THE SEMLER RESIDENCE
Oskar Semler’s family apartment is a unique architectural monument of 20th century interior design in the Czech Republic. Oskar Semler was co-owner of a wire ware company specializing in manufacturing “Sem” gramophone needles. Although it is most probable that the architect Adolf Loos participated only by devising the overall concept of the space, which was further developed and detailed by his apprentice Heinrich Kulka, this interior design represents not only Loos’s last work, but the climax of his activity in Pilsen.
The Semler Residence is the only example of a multilevel apartment based on the so-called “Raumplan”, i.e. the concept of seamlessly linking spaces of different heights. The interior comprises six main levels and is strongly reminiscent of the Müller Villa in Prague which had been built earlier. In contrast to the villa, however, Semler’s apartment was built within an older high street tenement house.
Semler Residence is the only place in Pilsen that features the landmark principle of Adolf Loos’s architecture, the famous Raumplan. Although Adolf Loos probably produced only the initial spatial concept of this apartment and detailed plans were later elaborated by his pupil Heinrich Kulka, Semler Residence can be considered the highlight of Loos’s activity in Pilsen. It is the only apartment that is made of several layers and thus resembles strongly the famous Villa Müller in Prague which preceded its construction. In contrast to it, Semler Residence was built into an existing
The first part of the residence has been made open to the public in the autumn of 2015 and additional restoration is still in progress. In future, Centre for Research of Pilsen Region Architecture” will be established here.
The guided tours for public are managed and arranged by the “Pilsen – TOURISM” organisation. Semler Residence constitutes the third guided tour within the Loos Interiors in Pilsen. www.adolfloosplzen.cz
Opening hours (tickets need to be bought beforehand!)
April – October: Thursday, Saturday and Sunday at designated times
November – March: Thursday and Saturday at designated times
English and German tours are available at selected times
The guided tour of Semler Residence takes approximately an hour.
Booking tickets
Please book your tickets online at www.adolfloosplzen.cz.
Tickets can also be bought the Information Centre at the main square (náměstí Republiky 41 – open daily from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., from April to October to 7 p.m.).
Maximum number of visitors for one guided tour is 10 people.