Gulliver DOX Centre for Contemporary Art Prague, Contemporary Czech architecture photos

Gulliver DOX Centre for Contemporary Art in Prague

Post updated 30 July 2024

Design: HAMR Huť Architektury Martin Rajniš

Location: Prague, Czech Republic

Gulliver DOX Centre for Contemporary Art Prague

Photos by Ales Jungmann, Petr Králík and Jan Slavík

19 Jan 2022

Gulliver DOX Building

In 2014, HAMR Huť Architektury Martin Rajniš were approached by the director and founder of the DOX Centre for Contemporary Art, Leoš Válka, who said he “needed something for the roof”. They sketched out two variants of original wooden structures and he loved them. But he called the very next day to say he’d had a better idea: “We’ll do it like a zeppelin!” This was the birth of a project that first bore the working title Ark of Freedom and was later definitively renamed Gulliver.

Gulliver DOX Centre for Contemporary Art Prague

The zeppelin form is symbolic. The first zeppelins represented the optimistic ideals of unprecedented technological progress.

Gulliver DOX Centre for Contemporary Art Prague

Their monumentality and hypnotic dignity continued to fascinate many generations even long after they had disappeared from the skies. Airships have always embodied the eternal human desire to fly, as well as a particular utopian ideal.

Futuristic Prague roof structure

The basic skeleton of the zeppelin is composed of fourteen pieces of truss circles made from laminated larch wood, placed at intervals of two to three meters in a transverse direction, mutually interconnected by longitudinal wooden truss elements.

Gulliver DOX Centre for Contemporary Art Prague

The structure is braced by steel cables. The load-bearing wooden structure of the zeppelin is suspended by, and anchored to, a tilted steel-truss bridge, which also simultaneously serves as a load-bearing foundation for the interior wooden flooring of the zeppelin. Entry is via two steel staircases.

Gulliver DOX Prague roof design

Prague roof design by HAMR Huť Architektury Martin Rajniš

The zeppelin’s foundational wooden skeleton is covered in larch segments, and the entire structure is roofed by a single layer of transparent ETFE foil.

Prague roof architecture by HAMR Huť Architektury Martin Rajniš

Gulliver DOX Prague

The interior is fitted with audiovisual and lighting equipment. The infrared heating panels allow for year-round operation. Given its non-traditional location and interesting interior design, Gulliver has become a place for encounters with contemporary art and literature. There are discussions with leading Czech and international writers, poets, artists, and architects, as well as children’s programmes.

Gulliver DOX Prague

“Gulliver will inspire you and future generations to realise dreams that might seem impossible,” says Leoš Válka.

Gulliver DOX Centre for Contemporary Art Prague

Gulliver DOX Centre for Contemporary Art in Prague, CZ – Building Information

Architect and author: HAMR Huť Architektury Martin Rajniš – http://hutarchitektury.cz/
Completion date: 2016

Awards:
Public Interior of the Year / award 2016
Structure of the Year / award by the Czech Chamber of Authorized Engineers and Technicians 2017
XXIV.GRAND PRIX ARCHITEKTŮ / award 2017
Wood for Life / award 2017

Gulliver DOX Centre for Contemporary Art Prague

Photography: Ales Jungmann, Petr Králík and Jan Slavík

Gulliver DOX Centre for Contemporary Art, Prague images / information received 190122 from HAMR Huť Architektury Martin Rajniš

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