Communist landmark goes luxe

The interior of the city's highest landmark is slated to receive a much-needed renovation.

Žižkov Tower, whose construction began during the communist era and was completed three years after the Velvet Revolution, will soon be adding a one-room hotel suite, a lounge bar and conference room, as well as an overall redecoration of the observation areas.

The TV and radio-telecommunication tower, which earned many nicknames over the years - such as Jakeš's Finger, named after the former general secretary of the Communist Party of Czechoslovakia, Miloš Jakeš; the "Cosmodrome"; or the "Russian Sub-Machine Gun" - will be re-imagined by the Prague-based design firm Oreathea.

Roman Lain, managing director and investor representative of Oreathea, said the so-called "Prague Rocket" project, was inspired by a desire to correct some of the tower's most glaring flaws.

"The underused potential of the tower does not meet European standards," he said. "And its ranking as the second-ugliest building in the world [according to travel website Virtualtourist.com] is a challenge for us."

One of the "mistakes" that Oreathea, which will rent the premises for 25 years,  plans to eliminate is the spatial disposition of the viewing booths, which are divided into many sections and connected with corridors that will be demolished to increase the outlook to 360 degrees.

The new design will also accommodate several modern technologies, including a special sonic feature called "Metropolis and its Sounds," which will enable visitors to sit in specially designed armchairs with integrated sound systems built in and listen to the sounds of Prague while watching video panels to meet Václav Havel and cartoon character Krteček "in person."

While the observation room will be spruced up with new devices and redecoration, the portions of the tower that have been previously unused will be the real experiment. The one-room hotel suite is to become a "life experience" either for newlyweds or anyone seeking a night in Prague with one of the best views to remember.

The project costs are estimated at between 40 million and 50 million Kč. It will include a conference room to host workshops or seminars.

Žižkov Tower architect Václav Aulický said he is pleased by the current efforts of architects  Koza and Jirkal, both of whom were hired by the firm Oreathea to redecorate the interior, and added that he welcomes a breath of fresh air to his design, now more than 25 years old.

He said he still reminisces about the complex political scenario that surrounded the tower's original construction.

"When discussing placement of the new TV transmitter, the original idea was to place it on Petřín Hill next to the Prague Eiffel Tower," he said. "But that was under a different regime. It had to be surrounded by fences; not only the Hradčany skyline was at stake.

"I had no idea we were heading toward democracy back then. The conservationists were really brave and insisted that option was no good and did not permit that construction on Petřín Hill, and I say thank goodness!"

Many sites were considered, including Parukářka Hill and Riegrovy sady - which would have meant the end of the park's popular beer garden. Many locations were finally rejected because of the flight corridors, and the final decision to place the tower at Mahlerovy sady was perceived as a compromise by Aulický.

Aulický said he knew he did not want to design a "chimney made of concrete," as he labeled the TV towers in Germany. Instead, he aimed to "fracture the vertical line" and create three tubes with a steel surface but filled with concrete inside connected by cabins.

"A tripod is so much steadier than one pile shaking like a pine in the woods," says Aulický of the final shape. Once the building is higher than 130 meters, it needs more stability, and the 216 meters of Žižkov Tower also needed laminated plastic covers for antennae manifolds.

Aulický is unfazed by the controversy that still exists over the design of the tower. While he is well aware of the divided opinions between those who love the tower and those who despise it, he still defends his design and even applauds artist David Černý's addition of the now-iconic sculptures of babies crawling up the structure. He feels they are are a perfect match.

"What can be better than babies having computer chips instead of faces on a rocket?"

Klára Jiřičná can be reached at
kjiricna@praguepost.com