Arnost Wiesner

(b Malacky, Slovakia, 21 Jan 1890; d Liverpool, 15 July 1971). Slovak architect. He studied architecture at the Akademie der Bildenden K?nste, Vienna, under Friedrich Ohmann. He later became Ohmann's assistant, although his architectural philosophy was at that time much more influenced by Adolf Loos. Between 1919 and 1939 he worked in Brno where he carried out much of his work, which, in the spirit of Loos, anticipated the principles of modern traditionalism. His most important building was the municipal crematorium (1925-30), Brno, a modern interpretation of the Mesopotamian ziggurat. He also built several houses in Brno, the Morava building (1927), the post office (1934-6) in Sumperk, northern Moravia, and the Moravian Bank (1929-31; with Bohuslav Fuchs), Brno; all exhibit a bold but traditional approach with fine detailing in natural materials. In 1939, after the political disintegration of Czechoslovakia, he went to England where he worked in architectural schools in Oxford and Liverpool.

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