Bohuslav Fuchs
Prof. Ing. arch. Bohuslav Fuchs DrSc. | |
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Born | |
Died | 18 September 1972 Brno, Czechoslovakia | (aged 77)
Nationality | Czech |
Bohuslav Fuchs (24 March 1895 – 18 September 1972) was a Czech modernist architect. He also worked as a university teacher and urban planner. He is considered one of the most important Czech architects of the 20th century. His work is primarily associated with the city of Brno.
Life and career
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Bohuslav Fuchs was born on 24 March 1895 in Všechovice. He attended a school in Holešov and the civil engineering technical school in Brno. After school, he went to Prague to work as a bricklayer, but was soon accepted intothe Academy of Fine Arts in Prague, where he studied with Jan Kotěra between 1916 and 1919. In 1919–1921, he worked in Kotěra's atelier. In 1922, Fuchs moved back to Brno, where he married Drahomíra Střelcová in 1923. They had two children, a daughter and a son.[1][2]
In Brno, Fuchs worked at the city construction office in 1923–1929, and from 1929 in his own atelier.[3]
Between 1947 and 1958, Fuchs was a professor of architecture at Brno University of Technology. He participated in several professional associations abroad (e. g. British RIBA). His projects, realized mainly in Brno, were predominantly influenced by functionalism.[2]
He died on 18 September 1972 in Brno. He was buried at the Central Cemetery in Brno.[2]
Selected works
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Fuchs is considered one of the most important Czech architects of the 20th century, who achieved European renown. In his work, he believed in the principle that architecture must serve people.[4] Most of his notable buildings are located in Brno, including:[3]
- Zemanova kavárna (Café Zeman), 1925
- Masná burza (Meat Exchange House), 1926
- Hotel Avion, 1927
- Pavillons at the Brno Exhibition Ground, 1928
- Fuchs Villa, 1929
- Moravská banka, 1930, together with Arnošt Wiesner
- Vesna Professional Secondary School for Woman's Occupation, 1930, together with Josef Polášek
- Municipal Spa in Zábrdovice, 1930
- Petrák Villa, 1936
- Tesař Villa, 1938
- Post office, 1938
- Brno House of Arts – reconstruction, 1947
- Bus station in Benešova Street, 1949
- Red Army monument, 1955, together with Vincenc Makovský and Antonín Kurial
Fuchs' notable work outside Brno includes:[3]
- Klostermann Hut in Modrava, 1922
- Masaryk Hut, Šerlich mountain, Deštné v Orlických horách, 1925
- Central and residential building of the Středomoravské elektrárny energy company in Přerov, 1929
- Municipal Savings Bank in Třebíč, 1931
- Municipal Savings Bank in Tišnov, 1933
- Thermal swimming pool Zelená žába in Trenčianske Teplice, 1936
- Moravian Slovakia Museum in Uherské Hradiště, 1942
- New Scene of the National Theatre in Prague, 1966
Most of his works are protected as cultural monuments of the Czech Republic.[5][6]
Honours and legacy
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In 1969, Fusch became a laureate of Herder Prize.[7]
Hotel Avion in Brno, which is one of Fuchs' works, houses a museum of functionalism (architecture) and life and work of Bohuslav Fuchs.[8]
A street in Brno is named after Fuchs.[1]
The monument to B. Fuchs was unveiled in 1995 in the Pisárky district of Brno.[9]
In 2025, to celebrate the 130th anniversary of Bohuslav Fuchs' birth, a life-size inflatable bust of Fuchs was created. The projects aim was to commemorate his legacy and influence on the modern look of Brno.[10]
Gallery
[edit]- Klostermann Hut (1922)
- Masaryk Hut (1925)
- Zemanova kavárna (1925)
- Municipal Savings Bank in Třebíč (1931)
- Petrák Villa (1936)
References
[edit]- ^ a b "Prof. Ing. arch. Bohuslav Fuchs, DrSc". Encyklopedie Brna (in Czech). Retrieved 2025-04-04.
- ^ a b c "Bohuslav Fuchs". Brno Architectural Manual (in Czech). Retrieved 2025-04-04.
- ^ a b c "Bohuslav Fuchs: Biografie". archiweb.cz (in Czech). Retrieved 2025-04-04.
- ^ "Visionary of Brno modern architecture: 130 years since birth of Bohuslav Fuchs". Czech Radio. 2025-03-23. Retrieved 2025-04-04.
- ^ "Výsledky vyhledávání: Bohuslav Fuchs". Ústřední seznam kulturních památek (in Czech). National Heritage Institute. Retrieved 2025-04-04.
- ^ "Výsledky vyhledávání: Bohuslava Fuchse". Ústřední seznam kulturních památek (in Czech). National Heritage Institute. Retrieved 2025-04-04.
- ^ "Building no. 1010". Go to Brno. Retrieved 2025-04-04.
- ^ "Muzeum Avion" (in Czech). CzechTourism. Retrieved 2025-04-04.
- ^ "Pomník B. Fuchs". Encyklopedie Brna (in Czech). Retrieved 2025-04-04.
- ^ "Inflatable bust of architect Bohuslav Fuchs unveiled at Špilberk Castle in Brno". Czech Radio. 2025-03-23. Retrieved 2025-04-04.
Further reading
[edit]- Emilia Terragni, Helen Thomas (2012): 20th-century world architecture - Bohuslav Fuchs: Avion p. 499, Zábrdovice p. 461, Trenčianske Teplice p. 509. Phaidon. ISBN 9780714857060