Contemporary architecture Prague

This little jewel of late ^20th-century architecture is located at the entrance to the Jiraskův bridge on the right bank of the Jiráskovo Nám. at the end of the Masaryk quay. It stands on a site that was bombed by the Allies in 1945 and remained a wasteland until the late 1980s. This nickname in fact conceals a more official and much more sober name: Dutch National Building. This strikingly curved house blends surprisingly well with the rather Secession-style buildings on the surrounding quayside. In particular, its transparent metal sphere is reminiscent of the materials used in the Art Nouveau style. Its unique shape was designed by Czech architect V. Milunič and American architect F.-O. Gehry. It's a fine example of deconstruction architecture, with its transparent veil revealing its twisted structure made of massive reinforced concrete columns. The curved, glazed section adjoins the concrete, evoking a changing couple and earning the building its nickname of "the dancing house". Unique and phenomenal, it has been featured on the cover of many an architectural book and, much photographed, is fast becoming another symbol of the Czech capital. You can't visit the interior, but you can try to book a table at Ginger & Fred, on the top floor, an upmarket restaurant offering excellent fusion cuisine and, of course, a sumptuous view embracing the Vltava, Petřín Hill and the castle.