"At an age when I wanted to be a painter, philosopher, engineer, and even an inventor, chance provided me with the glowing, comforting assurance that I could be all those things if only I were a good architect" - Svoboda (12)
All of Svoboda's art was rooted in architecture. His highly structural designs pay special consideration to space, shape, and light.
Svoboda was a trained architect, having studied at the Prague School of Industrial and Fine Arts. This training was his only formal artistic schooling, and these architectural principles became the framework for all of his theatre design. His designs incorporated staircases, blocks, and moving platforms.
Though he never designed a house in his life, Svoboda taught architecture at his alma mater after retiring from the stage. This expert ability reveals his deep understanding of architectural principle that could only have come from his half-century of design for the stage.
Images:
Svoboda, Josef. Electra set design: kinetic model. 1965.
Fabrizi, Mariabruna. "Light, Shadows, Projections: Set Design by Josef Svoboda – – SOCKS." SOCKS. N.p., 10 Oct. 2015. Web. 18 May 2016. <http://socks-studio.com/2015/10/10/light-shadows-projections-set-design-by-josef-svoboda/>.
Svoboda, Josef. Torch of Prometheus set design. 1965.