The Luxurious Winternitz Villa – The “Beige Princess”
The Winternitz Villa is located in the area of Prague’s hills above Smíchov, not far from Bertramka with a luxurious view of the New Town and National Theatre, Malá Strana, Hradčany and Strahov.
Historical background
The year is 1932. The luxurious villa was commissioned by attorney Josef Winternitz, who planned to enjoy a beautiful family life here. He entrusted the building design to functionalist architect Adolf Loos. Karel Lhota was the designer of all the interior elements of the villa. Unfortunately, familial bliss did not last long. The Winternitz family was obliged to abandon to luxurious villa.
During World War II, they were taken to the Auschwitz concentration camp, and only the female members of the Winternitz family survived the hardships. In 1973, the villa was confiscated by the Nazis and subsequent sold to the City of Prague. After 1989, the damaged architectural masterpiece was returned to the descendants of the original owner, who started reconstruction and restored the villa to its former glory. The last owner to live in the house was Suzana Winternitrz, married Cysařová and later Kodannyová. She passed away in 1991 and was the mother of all the current co-owners.
Hidden treasures
The original parquet floors in the villa were preserved. All of the exhibited furniture and wood panelling was overhauled. One unique rarity is the original boiler with a brass sink which serves to wash and boil laundry, which had to be heated from beneath. However, the fireplaces in the villa are no longer operable.
Distinctive interior
The interior is designed in ivory tones, which is why the villa is sometimes called the “Beige Princess”. The living room has an area of 270 m2, while the entire villa offers 533 m2 of usable space on a land lot of 1700 m2. The villa housed 4 people and a pair of housekeeper. There are 3 terraces with a total area of 140 m2. The main feature is the large window, which could be removed to create a luxurious summer garden. The hall offers plenty of space for socialising, and literally draws you in. This stands in contrast with the minimalistic rooms such as the bedroom, study, hallway, stairs or children’s room. The building is exquisitely proportioned – the penetrating light, open space and monumental entrance.
Conclusion
Adolf Loose was in many ways inspired by the work of American architect F. L. Wright, who strove to combine architecture with lifestyle.
