Doc. Ing. arch. Tomas Efler
Architect, building historian, architectural conservator and pedagogue at the Faculty of Architecture of the Czech Technical University. The head of the architectural studio and head of the Department of Architectural Heritage Conservation of the Czech Technical University in Prague.
He grew up in the area of the former Thun manor's estate and the secondary agricultural and horticultural school Libverda in Děčín, in the middle of the charming landscape of the Central Bohemian Highlands and Czech Switzerland on the Czech-German border. He has been studying architecture since 1998 in Prague at the FA CTU, in 2001-2002 in Paris at EAPLV Paris La Villette with professor Hervé Filipetti. In 2005, he completed a master's degree in architecture under the supervision of professor Václav Girsa at the Faculty of Architecture of the Czech Technical University in Prague. He researched folk architecture and construction under the guidance of Professor Jiří Škabrada at the FA CTU in Prague. For a long time, he has been dealing with the relationship between heritage conservation and architectural creation on campus, first since 2008 as design assistant in the studio of restoration of architectural heritage of prof. Václav Girsa, including related teaching activities, subsequently leading an independent architectural studio from 2018 (Vernacular Architecture Studio, Efler studio) and from 2023 leading the Department of Architectural Heritage Conservation at the Faculty of Architecture of the Czech Technical University in Prague.
As part of his architectural practice and subsequent collaboration with the Atelier for the Restoration and Conservation of Historic Buildings GIRSA AT, he participated in the concept of the revitalization of the Kotlářka estate in Prague 6, the preparation of the conservation project for Bezděz Castle, Pernštejn and the Horní hrad Bečov, and in the implementation of the conservation project for the southern facade of the NKP Horní hrad and château Český Krumlov, which was awarded the EUROPA NOSTRA AWARD of the European Union for Cultural Heritage in 2008.
He also collaborated on a number of studies and projects in Prague in the team of architect Tomáš Šantavý. Among the main realized projects, mainly the restoration of heritage-protected buildings, which he led, include the repair of the castle areas, including permanent exhibitions in Roztoky near Prague for the Central Bohemian Museum, the revitalization of the southern castle gardens in Děčín, and above all the Architectural Heritage Center in Plasy (National Cultural Monument) in the building of the former monastery brewery for the exposition depository of the National Technical Museum. The exhibition of the brewery in Plasy, the revitalization of the castle in Roztoky near Prague and in 2023 also the adaptation of the castle barn for the archeological exposition Traces of the Ages "Archevita" in Roztoky were awarded in the Gloria musaealis competition.
In his independent architectural work as part of the Merboltice Architectural Studio, located in the village heritage zone in the Central Bohemian Highlands, he focuses on designs and projects connected with the restoration of historical buildings and areas and especially folk architecture. Among the most recently implemented projects are the restoration of the wooden Beran inn in Trávníček in Českodubsko region or the restoration of the baroque glorietto in the Rose Garden at the castle in Děčín. In 2022, the renovation of the gloriette was awarded the Grand Prix of the Architects' Association in the reconstruction category and was also successful in the Patrimonia pro futuro 2022 competition organized by the National Institute of Monuments.
As part of its membership in ČNK, ICOMOS supported the preparation of the nomination of the city of Žatec and the Žatec hop landscape for inclusion in the list of UNESCO monuments. He is a member of the Heritage Preservation working group of the Czech Chamber of Architects, the Society for the Renewal of a Village and a Small Town, the Děčín Podmokly patrimonial society, the Fachring Umgebindehaus, the Society for the Sustainable Development of Šluknovsko and the Merboltice Neighborhood Association. In addition to school studio teaching at FA CTU, he is involved in the international cooperation of pedagogues and architects in the field of preservation of monuments and historic building fund in the group Conservation Network of EAAE, which is part of the European Association for Architectural Education.
As the head of the Department of Architectural Heritage Conservation, he supports cooperation with other FA CTU departments and other academic, scientific and research institutions. He considers it important to continue cooperation with ČNK ICOMOC and to develop international contacts and cooperation with foreign academic workplaces and partners from the public and private spheres.