Post of ČKA 2014: Věra Machoninová

The jury consisting of Adam Gebrian, Ladislav Kuba, Miroslav Masák, Rostislav Švácha, and Jana Tichá unanimously agreed on the name of the laureate of the personal award of the Czech Chamber of Architects. From the 18 received nominations, the expert jury selected architect Věra Machoninová, who has been nominated for this honor multiple times in the past.
The ceremonial presentation of the ČKA Honor 2014 and the discussion panel about the work of the laureate will take place on December 14, 2015, at the National Technical Museum.
The jury particularly appreciated the timeless quality of her work, which was created during a period that was not exactly favorable for architecture. In light of the recent case regarding the sale of the Thermal hotel pool and the threat of significant intervention in this important architectural complex, it seems that unfortunately, the time does not favor some of Věra Machoninová's works even today. Therefore, it is all the more important to protect these realizations now. Jury chairman Adam Gebrian stated in the jury’s announcement:
“By awarding Věra Machoninová, the jury also aims to draw attention to the unique qualities of the peak expressions of brutalist architecture from the 1970s and 1980s, which have yet to be fully recognized as values worthy of appreciation and protection in the public consciousness. Last but not least, it is important to emphasize that some of Věra Machoninová's fundamental buildings are currently at the center of a game regarding their future. Whether it is the Thermal hotel managed by the Ministry of Finance, the Czech embassy in Berlin, or the Kotva department store, which is being prepared for sale. This fact did not influence the decision on whether their author deserves the award or not, but the jury feels a duty to remind the owners and managers of these properties that they are works of exceptional architectural quality, which are already, less than half a century after their completion, part of Czech cultural values. Therefore, they should be approached in an appropriate manner regarding their reconstruction and adaptations.”

Ing. arch. Věra Machoninová (* 1928 Strakonice)
Architect Věra Machoninová studied at the Faculty of Architecture and Civil Engineering at the Czech Technical University in Prague (1952). Between 1952 and 1967, she worked at the State Project Institute in Prague. In 1967, she and her husband, architect Vladimír Machonin, founded the Alfa studio. The studio specialized primarily in success in several architectural competitions, based on which exceptionally quality buildings were created (e.g., the Thermal hotel and the Kotva department store). Their work reflects a love for experimenting with new materials and a great sense of detail. After 1970, the Machonins could no longer participate in architectural competitions, nor appear publicly or publish for political reasons. The reason was the high moral credit of both personalities when they refused to sign the consent to the Soviet occupation in 1968. Until the revolution in 1989, architect Machoninová worked at the Project Institute of the Capital City of Prague.

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