The roof of the Lucerna Palace will transform into a green meadow for 15 days
The Louka nad Lucernou project, led by Ondřej Kobza, Petr Plewka, and architect Petr Hájek, opens today the newly redesigned rooftop spaces of Lucerna. For a period until September 11, 2018, the public will have the opportunity to stroll on artificial grass, feed chickens, goats, and rabbits, view birds in the aviary, smell wildflowers, and listen to twenty-minute piano intermezzos (daily from 5:00 PM to 8:00 PM) across 1000 m².
The roof of Lucerna underwent the first phase of reconstruction last year. Ondřej Kobza, who breathed life into the place with various cultural events, explains the motivation behind Louka nad Lucernou: “The inspiration for greening the roof of Lucerna includes foreign laws that work in developed countries, for example in France. Every new building there must have a garden or solar panels on the roof. Newly ‘greened’ spaces thus respond to the ever-increasing number of areas occupied by cars. And I find that more than sympathetic.”
Since the project does not have an investor, the rooftop garden visit includes an admission fee. Specifically, 200 CZK for adults and 150 CZK for students and seniors; children under 10 can enter for free.
“Every city has an emblematic building. Paris has the Eiffel Tower, New York has the Empire State Building. They express the soul of the city. Besides Prague Castle, for us, Palác Lucerna is just such an iconic building. Nearly every Prague resident has visited it for balls, Communist Party congresses, and even Louis Armstrong's concert. The story of Lucerna can tell the entire history of the 20th century,” describes the building one of the project's initiators, Petr Plewka.
Visitors can access Louka nad Lucernou via the staircase or the paternoster, which is essentially already a historical relic, a vertical connection between the bustling city and a thousand square meters of soft grass.
The roof of Lucerna underwent the first phase of reconstruction last year. Ondřej Kobza, who breathed life into the place with various cultural events, explains the motivation behind Louka nad Lucernou: “The inspiration for greening the roof of Lucerna includes foreign laws that work in developed countries, for example in France. Every new building there must have a garden or solar panels on the roof. Newly ‘greened’ spaces thus respond to the ever-increasing number of areas occupied by cars. And I find that more than sympathetic.”
Since the project does not have an investor, the rooftop garden visit includes an admission fee. Specifically, 200 CZK for adults and 150 CZK for students and seniors; children under 10 can enter for free.
“Every city has an emblematic building. Paris has the Eiffel Tower, New York has the Empire State Building. They express the soul of the city. Besides Prague Castle, for us, Palác Lucerna is just such an iconic building. Nearly every Prague resident has visited it for balls, Communist Party congresses, and even Louis Armstrong's concert. The story of Lucerna can tell the entire history of the 20th century,” describes the building one of the project's initiators, Petr Plewka.
Visitors can access Louka nad Lucernou via the staircase or the paternoster, which is essentially already a historical relic, a vertical connection between the bustling city and a thousand square meters of soft grass.
The entrance to the elevator is from Štěpánská Street, opposite the Grand Hall.
The roof of Lucerna should be a place where new ideas are born. Therefore, it hosts so-called Salons, a regularly convening society, an institution known in France since the 17th century. Something similar took place in the Czech Republic during the First Republic era. Organizers invite guests such as Dominik Duka, Pavel Rychetský, David Vávra, Martin Wichterle, Libuše Šmuclerová, Václav Cílek, and others. At the same time, about sixty listeners are always invited. In addition to Salons, the roof of Lucerna comes alive with unplugged concerts at sunrise (Iva Bittová, Dan Bárta), lectures, yoga accompanied by live music, tango dancing, and even a holy mass.
The roof also features a Poetry jukebox, piano, chess tables, and a ping-pong table.
The part of Palác Lucerna facing Štěpánská Street was completed together with the Grand Hall in 1921. From the start, cultural and restaurant use was planned, but soon after, the owner, Mr. Václav Havel, passed away, and his sons Václav and Miloš turned to other matters. Then the war came, followed by communists, capitalism, and long-lasting disputes over the ownership of Lucerna. Therefore, it was very challenging to negotiate everything necessary with the authorities and to obtain a significant loan. Last but not least, it was necessary to gain the trust of Mrs. Dagmar Havlová, which was achieved, and the project's initiators are very pleased about it.
The roof also features a Poetry jukebox, piano, chess tables, and a ping-pong table.
The part of Palác Lucerna facing Štěpánská Street was completed together with the Grand Hall in 1921. From the start, cultural and restaurant use was planned, but soon after, the owner, Mr. Václav Havel, passed away, and his sons Václav and Miloš turned to other matters. Then the war came, followed by communists, capitalism, and long-lasting disputes over the ownership of Lucerna. Therefore, it was very challenging to negotiate everything necessary with the authorities and to obtain a significant loan. Last but not least, it was necessary to gain the trust of Mrs. Dagmar Havlová, which was achieved, and the project's initiators are very pleased about it.
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