Pavilon Expo 58
Architect: František Cubr, Josef Hrubý, Zdeněk Pokorný
Year of completion: 1958, 1959 přemístěna z Bruselu na Letnou
The Czechoslovak Pavilion at the first post-war Expo in 1958 was a true sensation. The Brussels pavilion with its restaurant shone to such an extent that it won the main prize, the Golden Star, as well as 56 other awards. The success was mainly attributed to the famous trio of young architects whose project stood out for its perfect purity of form and innovative technological and structural solutions. The semi-circular structure of the restaurant with its glass facade seemed to erase the differences between what was inside and what was outside with its transparency. The revolutionary Laterna Magika, the world’s first multimedia theater, located in a small cultural hall within its own pavilion, also sparked immense interest among Expo visitors. Due to its great success, the architectural masterpiece was relocated to Prague. The larger part stood at the Exhibition Grounds, but it burned down in 1991. On the other hand, the graceful two-story glassed restaurant facility still serves as a gallery overlooking Prague to this day.
