Eva Jiřičná facts for kids

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Quick facts for kids Prof. Eva Jiřičná CBE RA
Eva Jiřičná (2019)
Born	(1939-03-03) March 3, 1939 (age 86) Zlín, Czechoslovakia
Nationality	Czech
Alma mater	Czech Technical University in Prague, Academy of Fine Arts, Prague
Occupation	Architect
Awards	CBE, Jane Drew Prize, Honorary Silver Medal of Jan Masaryk

Practice	Eva Jiricna Architects, AI DESIGN

Eva Jiřičná, born on March 3, 1939, is a famous architect and designer from the Czech Republic. She works in both London and Prague. She started her own architecture firm, Eva Jiricna Architects, which worked in Britain from 1982 to 2017. She also co-founded AI DESIGN in 1999 with Petr Vágner. Eva Jiřičná is well-known for her careful attention to detail and her modern designs, especially her amazing glass staircases.

Since 1996, she has led the Architecture Department at the Academy of Arts, Architecture and Design in Prague. In 2007, she was the head of a special group that decided on the design for a new National Library building in Prague.

About Eva Jiřičná
Design Style
Notable Projects
Awards and Honors
Fun Facts
Fun Facts About Eva Jiřičná
Images for kids
See also

About Eva Jiřičná

Early Life and Education

Eva Jiřičná was born in Zlín, which was then part of Czechoslovakia, on March 3, 1939. Her family moved to Prague when she was four years old. She studied architecture at the Czech Technical University in Prague until 1962. She also studied at the Academy of Fine Arts in Prague, where she earned her master's degree in 1963. After finishing school, she began her first job at a government institute focused on housing and clothing design.

Working in Great Britain

In 1968, Eva Jiřičná got a chance to work in London as an architect. She helped design social housing projects. However, because of political events in Czechoslovakia, she could not return home. So, she decided to stay in the United Kingdom. A year later, she joined a company called Louis de Soissons Partnership. For eight years, she worked on designing and building the Brighton Marina. In 1976, she became a British citizen.

By the end of 1980, she started her own company with David Hodges. She became known for her work in architectural design contests. During this time, Eva also started focusing more on interior design projects. She still used her strong architectural skills in these designs.

She became even more recognized in the mid-1980s. She designed several shops for fashion designer Joseph Ettedgui and even his own apartment. Her work on the inside of Lloyd's Headquarters in London made her very famous. She was even asked by Steve Jobs to help with the Apple store concept, but they ended up going different ways. By 1985, she formed Jiřičná Kerr Associates, which is now called Eva Jiřičná Architects. Her team of ten people works on architecture, interior design, and even furniture design.

Projects in the Czech Republic

After the Velvet Revolution in her home country, Eva Jiřičná started working on projects in the Czech Republic again. She designed a new Congress Centre and a new building for the Tomas Bata University in Zlín in her hometown of Zlín.

She has also designed many new projects in Prague. These include the main hall of Komerční banka and the rebuilding of St. Anna Church, Old Town. She also worked on a project to replace an old telecommunication building. Since 2019, Eva Jiřičná has led a committee that judges the design of new office, retail, and industrial spaces. In early 2021, her company AI DESIGN won a competition to rebuild the Věžák Tower in Ostrava.

Design Style

Eva Jiřičná is known for using industrial materials in new and interesting ways in shops and business places. She combines her engineering and architecture knowledge with interior design. She uses lighting and different materials to make spaces look bigger and more interesting. Her understanding of buildings helps her change old, difficult spaces in London into useful areas.

Even though she became famous for her architectural projects, her store designs greatly helped her career. She showed that designing shops could be treated with the same serious architectural ideas as bigger buildings. This helped make interior design a more respected field. Eva Jiřičná has also openly said she does not like wood or cushions in her designs.

Notable Projects

Projects in Great Britain

Kenzo design store, London (1982)
Interior design of Lloyd's Headquarters, London (1984)
Boutiques in Harrods department store, London (1985)
Legends nightclub, London (1987)
Renovation of Joseph boutique on Sloan Street, London (1989)
Reception of Design Council, London (1991)
North Woolwich footbridge, London (1991)
Lockmeadow Pedestrian footbridge, Kent (1991)
Royal Victoria dock, London (1991)
Browns nightclub, London (1991)
Museum of sir John Soane, London (1993)
Joan & David shop on New Bond Street, London (1994)
De Montfort University Library, Leicester (1996)
Canada Water Bus Terminal, London (1999)
Royal Academy of Art shop, London (2001)
Boodles store, Liverpool (2004)
Harrods Fine Jewellery store, London (2006)
Bollinger Jewelry Gallery of the Victoria & Albert Museum, London (2008)
Boodles Jewellery store, London (2008)
Greenwich Hotel, London (2008)
Staircase in Somerset House, London (2014)

Projects in the Czech Republic

Andersen Consulting Offices in Dancing House, Prague (1996)
Karel Schwarzenberg's flat, Prague (1997)
Reconstruction of Komerční banka's main hall, Wenceslaus Square, Prague (1998)
New Orangery at Prague Castle, Prague (1998)
Pedestrian bridge over Koliště Street, Brno (1998)
The British Council, Prague (2003)
Reconstruction of St. Anna Church, Old Town, Prague (2004)
Reconstruction of Hotel Maximilian, Prague (2005)
U Tří Čápů Hotel, Prague (2006)
University Centre of the Tomas Bata University, Zlín (2008)
Spa House Sněžka, Mariánské Lázně (2010)
Zlín Congress Centre, Zlín (2011) – this center is also home to the Bohuslav Martinů Philharmony orchestra.
Café B. Braun at I. P. Pavlov Square, Prague (2011)
SIKO Showroom, Prague (2013)
Renovation of Hotel Josef, Prague (2015)
Facade of housing project Sky Barrandov, Prague (2016)
Beltissimo shops, Prague (2016)
Faculty of Humanities of the Tomas Bata University, Zlín (2017)
Luděk Sekyra's Family Villa, Prague (2018)
New building of the General Faculty Hospital in Prague, New Town, Prague (construction was ongoing in 2021)
Three residential towers replacing the old Central Telelecommunication Building near Žižkov freight railway station, Prague (this project was still being approved in 2021)
Reconstruction of Věžák Tower in Ostčilova Street, Ostrava (construction was planned to start in 2023)

Projects in Other Countries

Remodeling of the Alex Boutique, Florence (1989)
Joan & David store on Fifth Avenue, New York (1990)
Bergdorf Goodman Building fifth floor renovation, New York (1992)
Joan & David design store, Paris (1994)
Hugo Boss design store, Tokyo (1995)
Tiffany Gallery at the New-York Historical Society Museum & Library, New York (2017)

Awards and Honors

Eva Jiřičná has received many important awards for her work:

1991: Royal Designer for Industry
1994: Awarded CBE
1997: Elected as an Academician to The Royal Academy of Arts
2008: Honorary Doctor of Philosophy from University of Nottingham and London Metropolitan University
2013: Jane Drew Prize
2013: Honorary Doctorate from Royal College of Art
2018: Honorary Silver Medal of Jan Masaryk
2018: Lifetime Achievement Medal at the London Design Festival
2024: Commanders of the Order of the White Lion

Fun Facts

When Eva Jiřičná was studying architecture at CTU, one of her classmates was Pavel Bobek, who later became a famous Czech singer.
Jan Kaplický, another well-known Czech architect, was Eva Jiřičná's partner for 10 years.
She is a vegetarian.

Fun Facts About Eva Jiřičná

When she was studying architecture, one of her classmates was Pavel Bobek, who later became a famous Czech singer!
She was partners with another well-known Czech architect, Jan Kaplický, for 10 years.
She is a vegetarian.