The Dancing House

The Dancing House replaced a corner tenement building that was destroyed during the bombings in February 1945. The vacant lot remained empty until the 1990s when architect Vlado Milunič and President Václav Havel, who lived in the neighboring house, started discussing its future. Milunič later invited American architect Frank O. Gehry to join the project at the request of the investor, resulting in a building often nicknamed Ginger and Fred. The inspiration from the famous interwar dance couple is evident in the design of the building.

The solid, heavy mass of the corner tower, expanding upwards, represents the male figure. In contrast, the female dancer is depicted in the glass part of the building, resembling billowing skirts. The glass envelope, concealing the reinforced concrete structure, gracefully descends to the ground on unevenly shaped columns. The entire structure is completed by Fred’s steel crown, which houses a publicly accessible rooftop bar.