Press release
21.4. 2015
Adolf Loos’ interiors restored by the Czech
Capital of Culture
From April, visitors to Pilsen, the European Capital of Culture 2015, will have a unique
chance to re-discover the city, that is most famous for its beer, through Adolf Loos
modernist architecture. Loos, famous for designs including the Villa Müller in Prague,
Goldman & Salatsch Building or the American Bar in Vienna, completed a series of
interiors in Pilsen for wealthy Jewish families between 1907 and 1932, ahead of his death
in 1933. Three of the eight surviving Loos-designed spaces opened for public tours this
month, with a fourth to be added later this year. Led by the municipal organisation PilsenTourism, the restoration efforts are part of an initiative to promote the city’s cultural
heritage.
For decades neglected and forgotten, now restored and revived
“Until now, this body of work was entirely unknown to members of the public. Only a few experts
knew about it,” says Martin Baxa, First Deputy-Mayor of Pilsen for Culture, Tourism, Heritage
Preservation and the European Capital of Culture 2015. Visitors will get a chance to see the interiors
at no. 10 Bendova, no. 58 Husova and nos. 12 and 110 Klatovská.
The starting touristic season brings many new opportunities and attractive places to visit in the city
of Pilsen. One of them are the guided tours of the apartment interiors which were designed by the
world-famous architect Adolf Loos. Three of more than ten unique pieces of his work which were
created in Pilsen based on his design can be admired three times a week since the beginning of April.
Guided tours will take the visitors to the former apartment of the Kraus family in 10 Bendova Street,
into the salon and dining room of the Dr. Vogel´s apartment in 12 Klatovska Street and into the
spacious two-generation apartment of the Brummel house in 58 Husova Street. The reconstruction
work in this place was finished just several weeks ago.
„Although all three interiors were designed by Adolf Loos, each of them has its own specific features.
All of them are undoubtedly worthy visiting. Guided tours in English take place every Thursday,
Saturday and Sunday, always once per day. Tickets can be purchased in the Touristic Information
Centre on the Republic Square. Another option is the online purchase via a booking system which will
be commenced since March, 30. Also, guided tours in foreign languages can be ordered for
groups for any day you choose,” comments Zuzana Koubíková, the director of the Pilsen-TOURISM
organisation.
The guided tour of the Brummel´s house costs 390 CZK for adults. Discounted entrance fee (for
children, students, seniors and handicapped people) costs 300 CZK. Last two interiors can be visited
within one guided tour for 230 CZK, discounted price is 170 CZK. Due to the fact that the Loos
interiors are situated on the higher floors of the apartment houses from the end of the 19th century
the guided tour is unfortunately not suitable for people with limited movement ability.
The map which describes the location of the Loos interiors in the Pilsen city centre can be
found here.
10 Bendova Street and 12 Klatovska Street
In the former apartment of the Kraus family in 10 Bendova Street the visitors get a chance to admire
a spectacular salon and dining room in which the superposed glassed walls create the effect of the
so-called infinite enfilade, which means an endlessly multiplied image. The rooms are faced by dark
green marble and as a whole the space creates quite a magical impression. Furthermore, the visitors
go through a practically equipped bedroom which provides an example of comfortably fitted and yet
still original built-in wardrobes and bed-side tables.
Later on the guide will take you to the house in 12 Klatovska Street which is mere 400 metres far.
There you will visit two rooms which were part of the Dr. Josef Vogel´s apartment and were
preserved in their original condition until recently. Visitors will see the salon with the dining room
and built-in furniture, wooden wall tiles and travertine tiling in the dining room. The rooms were
furnished by exact replicas of the original furniture; therefore it is easy to imagine the life of the
Vogels there at their time.
The Brummel House at 58 Husova Street
The house of Jan and Jana Brummel in 58 Husova Street is the best preserved building featuring the
designs of Adolf Loos. He designed the house extension and adjusted the whole house so that it
suited modern purposeful life-style. The house including a part of the preserved furniture is among
the most beautiful creations of Adolf Loos in Pilsen. The visitors can visit five rooms of the twogeneration apartment.
Adolf Loos and Pilsen
Pilsen, one of the most dynamically evolving Czech cities, started to write its history regarding the
modern architecture in the first third of the 20th century. At that time Adolf Loos was already
a famous architect, philosopher and publicist. He came to Pilsen from Vienna in 1907 because of the
invitation he received from the Hirsch family. Thanks to his cooperation with other Jewish families he
acquired many work opportunities in Pilsen and in the following 25 years he created at least 13
pieces of art here, mostly apartment interiors. Salons, music salons, dining rooms, bedrooms,
children rooms and studies – in his design all of these creations were outside the traditions of the
life-style at that time.
Adolf Loos was against any decoration, he deemed it as unnecessary. He used expensive marble and
rare types of wood. Massive carved furniture was replaced by in-built wardrobes with drawers and
hooks, all of his designs featured even the smallest details. Modern purposefulness, elegance,
timelessness – that is what makes the Loos interiors so spectacular even today. An unfortunate
contrast to the high-society life-style of the Jewish families was created by their tragic lifetime
stories. The Jewish community had to face increasing pressure of Nazism which resulted in forced
emigration and in several cases in deportation into the concentration camps in 1942.
You can download press quality photos of Adolf Loos interiors here.
You can download press quality photos from Pilsen2015 at http://bit.ly/plzen-ehmk2015
You can download press quality photos from
http://www.plzen2015.cz/cs/pro-media/fotogalerie
the
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at
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For further information about Pilsen 2015 or interview requests kindly contact Katerina Kombercova
either via email or at + 420 702 401 772 (CZ), + 43 660 641 24 27 (AT).
Contacts:
Katerina Kombercova, International Public Relations
+ 420 702 401 772 (CZ)
+ 43 660 641 24 27 (AT)
Mirka Reifová, PR Manager of Pilsen 2015
+420 606 090 801
reifova@plzen2015.cz
Radovan Auer, Director of Communication of Pilsen 2015
+420 602 255 546
auer@plzen2015.cz