Architect Vlado Milunić will celebrate his eightieth birthday tomorrow

Prague – Czech architect of Croatian descent Vlado Milunić has made a name for himself in the public consciousness and the history of architecture primarily with the Dancing House, which he designed in collaboration with Canadian-American architect Frank Gehry. He is also known for his views on the design of Prague's housing estates and as a co-author of several social buildings. A native of Croatia, who has lived in the Czech Republic since his youth, will celebrate his eightieth birthday on March 3.

Milunić's most famous work – the Dancing House on Rašínovo nábřeží in Prague – was created in the mid-1990s. The building, which provoked many negative reactions, has become one of the symbols of Prague, allegedly the third most photographed object in the metropolis after Charles Bridge and the Hradčany. The administrative building, nicknamed Ginger and Fred for its "dancing" silhouette, has received numerous awards, including "The Best Design Of 1996" from the American magazine Time.

Another significant endeavor by Milunić is the residential complex Hvězda in the Petřiny housing estate in Prague. This atypical colorful estate is regarded by many experts as a model contrast to gray concrete housing estates. The "humanization" of panel housing estates is one of Milunić's frequent themes. "It is necessary to build new structures on the vacant spaces between the panel buildings, create winter gardens, and build rooftop extensions. But it is essential that different architects work on each part of the estate to avoid monotony," he said. An example of his vision for housing estates is the project for the center of the Malešice housing estate, which, however, was not realized.

Milunić's work is by no means limited to large projects that attract media attention. For example, in the 1970s and 1980s, primarily in collaboration with architect Jan Línek, he realized several social buildings in Prague – homes for the elderly in Bohnice, Malešice, Chodov, and Háje, a domicile for sisters in Prosek, and later, for example, the House of Children and Youth in Modřany. He does not restrict himself to Prague or the Czech Republic. An atypical villa was built in Planá nad Lužnicí according to his design. "The design was born from theft. I stole from Frank Lloyd Wright, my friend Frank Gehry, and Bruce Goff," Milunić admitted about his inspiration from the greatest world architects. He also contributed to the creation of the so-called Czech Quarter in Shanghai, China.

Milunić is also a frequent critic of corruption, clientelism, and other societal ills, not only in architecture. He is also known for his negative stance on the construction of high-rise buildings in Prague. "New high-rise buildings in Pankrác are contrary to the composition of the capital city," he said in one interview.

Vlado (Vladimir) Milunić was born on March 3, 1941, in Zagreb. He has lived in Prague since the age of 16, when his parents moved there from then-Jugoslavia. From 1960 to 1966, he studied architecture at the Czech Technical University in Prague. He then worked in Paris for three years. From 1969 to 1990, he worked in the Prague studios Gama and Delta. Since 1990, he has had his own Studio VM (free ideas).

In 1998, Milunić was one of 11 personalities honored by the Prague city council on the occasion of the celebrations of the eightieth anniversary of the founding of the republic. Silver medals were awarded to individuals who contributed to the international renown of Prague.