In his own villa design, he implemented a perfect terraced cube with a winding staircase in a middle strongly inspired by the spatial plan of the famous architect Adolf Loose. But even with a perfect design and vision, a small error can creep in; the oddity of Janák’s villa was the fact that in the house of the renowned functionalist architect, one could not open one of the windows as a result of the location of the heating pipes. Immediately after her husband’s death, his wife sold the villa in 1956. In the 1970s, the unsuitable construction of a garage took place. The house has recently been renovated.
Pavel Janák
An important architect, urban planner, member of the State Regulatory Commission, professor at the Academy of Arts, Architecture, and Design in Prague, co-founder of the Artěl Association, main architect of Prague Castle, author of various publications and one of the leading representatives of the Czech Werkbund. Pavel Janák (1882-1956) led the Czechoslovak Werkbund in the second half of the 1920s, when he became the main initiator of the functionalist construction in Baba, as well as the author of its urban study.
dům Janák (východní průčelí) v pozadí s řadou domů Balling, Heřman, Palička
Nad Paťankou Street, the Janák House (right) and the Maule House (left)
the Janák House (east façade) with the Balling, Heřman and Palička Houses in the background
Professor Janák is having a discussion with his students from UMPRUM about the model of the Baba estate, 1930s
Pavel Janák (left) on the site of the future Baba estate, 1931
Pavel Janák celebrating his 60th birthday, 1942
Pavel Janák
title page of the construction permit
original documentation and plans from the exhibition catalogue
