Repair of the unique Plzeň house by Loose took 12 years

Plzeň - From April, a remarkably valuable house with interiors designed by the world-renowned architect Adolf Loos will open to tourists during regular tours three times a week. The Brummel House on Husová Street belongs to a private owner and will be one of two circuits showcasing Loos's works in Plzeň. The interiors of the Brummel House, which are among the best preserved of Loos's works in Plzeň, were renovated by their owner Michal Brummel, nephew of the original owners, over 12 years. He does not wish to speak about the cost of the renovations, but he was also aided by subsidies from the city and the Ministry of Culture. Tickets for the tours must be purchased in advance at the information center or online.
The decision to renovate the house and open it to the public was not made in an hour or a day, Brummel told ČTK. A significant impetus was a visit to the reconstructed Müller Villa in Prague in 2001. "We knew that the Müller Villa was built around the same time as our house, their owners knew each other, helped each other, and borrowed materials," Brummel stated. For example, the chipolino marble cladding in the Müller Villa was originally intended by Loos for the Brummel House. However, the owner preferred wood, so his dining room was ultimately lined with rare wood from the root of Canadian poplar, while chipolino is in Prague, Brummel said.
In the renovation, it was first necessary to remove newer extensions from the building, and only then could the interiors be renovated. According to city conservator Karel Zoch, the Brummel House is a pearl among Loos's works in Plzeň and a piece of European significance. The large amount of preserved furniture and inventory is exceptionally valuable. "Most of the furnishings were our property, but we gave away many things because there was no way to store them. I found one rare piece, and the owners were kind enough to return it to me on the condition that I would make an exact replica for them, as it is a chair that is very comfortable to sit in," the owner stated. Although he also uses one of Loos's comfortable chairs at home, he is not tempted to live in the renovated interior. Even with Loos's timelessness, housing requirements have changed.
In the house, where five rooms will be on display, 80 to 90 percent of the original furniture and furnishings have been preserved. No other interior in Plzeň retains as much. Loos designed the furniture specifically according to the individual owners to suit their physiques. The house was designed by Jan and Jan Brummel from the building to the complete interior furnishings by Loos. The reconstruction took place between 1927 and 1929.
The renovation also brought some surprises. "We didn't know, for example, what the colors of the wallpapers were. We knew their appearance, but we couldn’t find out more. When the window frame was dismantled, a piece of wallpaper was underneath it, so we could have it printed according to that," Brummel said.
According to Markus Kristan, curator of the Loos Archive at the Albertina Gallery in Vienna, Plzeň, along with Vienna and Paris, is one of the main centers of Loos's work. Based on Loos's design, more than ten interiors were created in Plzeň, and in addition to Brummel, the city has also restored other interiors.