Prague Czech Republic  

I found this about cubist building
Czech Cubist architecture
While Prague has enough Baroque, Gothic, Rococco and Art Nouveau buildings to bury a medium-sized country knee-deep coffee table books, it boasts one specific style that is unique in the world.
It was in the 1910s and 20s that several artists embraced the principles of Cubism and applied the style to brand new forms of expression: applied art, design and, most unusually, architecture.
After the interruption by World War I, the use of Cubism in architecture dwindled, though it did manage to become the main influence for the worldwide Art Deco style of the 1920s to 30s.
Czech artists at the time were very clued into the European avant-garde, with Alfons Mucha their most famous representative. When Pablo Picasso and George Braque first defined Cubism in Paris, young Czech artists including Josef Gocar, Pavel Janak, Vlastislav Hofman and Josef Chochol saw in it a way to revolt against the excessively decorative style propagated by Mucha, and they eagerly made use of Cubism’s strange new angles.
The Cubists had technology on their side. Reinforced concrete was making its way into construction, and enabled them to design open floor plans without needing pillars, which can clearly be seen inside Gocar's House of the Black Madonna, where the large café space was revolutionary at the time.
Purists may complain that the principles of Cubism in painting can not be applied in spatial objects, but the resulting buildings in Prague certainly are interesting, and it’s to the architects’ merit that the striking oddness of the style still manages to surprise people nearly a century later.
Not many Cubist buildings were realised, but some striking examples can be found in and around central Prague. Start off at Josef Gocar’s 1911 masterpiece, the House of the Black Madonna (F-3, Ovocný trh 19), originally a department store and so named after the baroque statue rescued from the previous building. It’s a feat in itself that he managed to build such a revolutionary façade that somehow manages to fit in the Baroque surroundings.

2 cubisum bldg.

It is just....
fascinating! Even the cobble stones tell an interesting story!

I recall
that Czech "cubist" ceramics hit the scene a couple of seasons back -- perhaps following an exhibit, a newly-discovered collection, an auction, a book, or perhaps all of the above ? The same geometries (with some interesting asymmetries) as on these houses ?

Gaudi on Prozac
I love these, they look like a more humanistic Gaudi

LRF said:
"Purists may...
LRF said:
"Purists may complain that the principles of Cubism in painting can not be applied in spatial objects..."
Just to comment on this, I think Pablo Picasso himself would be surprised to hear that cubism cannot be applied in three dimensions. I'm a preparator at the Art Institute of Chicago and we certainly do have a varied collection of cubist sculpture, some by Picasso himself.

james collins
the first time i saw the building you posted i did not know what to think I think i was spell bound for the rest of the day .
I have see some of the most un real buildings done by Mies, Frank Gehry,Phillip Johnson, I.M Pei,Cesar Pelli, Richard Meier, every one of there buildings nicely tailored prim and proper but when you see this you just don't know what to say.... and your jaw drops for a moment . I don't think when they built this in 1910 they were thinking about droping jaws .

I'm catching the next plane to Prague...
I've put it off forever, but now I have to do it. I have to see this cubist building. Is there a book on cubist architecture? If not, I may have to write it. Prague is where my great grand parents are from. In 1910, Prague was the grand dame of all European high culture. City's like London and Paris had eclipsed her in many ways, but they still lacked at that time the long tradition of excellence in the arts and crafts that Prague was then long known for, or so I have been told.
Perhaps this cubist architecture is a seed, or a possible inspiration for neomodern.

Prague Czech Republic
I was in Prague From October 1 to the 10 and the weather was the greatest.
We ate outside almost every night on ST. Wienslet Sq. We stayed at the beautiful Merriott around the corner . The food was terrific and it was so reasonable, The original Buddwiser Beer was great too. I have been
all over Europe but Prague was the greatest. Just the idea that there are so many different architectural style buildings. and when you see the Cubism buildings you will flip they are all scattered around the city and not in one place.
The other place that impressed me so much was the old Jewish section or the ghetto as it was known , and then you can take two steps back word for just a few minutes and just think how they spear headed almost 150,000 people into a 10 block area. The cemetery has 10s of thousands of people buried in one tiny acre of land . But the 2 synagogues that the Nazis left in tact are very humbling
and beautiful.
The one thing that does stick in my mind from the tour guide, was with in 60 days after communism was lifted in the eastern Block, Prague was the first city to take out the Paint and repaint as many buildings in bright colors that they could . The original artisan Bohemians have long been gone from the hills of Bohemian but there spirit still lives on in Prague
I have no idea why I did not buy a book on cubism buildings, I am sure there are
lots of books on the subject as are nice T-shirts with Kafka on them a lots of Glass flowers and cool blown glass from Bohemia.
We hired a car and our own tour guide . He told us that the Nazis left Praque alone cause Hitler loved the city.. He hated the Bohemians but did recogonize them as artistians who gave the city the charm and beauty that it has .
In his distorted mind he told his people that he would like to have taken over the city of Prague and use it as one of his Headquarters for world domination. (one sick F@#$)
thank G-D us Americans with the Help of the British whipped his sorry ass or we would have been going to Hitler City.

dcwilson
Perhaps this cubist architecture is a seed, or a possible inspiration for neomodern
great subject to really dig into and find out the answer... any one out there have an idea?
I would love to see the revival of cubism after a 100 year absence.

PRAGUE
HERE ARE THE PRAGUE PICS ALL CLEANED UP