A giant, rusty wreck, whose bow points to the sky… The Top Tower, for which works are expected to start in 2021, will be the tallest tower in the Czech Republic. And it is quite a symbol.

From Gothic facades to baroque storefronts and a multitude of contours ranging from Art Nouveau to Art Deco… strolling through Prague is like walking into an open-air museum. The Bohemian city is one of the most beautiful cities in the world: its historic centre has been a Unesco World Heritage Site since 1992. And, on every corner, we discover a concentration of history, architecture, painting, music and literature.

But the City of a Hundred Spires is not only an example of medieval town planning preserved from any urban renewal. It is cosmopolitan and treats itself to a few contemporary details. Already known for the deconstructivism of its famous Dancing House, the office building Nationale-Nederlanden designed by architects Vlado Milunić and Frank Gehry, Prague is preparing to host its first post-apocalyptic tower, in the Nové Butovice district.

A conceptual work

The Top Tower, for which works are expected to start in 2021 and be completed around 2024, will be the highest tower in the Czech Republic. With a height of 135 metres, the construction is distinguished by an unusual design: a gigantic carcass of a commercial ship seems to have run aground on the building. With absolute realism, the rusty structure reproduces the skeleton of a vertically planted ship. Up to the propeller of the ship, dramatically suspended in a vacuum.

Through this project, the architect Tomáš Císar of the studio Black n’Arch and the conceptual artist David Černý give a warning about the climate, “imagining a future where a wreck would collide with a building during an apocalypse caused by cyclones and rising sea levels“. A way to raise public awareness, while being exemplary, because the building will be climate-neutral and will be equipped with a rainwater collection system.

The building will house about 250 small flats, offices, a cultural centre and shops. A panoramic terrace will be nestled at the top of the ship. It will be accessible to the public by an outdoor lift. The skyscraper will stand near the underground station Nové Butovice, far from the historic centre of Prague where tall buildings are not allowed. The developer hopes that such an original structure will attract tourists and residents of Prague.

Tags: architecture, David Černý, Prague, Tomáš Císar, Top Tower