Limited edition design textile

Only until June 13, it is possible to buy the original limited edition textile for this year's festival. The illustrations that inspired the design of this edition were created by renowned illustrator Jan Šrámek, who won the Illustrator of the Year 2017 and 2020 awards.

from the Academy of Design of the Czech Republic and collects recognition for his work abroad. The court graphic artist of the festival, Lukáš Franz, took part in the graphic design. The main motifs that appear in various variants on T-shirts, mics, dresses and bags are the stars of this year - the ARA Palace and Trmal's Villa. The carefully selected textile is GOTS certified, meets fair wear conditions and is also PETA Approved Vegan.

Anniversary of the birth of Jan Kotěra

This year, the organizers commemorate the 150th anniversary of the birth of the important Czech architect Jan Kotěra. "I am glad that we managed to include several of Kotěr's well-known Prague buildings in the program. In addition to Laichter's house in Vinohrady and Trmal's villa in Strašnice, we will now invite visitors to the Vršovice waterworks in Michle, which we have been striving to open for many years as part of the Open House Prague festival, ”says festival director Andrea Šenkyříková. Accompanying events for this jubilee will continue even after the end of the festival, with the participation of, among others, the well-known historian of architecture Zdeněk Lukeš. "Jan Kotěra (1871–1923) is considered the founder of Czech modern architecture. He graduated from the Vienna Academy of Arts with Professor Otto Wagner. He was not only an architect, designer and urban planner, but he also devoted himself to scenography and taught at the Prague schools of the Academy of Arts, Architecture and Design in Prague, where he promoted modern trends in architecture. Its key buildings in the modern style include a museum in Hradec Králové, Laichter House, Mozarteum and its own villa in Prague or the National House in Prostějov. Little is known that he was also one of the few Czech architects who implemented projects abroad, "says Zdeněk Lukeš.

Art spaces and studios

A separate thematic area in the festival program will be art spaces and studios. "This year we can invite visitors to the Art Garden, hidden under the Nuselský Bridge, which is literally thriving thanks to the relentless efforts of a few enthusiasts to save it. On Libeň Island, we managed to negotiate the opening of an inconspicuous studio by sculptor Jan Laud with a turbulent past. The small studio, built in 1930 according to the design of the architect Otakar Novotný, survived the ordered demolition and is today the seat of the architectural and design studio Olgoj Chorchoj, “adds the festival's director Andrea Šenkyříková. It will be possible to get acquainted with the vision of the new art house thanks to a visit to the Kunsthalle Prague, where the complete renovation of the original Zenger Transformation Station into a new exhibition and cultural space for Czech and international art of the 20th and 21st centuries culminates. Visitors will also be able to visit the dilapidated building of the Municipal Spa in Žižkov, which was once the most modern and largest spa in Prague and was visited by Emperor Francis Joseph I. Now a complete reconstruction is planned for the future seat of the House of Dance. The former Sokol cinema in Vršovice has already been transformed this year - a new cultural palace, Vzlet, was opened in a First Republic building built in the Art Deco style. Those interested will be able to see selected areas, including artistic background, as part of the tour. A number of other places that come to life with art and culture will also be accessible.

Hotels

A novelty of this year's festival is the opening of several architecturally significant Prague hotels with impressive interiors. In the program, people will find both two representatives of the so-called socialist realism, as well as an example of quality brutalist architecture of the "golden 60s" and finally one post-revolutionary realization. "Since the beginning of the festival, we have strived to have the opportunity to look into their exceptional interiors, but unfortunately it has always been very difficult to find a solution for organizing tour operations that would not disrupt the operation of hotels and guest satisfaction. However, the coronavirus epidemic has so limited tourism that some operators have now been very inclined to offer involvement, ”says festival director Andrea Šenkyříková. This year, visitors will be able to go on a tour of the former Parkhotel Prague, today Mama Shelter Prague, the Boutique Hotel Jalta, the Vienna House Diplomat Prague Hotel or the International Hotel Prague.

Safety

The organizers are monitoring current information on the state of the coronavirus epidemic and will adjust the operation in open buildings accordingly. The information will be available on the website. The buildings will be accessible without the need for prior registration and, with exceptions, in the form of group tours, which will be handled by guides on an ongoing basis according to the capacity of the buildings.

Open House Prague is part of the international network of Open House Worldwide festivals, which take place in more than 45 cities around the world. Thanks to the involvement of hundreds of volunteers who help with the opening of the buildings, Open House Prague is not only a cultural holiday of the city, but also a unique event with community and social impact. Nábo