Jan Hájek
My father was an upholsterer and stagehand at Laterna Magika. The environment, where artistic and craft processes intertwined, naturally guided me towards art-industrial school and architecture.
I view architecture as a humanities discipline. Architectural creation allows me to transform temporary life energy into an eternal work. It is a profound theme, grappling with time, transience, and mortality. My practice is divided into four phases. The first stage was collaboration with Alena Šrámková, the second was working with Milan Kvíz, the third was the founding of the firm Atelier M1 Architects with Pavel Joba, and the fourth is represented by my own firm, Architecton Ltd.
Building design is multidisciplinary. I see architecture as an art. Its creation is conditioned by mastering technique and technology. Therefore, I hold the highest respect for my colleagues—structural engineers, civil engineers, specialized engineers, and craftsmen. From the start, I strive to involve visual artists in the creative process, as they define the cultural dimension. Over the years, I’ve had the honor of working with, among others, Barbora Zachovalová, Veronika Marešová, Petr Krejzek, Aleš Najbrt, and Václav Jirásek.
Proffesional practice
Born on august 18, 1971 in Vlašim
1985 – 1989 – graduated from SUPŠ in Prague
1989 – 1996 graduated from the FA CTU in Prague
1986 – 1990 – experience in furniture production by Jiří Karhánek
1990 – 1993 – practice in the DA studio
1993 – Michigan University Summer School, Ann Arbor, Leslie Van Duzer, Kent Kleinman, David Osler
1993 – 2000 collaboration with Alena Šrámková
2000 – 2001 – collaboration with Milan Kvíz
2000 – 2004 association M1 with Pavel Joba
2003 – 2024 founding partner of Atelir M1 architects s.r.o.
2024 – founding my own company Architecton s.r.o.
Johana Netrvalová
I was born in Planá u Mariánských Lázní into a family of an engineer and an art teacher, which naturally shaped a blend of rational and artistic approaches within me. This influence manifested early in my childhood when my mother used to paint houses on the wall above my bed—unknowingly following the method of Anna Lloyd Jones Wright, who hung engravings of cathedrals and architecture above the bed of her son, Frank Lloyd Wright.
Those first drawings of houses gradually led to designing my own room, and later, to creating my dream villas, including through digital simulations like The Sims. Over time, my interest in the built environment deepened until it naturally culminated in the study of architecture. Today, this has evolved into a keen sensitivity to the details that many overlook—the precision of tile joints, the thoughtful layout of sanitary spaces, or the symmetry of floor plans that often remains visible only on blueprints.
Motto:
If you design a staircase well, the house is practically finished.
Proffesional practice
Born on august 18, 1971 in Vlašim
1985 – 1989 – graduated from SUPŠ in Prague
1989 – 1996 graduated from the FA CTU in Prague
1986 – 1990 – experience in furniture production by Jiří Karhánek
1990 – 1993 – practice in the DA studio
1993 – Michigan University Summer School, Ann Arbor, Leslie Van Duzer, Kent Kleinman, David Osler
1993 – 2000 collaboration with Alena Šrámková
2000 – 2001 – collaboration with Milan Kvíz
2000 – 2004 association M1 with Pavel Joba
2003 – 2024 founding partner of Atelir M1 architects s.r.o.
2024 – founding my own company Architecton s.r.o.