What to do with a culturally significant home that’s too expensive to maintain but too precious to abandon? That was the conundrum facing Zuzana Kadleckova, whose family owns Villa Volman, a 1930s masterpiece of Czech modernism. “Can you imagine living here today?” says Kadleckova with a laugh. The former marketing consultant turned full-time curator is on hand to meet monocle to explain her answer to our original question: under her direction, the renovated villa has been transformed into a museum. “The villa is breathtaking but the scale is something else entirely,” she says. “Every walk from the bedroom to the kitchen would make you think twice.”

Located down a long drive in the small town of Celakovice, a journey of about 30 minutes from Prague, Villa Volman is a striking work of architecture with a chequered past. Across four storeys, it has a grand dining room, games room, an enormous open- plan living space, stately bedrooms and grand bathrooms, as well as staff quarters and a sweeping rooftop belvedere, all enclosed in architecture defined by crisp lines and intersecting planes.

Designed by Jiri Stursa and Karel Janu, two radical young architects whose Marxist principles saw them typically work on social housing rather than private villas, it was commissioned by industrialist Josef Volman in 1937. He ran a machine-tool factory and built the home on an estate next to a public park used by his employees for leisure pursuits. The house, intended for the widower and his daughter, Ludmila, reflected the ambitions of both its owner and what was then Czechoslovakia, as the man and the country enjoyed newfound prosperity that required striking modern architecture to reflect their progress, prowess and contemporary tastes.

This ambition was short-lived, however. Volman died four years after moving in and Ludmilla fled to France following the communist revolution in 1948, which resulted in the nationalisation of the villa. It was used as a kindergarten for decades before being abandoned in the 1990s. “The new chapter starts in 1996 with a set of new owners that included my father,” says Kadleckova. “My family is from Celakovice, and we are entrepreneurs producing machine tools, much like the Volmans. So you could say our family company is a natural successor.”

Kadleckova’s father, with the help of tak Architects’ founder Marek Tichy, spent the better part of 15 years renovating the home, which had decayed dramatically – rusted steel protruded from fractured concrete, windowpanes were shattered and the travertine cladding lay in fragmented ruin. “Tichy is one of the best-known Czech architects specialising in the restoration of the architecture of the first Czechoslovak republic,” says Kadleckova of the decision to work with the Prague-based creative, who matched the original material and colour palette of the villa in his restoration.

Under Tichy’s guidance, the travertine cladding and terracotta tiles were replaced or restored and bold splashes of colour were reinstated. Details and bespoke fittings, such as an oak staircase with a balustrade perforated with circular openings, were returned to their original and rightful majesty. Attention was also paid to the exterior spaces and façades, with the garden beds surrounding the rooftop belvedere replanted and the grand porte cochère (covered porch) given a lick of paint.

The villa has been finished with classic modern furniture – the perfect backdrop for the activities selected by Kadleckova that invite life to continue in the building. “There’s no better way to tell the stories of modern architecture and design than within the walls that lived through the 20th century,” says Kadleckova of the decision to open the space to the public with considered programming.

“When we welcome you as though it were your own home, you’re immersed and captivated with all your senses. It’s a completely different level of engagement compared with learning about it from books or attending lectures.”

The museum is open for guided tours and one-off events, such as rooftop yoga. But there are also opportunities to stay overnight; guests can contact Kadleckova and join the waiting list. The highlights, however, are moments when the spirit of the original architecture is brought into harmony with other creative industries, including live music and performance art. “We can host intimate concerts,” says Kadleckova. “Artists absolutely love performing here. After all, who else has a 170 sq metre living room? It brings fresh energy to the villa while still respecting its original character.” — L
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