DESIGN / PRAGUE’S DANCING HIGHRISE

Prague has always been a city of poise and posture, but then came a building that decided to dance. Rising at the corner of Rašínovo nábřeží and Jiráskovo náměstí, overlooking the lazy bend of the Vltava River, the “Dancing House” looks like a waltz frozen mid-spin—a collision of whimsy and structural genius.  

Designed by Croatian-Czech architect Vlado Milunić in collaboration with Frank Gehry, the 1996 high-rise (officially called Tančící dům) still stops locals and tourists alike in their tracks. The left tower—curving, glassy, and almost shy—is said to represent the actress Ginger Rogers. The right—solid, concrete, confidently leaning into her—is her dancing partner, Fred Astaire. Together they turn an otherwise polite Prague skyline into a cinematic pas de deux of postmodern design.  

Architect Vlado Milunic

At the time, the city wasn’t quite ready. The structure, built on a lot bombed during World War II, divided opinion: was it an eyesore, or the bold future of Czech architecture? Nearly three decades later, the answer is clear. The Dancing House has become as beloved a landmark as the Charles Bridge or the Astronomical Clock—proof that a city rooted in Baroque and Gothic can still groove to modern rhythms.  

Inside, the building’s choreography continues—undulating corridors, mismatched windows framing the river like film stills, and a rooftop restaurant with panoramic views that make even skeptics forgive the daring curves below. Gehry once called it “a building that refused to stand still.”  

In a city famous for its cathedrals, spires, and cobblestones, the Dancing House is that rare architectural improvisation—part sculpture, part high-rise, all rhythm. 

 DESIGN FACTS  

Location: Rašínovo nábřeží 80, Prague 2, Czech Republic  

Architects: Vlado Milunić (Croatia/Czech Republic) & Frank Gehry (USA) 

Completed: 1996  

Style: Deconstructivism / Postmodern Expressionism  

Nickname: Tančící dům (“The Dancing House”), also known as “Fred and Ginger”  

Structure: Reinforced concrete core with glass-and-steel façade  

Height: 9 stories (plus rooftop terrace)  

Function: Mixed-use — offices, gallery, and rooftop restaurant “Ginger & Fred” 

Notable Feature: The rooftop dome sculpture—nicknamed “Medusa”—crafted from twisted metal tubes, representing energy and motion.

Atop the Fred & Ginger Restaurant