First published: 07/09/21.

Matejicek 4.0

Tugendhat Villa

Tugendhat Villa (Inscribed)

Tugendhat Villa by Matejicek

This villa is a masterpiece of modern architecture and it deserves its WHS status. Actually it is one of the best sites that Czechia can offer. Well, Tugendhat is not the only structure built in the international style in Czechia, but it stands out from almost all aspects. I would propose only one other Czech modernist house to become the world heritage site - Muller Villa by Adolf Loos in Prague. Both houses shares a lot and both can be called as examples of functionalism, but they emanated completely different spirit to me:

While Tungendhat is hidden from the outside world showing only one decent floor to the street, Muller is a white cube with bright yellow windows standing proudly on the slope above the road. The interior of Tugendhat is flat, vast and sterile, somehow broken only by onyx and macassar walls (PHOTO), but at the same time it is open to the garden via the "non-existing" glass wall. Muller villa inside is very colorful and intricate being a fine example of so called Raumplan. For normal life, I would definitely prefer Muller to Tugendhat. There is also the huge contrast between Tugendhat Villa covered by astronomical budget and built for a single family, and working-class colonies built in Brno at the same time - Tugendhat as the fine example of elitist architecture!

I remember quote by Nan that Tugendhat Villa is surprisingly small. I would oppose that it is probably only "an optical illusion". The biggest living room of villa has 160 sq. meters! There are all together two floors with terraces and vast garden for purposes of family and the extra ground floor for servants...

I have visited Tugendhat two times: some 15 years ago by coincidence and without any planning, because I simply walked along and just asked at the reception if I can join a tour, and I could! It was few years before an extensive reconstruction, and despite that I was surprised and amazed by the Villa! My next visit in January 2019 was carefully planned and I travel to Brno with a friend and we joint the English tour with an excellent guide, thus, no problems with my visits. Taking photographs is strictly prohibited, but my friend is very skillful... (PHOTO - part of the interior that does not look very functionalist!)

For completeness, visiting of Muller Villa is also a rare occasion, because of the limit 7 person per guided tour! It happened to me that I visited both villas within a week in January 2019, thus I could perfectly compare their qualities.

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