Cubist Architecture

Czech Cubism developed in a completely unique way in a very short period, from 1911 to 1914. The extent to which it influenced applied arts and architecture in Bohemia has no parallels in Europe.

In its time, Cubism was considered one of the most avant-garde artistic movements, but at the same time, it was heavily questioned by a wide audience. Today, passions have calmed, and Cubist works are admired by thousands of visitors in the most prestigious galleries. What truly sets Czech culture apart is the integration of Cubist ideas from visual arts into architecture. Purely Cubist-styled buildings can be found nowhere else in the world.

In the European context, Czech Cubist architecture holds a truly unique position. Nowhere else did it achieve such prominence as it did here. Architecture had adopted Cubist forms in a relatively radical form. This is evident in designs like Bedřich Feuerstein’s proposal for the F. L. Rieger monument or some competition designs for the Jan Žižka monument at Vítkov. However, most of the boldest designs remained on paper. Pavel Janák, mostly for private residential buildings outside of Prague, executed the most Cubist designs. The first Cubist building in Prague – the U Černé Matky Boží department store – was designed by Josef Gočár when he was just twenty-three years old. Architect Vlastislav Hofman successfully applied daring Cubist modifications in the redesign of buildings at Dáblice Cemetery.

Although the Cubist period was very brief, it had a long-lasting influence on Czech art. Orthodox Cubist forms transformed into a distinctive synthesis of Cubism and Expressionism – Cubo-Expressionism, which found its greatest application in graphic design, posters, and book production.

In architecture and design, there emerged a style known as Rondocubism which introduced round forms such as semicircles, circles and ovals. The main works of architectural Rondocubism are the commercial building of the Legion Bank (Legiobanka) by Josef Gočár and the Adria Palace by Pavel Janák in Prague.