Otakar Prokop’s house
1928

U Svépomoci 1832/7 (Plzeň) Plzeň Jižní Předměstí
Public transport: Náměstí Míru (TRAM 4)
Náměstí Míru (BUS 29)
GPS: 49.7319989N, 13.3676561E
Architect:
unknown

The Pilsen builder Otakar Prokop, who – usually in collaboration with his colleague Eduard Chrudimský – realised a variety of objects in interwar Pilsen, built his own house with a design office in 1928. The formal concept of the building suggested inspiration from the nearby villa of Ladislav Lábek by Hanuš Zápal (C4–1602) from the years 1921–1922, which was the first one to have brought morphology influenced by English and Dutch villa architecture into the Bezovka neighbourhood.

The two-storey villa with a square layout with side polygonal and segmental risalits has smooth Brizolit plasters in two shades of ochre, complemented by exposed light-coloured brick walls in places. In combination with a distinctive hipped roof and two large vertical-paned windows that illuminate the large staircase hall, Otakar Prokop’s house is not lacking in inspiration from English architectural motifs, which is also apparent in the layout arrangement of the house (this applies in particular to the aforementioned hall with its open staircase, which was perceived as a key communication and social "node" of each villa).

The house contained two three-room apartments. The ground floor apartment also included an office and a separate rear entrance to the garden. In addition to cellars and a laundry, the basement housed an apartment for the caretaker.

After 1989, the hall and the former design office on the ground floor were adapted into a doctor's waiting room and surgery. These changes had no effect on the exterior of the building, thanks to which it has maintained its original architectural character until the present day, including seemingly insignificant details such as the front door.

 


 

Investor

Otakar Prokop

Sources

  • Archiv Odboru stavebně správního, Technický úřad Magistrátu města Plzně