Architect Věra Machoninová is a co-author of the Prague Kotva and the Thermal Hotel

Prague - Architect Věra Machoninová is, often with her husband Vladimír Machonin, the author of a number of significant buildings, particularly in the style of brutalism, some of which are considered by experts to be masterpieces of post-war architecture in the Czech Republic. Among the best-known are the Prague department stores Kotva and Dům bytové kultury (DBK), the Karlovy Vary Thermal Hotel complex, and the Czechoslovak embassy in Berlin. A holder of numerous prestigious awards, who also engages in interior design, she will celebrate her ninety-fifth birthday on September 27 this year.

Born in Strakonice, she studied at the Czech Technical University in Prague's Faculty of Architecture and Civil Engineering. She then worked at a state project institute in Prague. In 1967, she and her husband established their own studio, Alfa. Since the couple did not agree with the Soviet occupation in August 1968, they could only create to a limited extent and could not participate in architectural competitions, which led to the closure of their studio. Machoninová became an employee of the Project Institute of the Capital City of Prague, where she primarily supervised projects. In addition, she focused on interior design. In 1991, she reestablished Atelier Alfa, but without her husband, who passed away in 1990.

The works of the Machonin couple are valued for their timelessness; Machoninová is renowned for experimenting with new materials and technologies. In shaping her own style, she drew on her knowledge of world architecture and experiences from her travels.

Several years after completing her studies, she and her husband won their first significant competition for the construction of the Dom kultury in Jihlava. Another major success was winning a competition for the construction of an international hotel and festival cinema in Karlovy Vary, which is today's Thermal hotel complex.

Shortly after establishing Atelier Alfa, she received an offer to design the Dům bytové kultury (DBK) on Budějovická street in Prague. Ultimately, she shaped the entire surrounding area, as she also designed a metro station and two administrative buildings besides the DBK. Her daughter Pavla Kordovská contributed to the design of the square later on, alongside her husband, who designed the local bank buildings.

Among the greatest successes of the Machonins is their victory in the competition for the Kotva department store, which was built between 1970 and 1975. They assembled the entire building from self-supporting hexagonal segments, thus meeting the requirement for the largest possible sales area on a relatively small plot. At the same time, they also won a competition for the construction of an embassy in East Berlin, which is now a prime example of Czechoslovak brutalism with massive and futuristic shapes.

After her husband's death, Machoninová continued to work, designing a number of apartment and family houses as well as interiors. Among her most notable designs is the modification of the central square in the town of Štětí (1996), of which only a smaller part was realized, and the redesign of the center of Jablonec nad Nisou (1999), which, according to the Jablonec city hall, was eventually implemented according to other designs.

Machoninová holds numerous awards, including the Grand Prix of the Architects' Association awarded to her in 2006, the most prestigious in her field in the Czech Republic. In 2017, she received the Ministry of Culture's Award for her contributions to architecture, and in 2014, she was honored by the Czech Chamber of Architects (ČKA). According to the archiweb.cz website, the jury particularly appreciated the timeless quality of her work when selecting the laureate for this personal award, "which was created during a time that was not exactly favorable for architecture."

Věra Machoninová has three daughters. Besides Pavla, who is also an architect, Eva and Anna, both of whom are doctors.