Come and take a look at the Rothmayer Villa with us

The eighth year of the nationwide festival Day of Architecture is being prepared by the KRUH association in collaboration with local organizations and partners from the fields of architecture, construction, and design. This year, the festival proudly joins the celebrations of the hundredth anniversary of the founding of Czechoslovakia: the entire program this year is united by the theme "Architecture Together," and selected walks and tours will focus on the typical architectural styles of the First Republic - Cubism, National Style, Purism, and Functionalism. Four guided tours of the Rothmayer Villa, scheduled for Sunday September 30, 2018, also fit into the chosen concept of First Republic gems. The partner for the tours of the Rothmayer Villa is Hager Electro.

The work of architect Otto Rothmayer is closely associated with the personality of Josip Plečnik, with whom he collaborated primarily on the reconstruction of Prague Castle. Alongside his work at the Castle, Otto Rothmayer was also creating for private clients, particularly in Prague and its surroundings. He is the author of three family villas, several monuments, and also collaborated on Plečnik's Vinohrady Church. The Mediterranean tradition, which was mediated on our territory by architect Josip Plečnik, is also reflected in the design of Rothmayer's own villa, which was realized in 1928-1929. The ascetic form of the villa is limited to basic shapes of a cuboid and a cylinder, which conceals a spiral staircase. The interiors of the villa were not extensive, but their connection to the veranda and the spacious garden, which the architect himself designed, was crucial.

The villa recently underwent a sensitive reconstruction, and it is here that a connection can be found between this architectural gem and Hager as a manufacturer of electrical installation elements and Berker switches. The choice for the end elements for the reconstruction of the electrical installation fell on the retro rotary switches from the Berker Series 1930. Architects chose these black Bakelite switches because they are based on the design of the original rotary switches from the early twentieth century.

After the reconstruction, the Museum of the Capital City of Prague made the villa and the surrounding garden accessible to the public. However, visits are only possible by prior arrangement, so architecture lovers should not miss the opportunity to view the villa as part of the Day of Architecture festival.