Otakar Dvořák (architect)

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Otakar Dvořák (October 15th 1938 Neveklov – August 16th 2022 Prague) was a Czech-American architect and urban planner. In the USA he founded architectural offices: Otto Dvorak Architects and A&DS, Architecture and Development Strategies, and in the Czech Republic since 1996 CDI/city design international, s.r.o.

Life and work[edit]

He spent his early childhood in a cultured middle-class family. His parents were professors at the Gymnasium in Benešov, and his grandfather was a painter and designer of many stained-glass windows in churches throughout the Austro-Hungarian monarchy. After finishing the gymnasium in Benešov, Otakar studied at the Czech Technical University - Faculty of Architecture in Prague. After graduation, Otakar began practicing as an architect in Czechoslovakia. Living in an East bloc country in the 1950s and 1960s, Otakar could hardly bear the totalitarian lack of freedom, and was determined to leave Czechoslovakia. In April 1968, Otakar traveled to West Germany and started working in an architectural office in Düsseldorf, where in August 1968 he witnessed the Soviet occupation of Czechoslovakia. In January 1969, he achieved his goal of immigrating to the United States of America and settled in the state of Massachusetts. In Boston, he studied at Harvard University - Graduate School of Design, where he received a master's degree in 1976. He worked in several highly renowned architectural offices including that of Paul Rudolph. In the 1970s, he taught at Harvard (GSD) and through this university received a one-year residency in Saudi Arabia, where he participated in the founding of King Abdulaziz University. His career in the United States culminated in a partnership in the prestigious Boston office of Steffian & Bradley, where he realized large-scale projects including the River Court condominium complex in East Cambridge, multi-story apartments in Springfield, senior housing at Lasell University and many others. After the Velvet Revolution and a short interlude in Moscow, where he experienced the failed coup, Otakar returned to Prague in August 1991, and soon found his rich experience in a wide range of fields and across cultures to be invaluable for his practice in the newly established Czech Republic.

Among his many projects, completed during his return to Prague were the office building Prague City Center in Prague 1, the multifunctional complex Palác Flora, the Business Park in Chodov and the administrative buildings in Prague 7. He was also the conceptual designer of two exclusive Prague hotels: Four Seasons, in the center of the old town and the Mandarin Oriental in Mala Strana. His sensitive treatment of existing old buildings, combining them with new functionality, has gained him the respect of the Office of the Chief Architect of Prague and a long-term membership in the advisory board of the National Heritage Institute (Prague branch). From 2015 to 2022, he served as chairman of the jury in the annual global architectural competition INSPIRELI Awards, which is attended by young architects from all over the world.

Throughout his career Otakar acted as a mentor and teacher to many young architects who will remember him for his attention and expertise.

He adhered to the principle that architecture is not a job, but a state of mind. "Breaking records," he said, "leads to sensationalism and, in architecture, to superficiality. It's like being used to loud music, and then it has to get louder and louder to percieve it at all.“^[1]

Pedagogical and expert activities:[edit]

• Lecturer at Harvard University GSD Continuing Education Program, Cambridge, MA (1978–1989)
• Professor at the King Abdulaziz University, School of Environmental Design, Jeddah (1976–1977)
• From the 1990s to 2022, he lectured as a member of a number of expert panels in the USA and the Czech Republic
• is the author of the concept and text for the book about the Palladium Praha project, 2013^[2]

Awards[edit]

• Vienna-Budapest World Exhibition, 1995 Urban Design Competition, Merit Award
• Elderly Housing Competitions, Winthrop, Dracut, MA, Merit Awards
• Rivercourt Architectural Competition, Cambridge, MA, First prize
• Newburyport Waterfront Development Competition, Newburyport, MA, First Prize
• Hotel Four Seasons Prague, MIPIM Award 2001
• Laser Center Břežany, in collaboration with Bogle Architects, London: Award of the Ministry of Industry and Trade of the Czech Republic in the Building of the Year 2016 competition, first prize in international competition MIPIM Awards 2016.

Professional Jury Affiliations[edit]

Mr. Dvořák was a member of many juries in the 1980s in the USA and from 1992 to 2022 in the Czech Republic, including the international architectural competition and workshop for the Bořislavka project, Prague 6, in 2014 as the chairman of the jury. From 2015 -until his death in 2022 he was the chairman of the jury of the international competition for young architects Inspireli Awards.

Registration[edit]

• Registered Architect in Czech Republic, ČKA (Česká komora architektů), Authorisation No. 02989
• Registered Architect in USA, NCARB (National Council of Architectural Registration Boards), certificate in federal states: Massachusetts, Connecticut, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Vermont, New York, Tennessee, Puerto Rico

Professional Affiliations[edit]

• Czech Chamber of Architects
• American Institute of Architects, AIA
• AIA European Continental Chapter, Former Regional Director
• Massachusetts State Association of Architects
• Boston Society of Architects, BSA
• Boston Architectural Center, BAC
• National Trust for Historical Preservation
• Harvard University Graduate School of Design, Career Advisory Committee
• American Chamber of Commerce, Prague, AmCham

Work[edit]

Otakar Dvorak has worked for over 50 years in the fields of urban development planning, architecture, urban design and interior design in the United States, Europe and the Middle East. With his extensive experience, he has had the opportunity to work on a diverse range of projects including major urban design and planning assignments, commercial, hotel, residential, institutional buildings and interiors for major corporations, developers, institutions and governmental organizations.

Selected projects Czechia[edit]

• Prague City Center, Prague 1 (1993–1995), multifunctional centre, in cooperation with Atelier H1, Hradec Králové
• U Uranie a Metropolitan, Prague 7 (1996–1999), office buildings, in cooperation with Atelier H1, Hradec Králové
• Four Seasons Hotel, Prague 1 (1996–2002), in cooperation with Canadian consultants and Atelier Dům a Město
• Scandinavian Centre, Prague 2, Karlovo náměstí (2002), multifunctional building, in cooperation with: SIAL Liberec and Lohan Associates, Chicago
• Palác Flora, Prague 3 (2003), multifunctional complex in cooperation with the atelier Petr Franta Architects
• Business Technology Park (KIZ) (2005), Prague 11, in cooperation with CMC Architects
• Hotel Mandarin Oriental, Prague 1 (1996–2005), in cooperation with atelier Dům a město
• Holešovice brewery, Prague 7 (2008), multifunctional complex, in cooperation with CMC Architects

Selected projects USA (in 1974–1991)[edit]

• Rivercourt, Cambridge, MA, 200+ luxury units
• The Burges Lang, Worcester, MA, Urban Renewal for retail/office/residential
• Exeter Towers, Boston, MA, housing in historical district
• The Devonshire, Boston, MA, first multi-use/residential high-rise building in historical district
• Sugar River Mill, Claremont, NH, revitalization of industrial buildings for retail and housing
• Glenridge, Newton, MA, domov pro seniory, 200 units, continuing care retirement community
• Later Life Community, Southborough, MA, 200 units
• Hobart and William Smith Colleges, Geneva, NY, university, Master Plan and hotel, 150 rooms
• Loon Mountain, New Hampshire, sport hotel, 200 rooms
• Grand Central Hotel, Greenville, Tennessee, renovation of historical hotel, 140 rooms

Selected planning projects[edit]

• Rohanský ostrov, Prague 8, masterplan for multi-use development, community negotiations, 1999
• Žižkov railway station, Prague 3 – urban planning, preparation of the building documentation and community negotiations for the project: Revitalization of the Žižkov railway station North in collaboration with Boogle Architects, 2008–2012
• Vítězné náměstí – Prague 6, urban design study for the community
• Wilson and Masaryk Railway Station, Prague 1, urban design study for the City of Prague competition
• Palladium Prague 1, consulting of the conceptual design for mutii use project
• Lobkowicz Library, Nelahozeves, design study for the family collection
• Park Nelahozeves, design study for the community of Nelahozeves
• Masaryk Center; Prague 1, Expertise study and analysis for the multi-use project
• Metropolitan Corporate Center, MA, USA, technology park, urban design, community development
• Cliff Shoals, RI, USA, design study for sea shore residential development
• Liberty Square, Worcester, MA, revitalization study for multi-use project
• Newburyport Landing, Newburyport, MA, revitalization study

Literature[edit]

• The Prague Post, 7. 5. 1996 Four years later, Four Seasons chain is still waiting to hang 5* hotel in Prague
• The Prague Post, 25. 5. 1996 O. Dvořák: Prague as idea, Prague as Vision, Prague as Myth
• Zprávy klubu za starou Prahu 2/96
• Czech and Slovak Construction Journal, November 1997
• Madame 05/2005, Jsem městský člověk, Interview s Otakarem Dvořákem
• Objekt 04/ 2006 Mandarin Oriental Prague
• Projekt 12/2006 Diskrétně ukrytý Mandarin
• Objekt, 01/2007 Architektura, stejně jako hudba, Interview s Otakarem Dvořákem
• ABF, Remspace, 30.8. 2011, Otto Dvořák: Kolem každého většího projektu je nutné vybudovat široký konsensus
• DVOŘÁK, Otto. Palladium Praha. Prague: EPG Global Property Invest, 2013. ISBN 978-80-260-2534-4.
• Wings to the Future, 2016, Inspireli Awards
• ŠLAPETA, Vladimír. Rozloučení s architektem Otakarem Dvořákem. Bulletin ČKA. Roč. 1922, čís. 3, s. 10.^[3]
• The Boston Globe, 11. 9. 2022, Otakar Dvorak Obituary
• Boston Society of Architects, 12. 09. 2022, Remembering Otakar Dvorak, AIA

References[edit]

External links[edit]

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