Zdenek Kovár
Encyclopedia
Zdeněk Kovář, born January 26, 1917, Vsetín
, Moravia
(Czech Republic
), died June 21, 2004, Zlín
, renown Czech industrial designer.
’s Zlín
factory, then as locksmith and later as engineer. He studied under prominent Czech sculptor Vincenc Makovský at Zlín
’s Art School from 1939 where he became interested in industrial design. He graduated there in 1943. He continued to work at Zlín
for Baťa creating body designs for vertical drilling machines. In 1947 he founded an industrial design studio in the Zlín
Technical College. From 1959 he taught at the Institute of Arts & Crafts in Prague
. Kovář was also a sculptor. His industrial designs involved projects for scissor and tool handles, lever door handles, sewing machines, lathes, typewriters, film projectors, record players. His most well-known proposals are for the Tatra truck bodies for types T137 and T138 (1956–1958) and studies for the passenger car Tatra T603
(1954).
Vsetín
Vsetín is a town in Zlín Region of the Czech Republic. It has around 28,500 inhabitants and lies on the Vsetínská Bečva river.The area around Vsetín, called Vsetínsko, is spread out on the foothills of the Vsetín, Hostýn and Vizovice Highlands around the Bečva River...
, Moravia
Moravia
Moravia is a historical region in Central Europe in the east of the Czech Republic, and one of the former Czech lands, together with Bohemia and Silesia. It takes its name from the Morava River which rises in the northwest of the region...
(Czech Republic
Czech Republic
The Czech Republic is a landlocked country in Central Europe. The country is bordered by Poland to the northeast, Slovakia to the east, Austria to the south, and Germany to the west and northwest....
), died June 21, 2004, Zlín
Zlín
Zlín , from 1949 to 1989 Gottwaldov , is a city in the Zlín Region, southeastern Moravia, Czech Republic, on the Dřevnice River. The development of the modern city is closely connected to the Bata Shoes company...
, renown Czech industrial designer.
Life
He trained as a shoemaker in BaťaBata Shoes
Bata Shoes is a large, family owned shoe company based in Bermuda but currently headquartered in Lausanne, Switzerland, operating 3 business units worldwide – Bata Metro Markets, Bata Emerging Markets and Bata Branded Business. It has a retail presence in over 50 countries and production...
’s Zlín
Zlín
Zlín , from 1949 to 1989 Gottwaldov , is a city in the Zlín Region, southeastern Moravia, Czech Republic, on the Dřevnice River. The development of the modern city is closely connected to the Bata Shoes company...
factory, then as locksmith and later as engineer. He studied under prominent Czech sculptor Vincenc Makovský at Zlín
Zlín
Zlín , from 1949 to 1989 Gottwaldov , is a city in the Zlín Region, southeastern Moravia, Czech Republic, on the Dřevnice River. The development of the modern city is closely connected to the Bata Shoes company...
’s Art School from 1939 where he became interested in industrial design. He graduated there in 1943. He continued to work at Zlín
Zlín
Zlín , from 1949 to 1989 Gottwaldov , is a city in the Zlín Region, southeastern Moravia, Czech Republic, on the Dřevnice River. The development of the modern city is closely connected to the Bata Shoes company...
for Baťa creating body designs for vertical drilling machines. In 1947 he founded an industrial design studio in the Zlín
Zlín
Zlín , from 1949 to 1989 Gottwaldov , is a city in the Zlín Region, southeastern Moravia, Czech Republic, on the Dřevnice River. The development of the modern city is closely connected to the Bata Shoes company...
Technical College. From 1959 he taught at the Institute of Arts & Crafts in Prague
Prague
Prague is the capital and largest city of the Czech Republic. Situated in the north-west of the country on the Vltava river, the city is home to about 1.3 million people, while its metropolitan area is estimated to have a population of over 2.3 million...
. Kovář was also a sculptor. His industrial designs involved projects for scissor and tool handles, lever door handles, sewing machines, lathes, typewriters, film projectors, record players. His most well-known proposals are for the Tatra truck bodies for types T137 and T138 (1956–1958) and studies for the passenger car Tatra T603
Tatra T603
The Tatra 603 is a large rear-engined luxury car made by the Czechoslovak company Tatra. It was a continuation of the series of Tatra streamlined sedans started by the Tatra 77...
(1954).