Antonin Nechodoma

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Antonin Nechodoma Architect.


Antonin Nechodoma (1877 - 1928), was a Czech architect who practiced in Puerto Rico from 1905 to 1928. He is known for the introduction of the Prairie Style to the Caribbean and the integration of Arts and Crafts elements to his architecture.

[edit] Biography

Mansion Georgetti (1923), Santurce, Puerto Rico, Photo: Gil Amiaga
Mansion Georgetti (1923), Santurce, Puerto Rico, Photo: Gil Amiaga


Antonin Nechodoma was born in Prague (then part of Bohemia) in 1877. In 1887, Nechodoma's family emigrated to Chicago where he worked as a contractor. In 1905, Nechodoma, already an architect, arrived in Puerto Rico after working for a short period in Florida. In Puerto Rico (1905-1928), Nechodoma became one of the most prominent architects in the Caribbean. His work included private and public buildings: banks, schools, markets, churches and houses. His practice extended to the Dominican Republic where he built the main 'glorieta' in the Parque Independencia in Santo Domingo and the Market in San Pedro de Macoris.

Nechodoma's work has been surrounded by controversy. His architectural style varied widely, from Neo-Classical Style for public school buildings, Gothic and Mission Style for his churches and Prairie Style in his houses. The most controversial aspect of Nechodoma's work has been his plagiarism of Frank Lloyd Wright's residential work. Architectural historians Jorge Rigau[1], Enrique Vivoni Farage[2], and Nechodoma's biographer, Thomas Marvel[3] have discussed extensively Nechodoma's direct use of Wright's Wasmuth Portfolio as a reference for his residential work in Puerto Rico.

Despite the controversy, Nechodoma made significant contributions to the architecture of Puerto Rico and the Caribbean. His integration of arts and crafts motifs to his architecture, ranging from furniture design, ironwork, stained glass, and mosaics, had an enormous influence in the Caribbean architecture of the early 20th century. His prolific production left a wealth of first class public buildings in both the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico, notable because of their technical innovations and their contribution toward forming a language of tropical architecture in the Caribbean. Nechodoma's work was published extensively during his lifetime.[4] He also published in 1927 an important article on architecture in Puerto Rico entitled "Concering Architecture in Puerto Rico".[5]

Nechodoma died in a car related accident in 1928.

[edit] Notable Works

  • Casa Korber (1917), Miramar, Puerto Rico
  • Casa Roig (1919), Humacao, Puerto Rico
  • Georgetti Mansion (1923), Santurce, Puerto Rico


[edit] References

  1. ^ Rigau, Jorge (1992). Puerto Rico 1900. Rizzoli. 
  2. ^ Vivoni, Enrique (1989). Antonin Nechodoma: umbral para una nueva arquitectura caribeña. Archivos de Arquitectura y Construccion. 
  3. ^ Marvel, Thomas S. (1994). Antonin Nechodoma: Architect, 1877-1928: The Prairie School in the Caribbean. University Press of Florida. 
  4. ^ Comstock, William T. (1908 (reprinted 2003). Bungalows, Camps and Mountain Houses. Merrymeeting Archives, LLC. 
  5. ^ Nechodoma, Antonin. (1927). "Concering Architecture in Puerto Rico". The Western Architect December 1927, p. 194.