Antonin Nechodoma (1877-1928) was a self-made man with scarce education in architecture, who throughout his career continuously surprised with outstanding designs.  He was born in Bohemia (1877-1928) and grew up in Chicago where he began his career as a contractor for six years, he then spent some time in Jacksonville, FL before moving to the Caribbean where he worked in the Dominican Republic and in Puerto Rico 1905 until his death. His work is worth documenting due to the unique and innovative style, depicting his adaptation to the tropics of the Prairie Style which he is credited with introducing in Puerto Rico.​ Although his background was construction, most of his work in Puerto Rico was built by Frank B. Hatch.  

There are conflicting theories regarding if Nechodoma ever met Frank Lloyd Wright personally, but there is no doubt his work was strongly influenced Lloyd Wright's Wasmuth Portfolio.  If his work was original or plagiarized is for others to decide, it is though, interesting work and a genial adaptation of a style born in the US midwest to the Caribbean.  It is also possible that Nechodoma was influenced by the work of Henry John Klutho for whom he worked in Jacksonville, FL prior to moving to the Caribbean.  It is known that Klutho became an advocate of the Prairie Style after meeting Wright. Some of Nechodoma’s work that has some resemblance to work by Lloyd Wright are the Georgetti and Korber residence to the Dana House and the Luchetti residence to the Ullman House.

In the fall of 1983 issue of the Florida Architect, the journal of the Florida Association of the American Institute of Architects, Thomas Marvel wtites about the life and work of Nechodoma in Chicago, Jacksonville and Puerto Rico. Marvel’s thirty four year research on the life and work of Nechodoma was eventually documented in his book Antonin Nechodoma, Architect 1877-1928: the Prairie School in the Caribbean published in 1993. In it, Marvel makes it clear that Nechodoma adapted the architecture of Wright's Prairie School to the tropics creating a regional style combining design, climate, comfort and natural materials. Using a quote from Marvel;

"He can be faulted for emulation, but he can also be praised for producing great houses of his own from the great houses of Wright."

Circumstances surrounding Nechodoma’s life and death in a car accident appear to have been no less interesting and controversial than his work.  As if his life was not filled with strange circumstances, after his death in 1928, in 1934 his son committed suicide at the family's house as evidenced by his death certificate. 

Vinatage pictures below show some of Nechodoma's designs since demolished which include his residence in the Monteflores section of Santurce, which 1913 design was his first after returning from the Dominican Republic and is not yet typical of the Prairie Style he adopted later on in his career. There is a structure in the outskirts of Aibonito in the community known as “El Campito” designed by Nechodoma for the Methodist Church as a resting and meditation place for missionaries which locals today call "La Obra" or "El Castillo." This structure was originally known as the Mary Stanton Collins Missionary Rest Home and today is located at Calle Margarita Fuentes (final), pictures of this structure are forthcoming. Unfortunately, out of the eighty two structures designed by Nechodoma and listed by Marvel in his book, thirty two or 39% have been demolished and twenty five are still in existence, some altered. The following is a list of most of his remaining work on the island photographed between July 2014 and January 2016, clicking on the names will direct you to a new page with pictures and more information on the structure.