Concert and Award for World-Renowned Architect Eva Jiřičná
12. March 2024The concert organized in honour of the internationally acclaimed architect and Zlín native Eva Jiřičná, who celebrated her birth anniversary, took place on 5 March 2024 in the Congress Centre in Zlín, which she designed 14 years ago. The Great Hall now bears her name. The Small Hall has been named after Irena Ondrová, the former Mayor of Zlín.
“Honestly, I’m deeply touched by the attention shown to me. I’m an architect and I’ve been doing my job all my life with great pleasure, but it feels as if I built the Centre myself. However, that’s not the case, a huge number of people were involved in the construction of the Centre, and I would like to thank them all for their work and efforts. I’m so happy it looks the way it does. Everything is clean, every detail is maintained. Architects cannot wish for more than to see their buildings well-maintained,” said Eva Jiřičná.
“It is a great honour for us that it was Prof. Jiřičná who designed the building of the University Centre, the Faculty of Humanities and also the perfectly renovated Assembly Hall of TBU. When you enter these buildings, you can recognize her style and feel her personality. Big thanks also go to Prof. Sáha and to RNDr. Alexander Černý, former Bursar of TBU, who were largely instrumental in the construction of these buildings,” said Prof. Milan Adámek, Rector of TBU.
The festive atmosphere of the concert, accentuated by the attendance of Prof. Eva Jiřičná, was enhanced by the compositions selected for the evening. Under the baton of Austrian pianist and conductor Florian Krumpöck, the Bohuslav Martinů Philharmonic Orchestra performed five of Eva Jiřičná’s favourite works by Antonín Dvořák and Frédéric Chopin.
Moreover, the Office of the Governor of the Zlín Region awarded Eva Jiřičná its highest award – Meritorious Distinction of the First Class. So far, only four personalities have received it, namely athlete Dana Zátopková, traveller Miroslav Zikmund, doctor Karel Kuběna and athlete Emil Zátopek, in memoriam.
Eva Jiřičná, who was born on 3 March 1939 in Zlín, completed studies of architecture at the Czech Technical University in Prague and continued her postgraduate studies at the Academy of Fine Arts in Prague. She was a student in the studio of Prof. Jaroslav Fragner. From 1967, she worked as an architect for the Institute of Housing and Clothing Culture. In summer 1968, she travelled to London to take an internship. Her stay, however, came to an abrupt end after a few months, when the Czech Embassy informed her about her return to the home country not being desirable. At present, she runs two architectural studios – Eva Jiricna Architects Limited based in London and AI Design located in Prague.
Eva Jiřičná’s significant architectural commissions include the Canada Water bus station, the construction and interior remodelling of the Victoria & Albert Museum in London, and the iconic design of Joseph, Boodles, Joan & David or Harrods shop interiors, staircase in Somerset House and Tiffany Gallery in New York. Her projects in Prague include, besides others, the construction of the Royal Garden Orangery at Prague Castle, Josef Hotel in Prague, Congress Centre in Zlín.
From 1993 to 2006, she was a full-time Professor and Head of the Architectural Studio at the Academy of Arts, Architecture and Design in Prague. For her architectural achievements, Eva Jiřičná has been presented with numerous Czech and international awards and prizes, including several Grand Prix awards by the Society of Czech Architects. She has received honorary doctorates from several universities, both in the Czech Republic and abroad.
In 1994, she was awarded the Commander of the Order of the British Empire for her merits in design. She has been a member of the Royal Academy of Arts since 1997.
In 2011, she received honorary doctorate from Tomas Bata University in Zlín, where she sits on the Board of Governors at present. Eva Jiřičná, whose architectural style is characterized by elegance, functionality and an innovative approach to materials, is the author of architectural design project of the TBU’s University Centre (U13), which houses the Rectorate and the Library, and the Faculty of Humanities (U18) in Štefánikova Street. She also designed the renovation project for the Assembly Hall in Mostní Street.
In 2018, Eva Jiřičná received the Award of the Town of Zlín, Honorary Silver Medal of Jan Masaryk as acknowledgement of her contributions to developing Czech-British relations, and the Lifetime Achievement Medal at the London Design Festival. In 2022, she received the Czech Chamber of Architects’ 2021 award for lifetime achievement.
