Dancing house. Prague and unusual architecture

2024 Author: Harold Hamphrey | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 10:06

The Dancing House in Prague is a bold decision by architects to depict dance within the building. Located in the city center, the building has become a landmark of the Czech capital.

The house caused a lot of controversy and criticism, but in the end the project was approved and built.

History of occurrence

The building that once stood on the site of the Dancing House was destroyed during World War II. And for almost half a century the place was empty until the Dancing House appeared.

Prague has acquired a new attraction thanks to the decision of President Vaclav Havel. It was he who proposed to start construction on an empty place. According to rumors, the neighboring house belonged to the Havel family before the nationalization.

Of course, it is difficult to say what was the main circumstance in the construction of the Dancing House, but the president decided to erect a building designed by Vlado Milunić in a wasteland.

The insurance company that bought the land in the wasteland put forward a demand for the participation of a well-known western architect in the project. The choice fell on the famous Frank Gehry.

Building a house

The architects of the dancing house were Vlado Milunich and Frank Owen Gehry. Mostmodern technologies and materials of the time were used to build the Dancing House.

Prague for the first time acquired a building in the style of deconstructivism. This is a new direction that involves visual complexity, unexpected forms and an aggressive intrusion into the urban environment.

Design was carried out with the help of special programs of three-dimensional image. The house required great accuracy of calculations. The indirect lines of this unusual house suggest that it is about to break. But professionals worked on it, and there should be no concerns.

The construction of an unusual house began in 1994 and was personally supervised by the president.

The main architectural idea is an analogy with the famous dancing couple - Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers.

At first glance, the architectural design becomes clear. The building is divided into two parts. One part looks like a man, and the second part looks like a woman in a skirt that flutters in dance.

Half of the building doesn't look much different from the houses around it at first glance, but if you look closely, you can see that all the windows and walls are slightly crooked.

The second part of the building is more curved and has a large angle of inclination. It is almost completely covered with glass panels and has a modern look, while all the surrounding houses have retained the Romanesque style.

At the very top of one of the buildings there is an observation deck and a kind of dome made of iron structuresand antennas.

The Dancing House was built in 1996. Prague received another beautiful building and became famous all over the world for its unusual architecture.

Criticism

Everything new and incomprehensible has always frightened people and caused sharp criticism. Even the Eiffel Tower, which has become a symbol of France, has not escaped this.

The construction of such an original house caused a lot of dissatisfaction with the townspeople, because it was built in a completely different architectural style than its neighbors.

But it didn't last long. And soon after the construction, the house was recognized as a highlight of Prague.

New Home Owner

The name of the Dancing House in Prague changed on December 17, 2013 to Ginger and Fred. On this day, the famous building was sold to the collector of unusual buildings Vaclav Skala for $18 million.

Now the house has a more accurate name in honor of the two dancers who inspired the architects to create it - Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers. This celebrity couple shone on screens in the 30s and 40s of the last century.

Ginger and Fred is not the only deconstructivist building, but it has rightfully earned its fame. A spokesman for Jones Lang LaaSalle, which sold the Dancing House, said such facilities will always be in demand.

Dancing house today

When the building was just being built, it was assumed that it would be the cultural center of the capital and museums would be located in the Dancing House. But everything turned outotherwise.

Today, Pyany Dom is used as a business center, mainly there are offices of international companies. There is a French restaurant on the rooftop. There you can enjoy not only the great taste of dishes, but also a beautiful view of the capital of the Czech Republic.

True, this pleasure is not cheap. Very often, newlyweds come to celebrate their wedding at the Dancing House.

Prague opens up from a completely different side if you go up to the observation deck of the tower. You can enjoy views of Prague Castle and the Vltava river embankment. Or just watch Czech life go by.

Inside, the interiors of the first three floors are designed by Eva Yorzhichnaya and match the style of the building's architecture.

Where is the dancing house in Prague

The Dancing House is one of Prague's landmarks, so it can be found on any map or guidebook.

"Drunken House" stands at the crossroads of Rashinova embankment and Resslova street. If you get to it from the Charles Bridge, it will not take much time. You need to walk along the embankment in the direction of the National Theater, without turning anywhere. Ten minutes later, the Dancing House will come into view.

Building address: Rasinovo nabrezi, 80. Nearby there is a metro station Karlovo Namesti, which belongs to the yellow line.