So amazing. It reminds me of something you'd see in a Dr. Seuss book.

This is one of my favorite Gehry projects. To see his work in direct context with the surrounding city is lovely, as compared to some of his more object-in-a-field work.

Not to be picky but the nickname for the building is not The Dancing House. It is nicknamed Fred and Ginger (after Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers).

I love the whimsy in this.
Prague is a seriously beautiful, easy-to-fall-in-love-with city.

this is gorgeous!

It reminds me of The Scream by Edvard Munch. So fantastic!

Hessilou- the name of the building is Tančící dům in czech, which translates to "dancing house." Perhaps it's not the nickname, but it is certainly the translation.

I have been to the restaurant on top- La Perle de Prague- and it was delicious! Plus incredibly cheap compared to American prices... we paid about $30 per entree for amazing, creative dishes. I absolutely recommend it to anyone traveling through.

I think that the name of the building (Tancici Dum in Czech) translates to Dancing House or Dancing Building, though plenty of people do refer to it as Fred and Ginger. It really is a fabulous building in person!

it's revolting. especially when you see it from across the river and how it breaks the natural flow of the riverbank. I'm all for object buildings, just poor location.

i agree with you COMPLETELY mattew w. - i saw it about 7 years ago and it's a complete eye sore, and completely ignores it's surroundings, which is pretty characteristic of most of gehry's buildings.

Ginger and Fred was built in an area where bombs had destroyed the previous building. Gehry worked with a Czech architect, Vladimir Milunic, and not everyone in Prague just loved the result. The Soviet-style junk built after the war was much worse, of course.

Let's not forget that Paris thought the Eiffel tower was a complete eyesore when it was built, too. Should also mention the history: it was built on a site of one of the very few buildings (one of three buildings, I think) which was destroyed in the bombings in WW2. Let's just be happy that a horrible loss is now an interesting and commercially viable structure.

Officially named "the Rasin Building", it was commissioned by ING, who initially approached Jean Nouvel (responsible for a large development accross the river in Smichov). Nouvel turned them down because of the small lot size, and then the project was offered to Gehry.

The building was nicknamed "Fred and Ginger" during the design phase because from the facade which fronts the river (the principal facade not shown here), it looks like a couple dancing -- Fred bending Ginger backwards, and her skirt swirling over the sidewalk. The Czechs call it "the Dancing Building" in translation (easier then getting out the Czech version of "Fred and Ginger").

At the time it was built, it was very controversial, with many complaining that it violated bylaws (e.g., the bit that swirls over the sidewalk). Now it is a key part of Prague's historic fabric.

The site on which it was built was one of only a couple of areas in Prague bombed during WWII, and it remained empty for a long time. The other key site, the Old Town Hall in the Old Town Square, has had several design competitions, but nothing has ever been built because the right architectural design has not been found. Czechs are patient enough to wait, instead of building something mediocre.

The building next door belonged to the Havels, built by Vaclav Havel's developer grandfather, and his home until the mid 1990s. Indeed, Havel commissioned the first architectural study for the site.

Fred & Ginger perfectly captures the aesthetic and spirit of Prague, and Gehry worked closely with the Office of the Chief Architect of Prague and the heritage conservation officials to develop a sensitive design. Note the use of materials, height, and fenestration. Frankly, I don't think Nouvel could have come up with a design that captures the essence of Prague as Gehry has.

I did my masters thesis on contextual fit, and this is the supreme example of my thesis -- that the best contemporary architecture (which respects the constraints of the context) is the best "fit" in a historic context -- not the fake historicism which is so common in North America. Great design is often the product of a challenging requirements.

It looks like it's about to ooze over and eat the poor unsuspecting building next to it.

I made a point of seeking out this building when I was in Prague a few years back, because I loved the pictures of it. But when I got there, I was really disappointed - there is so much fine detail in the surrounding buildings that this ends up just looking like a massing model - like a vague sketch that was never finished, but accidentally got built anyway.

I have since been to a few other Gehry buildings, and found them all to be the same - nice gestures, but the resolution of fine details just isn't there...

Oh man I miss Prague. I used to live near this building and I for one loved how it both contrasts and melds with the neighboring Baroque buildings. I think it completely works right where it is!

Love it!

Much nicer than the loads of faux historical crap being built all over the US. Architecture should reflect the time in which it is built, not a previous time that may or may not have existed.

I feel sorry for whoever lives in the house on the left; Gehry has a lot to answer for.

This is what it looks like when a world renowned architect over-promises and under-delivers.

I completely agree with what Devyn said. I think building something that resembled or mimicked the original, and truly historical, architecture would have been a real disgrace here. I love the contrast and the overall awkwardness of this setting and I don't see it as a blemish on Prague's face (then again, I'm completely biased, I love this city more than any other in the world.)

While "we're in Prague," could AT do a piece on Prague's interiors???

i saw that in Jan 2004 when i was there. I loved it, it looks like something straight out of Rocco's Modern Life.