Antonin Nechodoma

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.

Biography

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 [cite book
last = Rigau
first = Jorge
authorlink =
title = Puerto Rico 1900
publisher = Rizzoli
year = 1992] , Enrique Vivoni Farage [cite book
last = Vivoni
first = Enrique
authorlink =
title = Antonin Nechodoma: umbral para una nueva arquitectura caribeña
publisher = Archivos de Arquitectura y Construccion
year = 1989] , and Nechodoma's biographer, Thomas Marvel [cite book
last = Marvel
first = Thomas S.
authorlink =
title = Antonin Nechodoma: Architect, 1877-1928: The Prairie School in the Caribbean
publisher = University Press of Florida
year = 1994] 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. [cite book
last = Comstock | first = William T.
authorlink =
title = Bungalows, Camps and Mountain Houses | publisher = Merrymeeting Archives, LLC
year = 1908 (reprinted 2003] He also published in 1927 an important article on architecture in Puerto Rico entitled "Concering Architecture in Puerto Rico". [cite book
last = Nechodoma
first = Antonin.
authorlink =
title = "Concering Architecture in Puerto Rico"
publisher = The Western Architect December 1927, p. 194
year = 1927]

Nechodoma died in a car related accident in 1928.

Notable Works

*Casa Korber (1917), Miramar, Puerto Rico

*Casa Roig (1919), Humacao, Puerto Rico

*Georgetti Mansion (1923), Santurce, Puerto Rico

References