Milan Pitlach
*1. 3. 1943 – Kroměříž, Czech Republic
†31. 8. 2021 – Düsseldorf, Germany
Biography
After graduating from a secondary school in Opava, he studied at the Faculty of Architecture of the Czech Technical University in Prague, graduating in 1966. From 1966 to 1969, he worked at the Association of Project Studios in Prague, in the Delta studio. From 1969 to 1970, he was an intern at the London office of Yorke, Rosenberg & Mardall. From 1971 to 1980, he was employed at the Project Institute for Construction of the City of Prague. In 1981, he emigrated to the Federal Republic of Germany. He worked in the offices of Dansard, Kalenborn & Partner, Heuser Architects, and from 1984 to 1989 at the studio of O.M. Ungers in Cologne. From 2003 to 2009, he served as the chief architect at Archlong Group Co. in Shanghai.
During his internship in London, he began to take photographs. He opened his first exhibition at the Reduta theater in Prague in 1972. Since then, he has realized around forty individual exhibitions and published his photographic works in various magazines, book publications, and catalogs.
Milan Pitlach based his work on the traditions of Czech modern architecture. “The basic premises of my designs are the economy of material, as well as the floor plan, and the effort to create space. The material concepts are derived from elementary geometric volumes, which, however deconstructed, still hint at their original form.” He avoided formal subjectivism, which too often manifests itself in ostentatious gestures as well as ornamentalism. The focus of his work, whether in the Czech Republic, England, Germany, or China, was primarily on developing concepts, both architectural and urban. He occasionally formulated his creative attitudes in the form of reflections and critical articles. Many of them were published by the magazines Architektura ČSR, Architekt, Revolver Revue, and its Critical Supplement. He marginally engaged in educational activities. From 1984 to 1985, he was a visiting professor at Bergische Universität in Wuppertal, and from 1992 to 1993, he served at the Czech Technical University in Prague.
Projects and Realizations
1968 – competition for Jihozápadní město in Prague
1968 – competition for the Embassy of Czechoslovakia in Stockholm
1971 – project for a health resort in Staré Splavy
1975 – concept for Garden City Prague – Lipence
1975 – family house in Bílovec
1975 – installation of an exhibition by Jan Svoboda at the Moravian Gallery in Brno
1977 – apartments for teachers of the School for the Children of the Diplomatic Corps in Prague - Bubenč
1978 – family house in Ostrava – Dobroslavice
1980 – design for the Federal Statistical Office in Prague - Strašnice
1985 – building of the Federal Court in Karlsruhe (for the office of O. M. Ungers)
1986 – Progetto Biccoca, Milan (for the office of O. M. Ungers)
1986 – Kunstahalle Düsseldorf competition (for the office of O. M. Ungers)
1987 – Messepalast Vienna competition (for the office of O. M. Ungers)
1987 – Mediapark competition, Cologne (for the office of O. M. Ungers)
1988 – concept for Fortrezza di Basso, Florence (for the office of O. M. Ungers)
1989 – BIBA Administrative Building, Bremen (for the office of O. M. Ungers)
1992 – Vocational School in Uerdingen
1993 – competition for the Solution of Areas of Prague Train Stations, Prague
1994 – City Passage, Herne
1996 – design for the renovation of Karlovo náměstí, Třebíč
2000 – Bayer Laboratories, Wuppertal
2003 – villa Bethanienturm, Berlin
2003 – JMS administrative building, Shanghai
2004 – South Club on MJN Island, Tianjin
2004 – International Art Center, Shanghai
2004 – Shanghai Jewish Memorial, Shanghai
2005 – competition for the expansion of Hongqiao Airport and railway station, Shanghai
2005 – Japanese restaurant, Shanghai
2006 – design for a new city center, Changqing
2007 – guiding land-use plan for East Tai Hu Lake, Suzhou
2008 – concept for a villa district, Taohuajie
2010 – design for a residential building at Mirbachplatz, Berlin
After graduating from a secondary school in Opava, he studied at the Faculty of Architecture of the Czech Technical University in Prague, graduating in 1966. From 1966 to 1969, he worked at the Association of Project Studios in Prague, in the Delta studio. From 1969 to 1970, he was an intern at the London office of Yorke, Rosenberg & Mardall. From 1971 to 1980, he was employed at the Project Institute for Construction of the City of Prague. In 1981, he emigrated to the Federal Republic of Germany. He worked in the offices of Dansard, Kalenborn & Partner, Heuser Architects, and from 1984 to 1989 at the studio of O.M. Ungers in Cologne. From 2003 to 2009, he served as the chief architect at Archlong Group Co. in Shanghai.
During his internship in London, he began to take photographs. He opened his first exhibition at the Reduta theater in Prague in 1972. Since then, he has realized around forty individual exhibitions and published his photographic works in various magazines, book publications, and catalogs.
Milan Pitlach based his work on the traditions of Czech modern architecture. “The basic premises of my designs are the economy of material, as well as the floor plan, and the effort to create space. The material concepts are derived from elementary geometric volumes, which, however deconstructed, still hint at their original form.” He avoided formal subjectivism, which too often manifests itself in ostentatious gestures as well as ornamentalism. The focus of his work, whether in the Czech Republic, England, Germany, or China, was primarily on developing concepts, both architectural and urban. He occasionally formulated his creative attitudes in the form of reflections and critical articles. Many of them were published by the magazines Architektura ČSR, Architekt, Revolver Revue, and its Critical Supplement. He marginally engaged in educational activities. From 1984 to 1985, he was a visiting professor at Bergische Universität in Wuppertal, and from 1992 to 1993, he served at the Czech Technical University in Prague.
Projects and Realizations
1968 – competition for Jihozápadní město in Prague
1968 – competition for the Embassy of Czechoslovakia in Stockholm
1971 – project for a health resort in Staré Splavy
1975 – concept for Garden City Prague – Lipence
1975 – family house in Bílovec
1975 – installation of an exhibition by Jan Svoboda at the Moravian Gallery in Brno
1977 – apartments for teachers of the School for the Children of the Diplomatic Corps in Prague - Bubenč
1978 – family house in Ostrava – Dobroslavice
1980 – design for the Federal Statistical Office in Prague - Strašnice
1985 – building of the Federal Court in Karlsruhe (for the office of O. M. Ungers)
1986 – Progetto Biccoca, Milan (for the office of O. M. Ungers)
1986 – Kunstahalle Düsseldorf competition (for the office of O. M. Ungers)
1987 – Messepalast Vienna competition (for the office of O. M. Ungers)
1987 – Mediapark competition, Cologne (for the office of O. M. Ungers)
1988 – concept for Fortrezza di Basso, Florence (for the office of O. M. Ungers)
1989 – BIBA Administrative Building, Bremen (for the office of O. M. Ungers)
1992 – Vocational School in Uerdingen
1993 – competition for the Solution of Areas of Prague Train Stations, Prague
1994 – City Passage, Herne
1996 – design for the renovation of Karlovo náměstí, Třebíč
2000 – Bayer Laboratories, Wuppertal
2003 – villa Bethanienturm, Berlin
2003 – JMS administrative building, Shanghai
2004 – South Club on MJN Island, Tianjin
2004 – International Art Center, Shanghai
2004 – Shanghai Jewish Memorial, Shanghai
2005 – competition for the expansion of Hongqiao Airport and railway station, Shanghai
2005 – Japanese restaurant, Shanghai
2006 – design for a new city center, Changqing
2007 – guiding land-use plan for East Tai Hu Lake, Suzhou
2008 – concept for a villa district, Taohuajie
2010 – design for a residential building at Mirbachplatz, Berlin
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