Architect: Václav Pilc
Reconstruction: Rudolf Netík
Completion: 1932, reconstruction: 2014
Reconstruction of Hotel AXA in Na Poříčí
In January 2015, the AXA hotel was opened in Prague on Na Poříčí Street, one of the prominent functionalist buildings in the city center. During the renovations, it was declared a cultural monument, which recognized the significance of the building and its architecture belonging to the so-called poetic functionalism. The hotel's owner, the heiress of its author, aimed to restore the spirit of the 1930s to the building while preserving original elements and the connection between sports and hotel functions.
The AXA hotel was designed by its owner and architect Václav Pilc between 1928 and 1930, and it was built by his construction company between 1930 and 1932. It was opened at the turn of the year 1933 and 1934. The multifunctional building was primarily conceived with regard to the sports character of the hotel, including a twenty-five-meter swimming pool, originally with a diving tower, and two gymnasiums.
The sports concept was developed by Pilc's wife, Běla Friedländerová, a representative of interwar Czechoslovakia in swimming and diving, who led sports and physical education courses primarily aimed at women and girls. She personally operated one gymnasium in the hotel.
The building underwent several modifications, the most significant between 1978 and 1985, when the pool was renovated, the diving tower was removed, and the depth of the pool was reduced. In 1994, the hotel was acquired in restitution by the granddaughter of architect Pilc. On the website, she states that she wants to continue the tradition based on physical and mental balance and health. The hotel still offers a public pool and fitness center.
From July 2013 to May 2014, the hotel was renovated according to the design of architect Rudolf Netík with the aim of meeting the demands of contemporary guests while evoking the atmosphere of the time of its origin. Everything preserved that could be repaired remained in place, and copies of the original furnishings were made at Slezák's Works in Bystřice pod Hostýnem.
The entire hotel is divided into three wings, each characterized by a color that appears in the hallways, in the wayfinding system, in the painting of the rooms, and in the upholstery of the furniture. The street wing received red, and the two inner courtyard wings received blue and beige.
The rooms were completely remodeled, reflecting the style of surfaces used in the 1930s - wooden floors, white ceramic tiles, and high-gloss paints. The lighting, accessories, and metal furniture are derived from the original photo documentation of the interior.
The AXA hotel was designed by its owner and architect Václav Pilc between 1928 and 1930, and it was built by his construction company between 1930 and 1932. It was opened at the turn of the year 1933 and 1934. The multifunctional building was primarily conceived with regard to the sports character of the hotel, including a twenty-five-meter swimming pool, originally with a diving tower, and two gymnasiums.
The sports concept was developed by Pilc's wife, Běla Friedländerová, a representative of interwar Czechoslovakia in swimming and diving, who led sports and physical education courses primarily aimed at women and girls. She personally operated one gymnasium in the hotel.
The building underwent several modifications, the most significant between 1978 and 1985, when the pool was renovated, the diving tower was removed, and the depth of the pool was reduced. In 1994, the hotel was acquired in restitution by the granddaughter of architect Pilc. On the website, she states that she wants to continue the tradition based on physical and mental balance and health. The hotel still offers a public pool and fitness center.
From July 2013 to May 2014, the hotel was renovated according to the design of architect Rudolf Netík with the aim of meeting the demands of contemporary guests while evoking the atmosphere of the time of its origin. Everything preserved that could be repaired remained in place, and copies of the original furnishings were made at Slezák's Works in Bystřice pod Hostýnem.
The entire hotel is divided into three wings, each characterized by a color that appears in the hallways, in the wayfinding system, in the painting of the rooms, and in the upholstery of the furniture. The street wing received red, and the two inner courtyard wings received blue and beige.
The rooms were completely remodeled, reflecting the style of surfaces used in the 1930s - wooden floors, white ceramic tiles, and high-gloss paints. The lighting, accessories, and metal furniture are derived from the original photo documentation of the interior.
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