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ARCHITECTURE >
Modern interpretation
Written by: Štěpánka Strouhalová
Photo by: Věroslav Sixt
The Villa Bianca residential complex
in the heart of Prague's Bubeneč diplomatic quarter is an elegant
example of combining historical reconstruction with sophisticated
modern housing.
The Kotěra's villa, built at the beginning of the 20th century, is the
focal point of the entire housing complex. The villa is located in a
triangular configuration of six new buildings, each of which contains
luxury apartments.
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Villa Bianca,
which was designed by the modernist architect Jan Kotěra
during the years 1910-11, was rebuilt after 1920 in the neo-Baroque
style. The recent reconstruction has restored to it the expre
ssiveness that captures the spirit of Kotěra's original ideas.
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The duplex in the villa is dominated by a massive wooden staircase.
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The most modern structures in the complex,
the corner buildings of the virtual triangle, still respect
classic design methods.
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Materials are blended harmoniously to achieve a well-balanced combination
of modern and classic looks.
Both wings of the modern buildings are set apart from the villa, but close
enough to translate the historical style into the contemporary idiom.
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from the outside
Matthew Freney
Asset manager, ING Real Estate Development
Villa Bianca
What role did Bubeneč housing
and the original Kotěra's villa play in the project's design?
"The environment of the elegant diplomatic quarter certainly affected the
final appearance of Villa Bianca. The original modernist villa was rebuilt with
strict respect for history and tradition, along with state-of-the-art methods
that today's technology allows. The entire complex was designed so as to provide
its residents with maximal privacy and a soothing living environment, together
with the ultimate in comfort."
from the inside
Eric van Egeraat
architect
How does the layout of this
architecturally valuable landmark suit the needs of the
housing standards of today, and how did you create the
aesthetic interconnection of original and modern architecture?
"Villa Bianca's original concept is fully compatible with current housing
standards. We left the layout pretty much alone, we just tried to expand spaces
wherever possible. The architecture of Kotěra's villa is an expression of the
avant-garde mindset, with an excellent understanding of history. The style of
the new buildings is in harmony with Kotěra's, and it respects his typical elements.
The result is a truly modern interpretation of the architectural style at the
beginning of the last century."
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