A welding line was also produced in a special colour. The monument employees also insisted on authentic replacement for the base xylolite which was carried out. Both city representatives and monument employees rejected the sticking of the linoleum onto the xylolite, and this due to possible future replacement of the flooring wherein the removal of the linoleum might result in damage to the xylolite. We finally prepared a regular daily cleaning plan for the users in order to maintain and protect the material which will be significantly burdened by the visiting operations in the Villa.”
The article can be downloaded on the Czech version of our web pages.
Bases for the text: www.tugendhat.eu and the article The Villa Tugendhat Over the Course of Monument Renewal (I. Černá, D. Černoušková, I. Wahla, M. Žáček, D. Židlický), Průzkumy památek XVII – 1/2011, pp. 195-202.
Pavlína Klazarová, The Celebrated Villa Tugendhat Is Open Once Again After Renewal Work as of March, DOMO (the floor materials and systems; the parquet and wood floors), year 16, no. 2, 2012, pp. 26-28.