Villa Kociánka

FROM THE INTERIOR TO THE SURFACE
    The Brno villa Kociánka is a huge and transparent residential shell, cast from concrete. It is set into a steep slope and leads observers to the impression that it is a modern reinforced concrete parallel to the famous Mies van der Rohe villa of the Tugendhats. However, its creators were not inspired by the work of this German architect (so we should look for influences elsewhere), and the similarities that exist here are therefore coincidental. Similar characteristic features can only be found in an comparably conceived, generously structured living space (duplex), logically responding to the terrain configuration of the site, and in the use of "exclusive" materials, which, unlike Mies's onyx, chrome steel, or exotic wood, are only unique, perfectly crafted exposed concretes that completely dominate the exteriors and interiors of this otherwise starkly geometric architecture.
    The choice of material and technology was not accidental. Zdeněk Makovský is one of the few authors who specialize in projects of buildings made of cast monolithic concrete. This is undoubtedly related to his second profession as a sculptor, from which his sensitivity to working with mass and volume stems. In Makovský’s architecture, we can to a certain extent also perceive distinctive sculptural objects, the realization of which resembles more that of a sculptor or metalworker than classical construction. And I believe this holds true for the Brno villa as well, which I consider not only a residential building but also an abstract sculptural object, formed exactly in reverse (from the interior towards the surface), a sort of inverted sculpture. Moreover, the technology of cast concrete gives the building an unmistakable, strictly minimalist appearance, and the material itself significantly co-creates the atmosphere of the house and evokes, as the authors claim, feelings of concentration and balance. We should understand the significance of the word balance in this case as a reconciliation of the tension arising between the open (transparent) and closed (hidden) living spaces. Thus, concrete here represents not only a primary material but also a no less important opposing factor, contrasting in its essence (strength) with the fragile substance of the large-format windows. The thoughtfully grouped interior, whose elegantly austere form dictates the choice of a minimal amount of furnishings, does not only consist of balancing the tension between the aforementioned relations, but also on the contrasts and harmonies of others. This is most clearly evident in the relationship (both contrast and harmony at the same time) between the dynamic, variably shaped interior and the solid static shell of the house, which respects both the surrounding terrain (the contours of the slope) and the distant landmarks of the city. For this reason, the arrangement of the villa's internal organism is conceived to maximize visual contact with the distant center of the Moravian metropolis. The spatial qualities of the house, which I consider one of its assets, are further enhanced by several refined views, leading through the villa (and even through it) in both horizontal and vertical planes.
    The architects have succeeded in realizing a remarkable work, undoubtedly inspired by the master of minimalist aesthetics, Tadao Ando, and as such it deserves recognition. And this despite one shortcoming, which I believe, given the chosen minimal expression, is the overly intricate construction that conceals the pool hall from the view of neighbors. But that is just a minor complaint. I appreciate not only the effort that the authors must have expended to realize a building that in our country likely has no equivalent from a technological perspective, but especially the considerable measure of courage to venture into unknown territory and the will to find a suitable expression for a type of residential building that the Czech modern scene practically does not know, or rather has never identified with particularly due to the strong leftist and socially conscious avant-garde. With its dimensions, volume characteristic rather of apartment buildings, complicated implementation, and generously designed living spaces, as well as above-standard equipment, Kociánka represents modern residential architecture from a typological perspective, a sort of contemporary parallel to the Roman urban villa (villa urbana), of which examples—aside from the aforementioned Tugendhat villa, Sochor's villa in Dvůr Králové nad Labem (Josef Gočár), or the Čelákovice villa of industrialist Voiman (Karel Janů and Jan Voženílek)—are not numerous in our territory.