Czech Cubist Architecture's Ambiguous Legacy: 1911-1914 Pre-War Projects and Postmodern Parallels

Between 1911 and 1914, Czech Cubist architecture arose as a reaction against modernism, resulting in approximately a dozen structures in Prague. Architects such as Pavel Janák, Josef Gocár, Josef Chochol, and Vlastislav Hofman engaged in discussions with their mentor Jan Kotera, exploring themes of modernity versus anti-modernity and the relationship between interior and exterior spaces. In contrast to French Cubism, the Czech variant employed decorative aesthetics across multiple design disciplines. Critics, including Josef Čapek, claimed that Emil Filla misinterpreted Picasso's work. Following World War I, the movement evolved into Rondocubism, which briefly embraced a Czech Art Deco style. By the mid-1920s, the focus shifted towards rationalism or functionalism, with a theoretical revival in the 1980s and 1990s that questioned modernist ideologies. The analysis incorporates insights from Foucault and Kulka, focusing on specific pieces.