Prague's Architecture Amidst Austerity and Disco

We sometimes look down on the architectural heritage of the 1990s. We often associate this period with wild parties, relaxed socio-political conventions, and a general optimism that was also reflected in building projects. In reality, the architecture of the time was not as "wild" as we might think—it is better defined by its position between two aesthetic poles: "austerity" inspired by interwar modernism and functionalism, and "disco" in the form of the freely playful postmodernism of the admired West. Today, the architectural community highlights precisely this period's return to strict proportions, quality materials, and buildings with deliberate character. The wider public, on the other hand, remembers mainly the "disco": conspicuous shapes, gilded frames, and exhibitions of wealth. But it is both of these perspectives, their interplay and rivalry, that create a fascinating picture of nineties architecture.

The exhibition presents thirty selected buildings constructed in Prague between 1989 and 2004 and tracks the circumstances of their creation: the evolving role of professional associations, the arrival of the first DIY superstores, and how political representatives spoke about architecture. The broader social context of the period is presented through a large-format projection composed of archival materials from Czech Television and a collection of contemporary photographs. Visitors can watch the projection from the formal Olga chairs, designed by Bořek Šípek in the nineties for the Spanish Hall at Prague Castle. Opposite the projection wall is a large timeline highlighting the key moments of the period. It is accompanied by memes, or satirical illustrations by the Dynamický Blok collective, which imitate and ironize the aesthetics of the nineties. The morphology of the period's architecture and design is then recalled in an original way—through a collage of period advertisements.

The exhibition DEVADE: Prague's Architecture Amidst Austerity and Disco draws on the book of the same name by Matěj Beránek, Jan Bureš, Radek Šrettr Úlehla, and Adéla Vaculíková, published concurrently with the exhibition by IPR Praha.