Dancing House. Prague and unusual architecture

A dancing house in Prague is a bold decision by architects to portray a dance in a building. The building located in the center of the city became a landmark of the capital of the Czech Republic.

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

History of occurrence

The building, which used to be on the site of the Dancing House, was destroyed in the Second World War. 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 begin construction on an empty place. According to rumors, the neighboring house belonged to the Havel family before 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 that was designed by Vlado Milunich in a vacant lot.

The insurance company, which bought land in the wasteland, demanded the participation of a well-known Western architect in the project. The choice fell on the famous Frank Gehry.

Home construction

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

Prague first acquired a building in the style of deconstructionism. This new direction, which involves visual complexity, unexpected forms and an aggressive invasion of the urban environment.

Design was carried out using special programs of three-dimensional image. The house demanded great accuracy of calculations. Indirect lines of this unusual house suggest that he is about to break. But the professionals worked on it, and there should be no fear.

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 dance pair - Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers.

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

Half the building at first glance is not much different from the surrounding houses, but if you look closely, you can see that all the windows and walls are a little 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 preserved the Romanesque style.

At the top of one of the buildings is an observation deck and a kind of dome of iron structures and antennas.

In 1996 they built the Dancing House. Prague received another beautiful building and became famous throughout the world for its unusual architecture.

Criticism

Everything new and confusing has always frightened people and caused sharp criticism. Even the Eiffel Tower, which became the symbol of France, did not escape this.

The construction of such an original house caused a lot of discontent among the citizens, because it was built in a completely different architectural style, rather than its neighbors.

But it did not last long. And soon after the construction of the house recognized as a Prague zest.

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 structures Vaclav Skal 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 star couple shone on the screens in the 30-40's of the last century.

"Ginger and Fred" - not the only building in the style of deconstruction, but it deservedly earned its fame. A representative of the company Jones Lang LaaSalle, which sold the Dancing House, said that such structures will always be in demand.

Dancing House Today

When the building was only being built, it was supposed that it would be the cultural center of the capital and museums would be located in the Dancing House. But everything turned out differently.

Today, "Drunken House" is used as a business center, mainly there are offices of international companies. On the roof there is a restaurant of French cuisine. There you can enjoy not only a great taste of dishes, but also a beautiful view of the capital of the Czech Republic.

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

Prague opens completely from the other side, if you go up to the observation deck of the tower. You can enjoy views of the Prague Castle and the embankment of the Vltava River. Or just watch the course of Czech life.

Inside, the interiors of the first three floors are designed by Eva Yorzhichnaya and fit the style of the building.

Where the dancing house in Prague is located

The dancing house is one of the sights of Prague, so it can be found on any map or guide.

"Drunken house" stands at the crossroads of Rashinova embankment and Reslova street. If you get to it from the Charles Bridge, it will not take long. We need to go along the embankment to the National Theater, without turning off. Ten minutes later, the Dancing House appears in the field of vision.

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