Jaroslav Fragner was one of the most important creators of Czech functionalism

Prague - Architect Jaroslav Fragner, who died on January 3, 1967, just a few days after his 68th birthday, was one of the most significant creators of Czech functionalism. Among his most notable works are the completion and reconstruction of Karolinum and the Bethlehem Chapel in Prague, as well as the building of a thermal power plant in Kolín, which was crowned by the tallest chimney in Bohemia at the time. He also designed smaller structures, and as a teacher at the Academy of Fine Arts (AVU), he contributed to shaping the future generation of architects.

The future architect was born on December 25, 1898, into the family of Karel Fragner, one of the pioneers of the Czech pharmaceutical industry. He graduated from the Academy of Fine Arts under Josef Gočár, and after his studies, he designed the pavilion of a hospital in Mukachevo in Subcarpathian Rus (1928), one of the first modern buildings in Central Europe. He later became well-known especially for his work on the restoration, completion, or repair of Czech monuments, such as Prague Castle, the Bethlehem Chapel, and especially Karolinum.

Fragner's workshop was also responsible for the Merkur Palace on Revoluční Street in Prague. Primarily for relatives and friends, including his wife, dancer and choreographer Milča Mayerová, he designed several small weekend houses, which reflected his insights from his trip to America in the mid-1930s and were inspired by the work of Frank Lloyd Wright and Alvar Aalto. After Gočár's death in 1945, Fragner took over the management of the AVU School of Architecture, where he taught a whole array of excellent architects. He also maintained contacts with the German Bauhaus school and was a member of the artistic association Devětsil.