Client The British Council
Location Prague, Czech Republic
Status Built
The British Council in Prague is one of the first buildings to have been completed by British architects in the Czech Republic, and involved the complete reconstruction of 1,400m² of the Palac Dunaj: a renowned 1920s functionalist building close to Wenceslas Square. The design comprises a new library, offices, a cinema, exhibition space and English language teaching facilities.
The original historic features have been carefully restored and are sensitively integrated with new architectural features. At the heart of the building is a large glass table in the centre of a dramatic atrium space, which filters light through a glass block floor into the library space below.
The atrium is magnificently lit by a sophisticated combination of uplighters through the glass floor, indirect backlighting onto the top of the glass ceiling, and directional lighting. The refurbishment makes direct reference to the Czech tradition of glass construction, Pasazs.
The office areas are defined by steel screens, locally fabricated from standard components and glazed with white opal and deep blue glass.
