COMING SOON: Concrete, emotions, and disappearing Prague. We're preparing a major deep dive into the world of Brutalism.

The Design Museum in Malá Strana is embarking on a new chapter. While our main exhibition tells the story of design as a whole, behind the scenes, we are already putting together a mosaic of something raw, bold, and fascinating. Prepare for Brutalism – a style that some love, others condemn, but no one can ignore.

Brutalist architecture and design from the 1960s to the 1980s left an indelible mark on the streets of Prague. However, many of these traces have been disappearing irreversibly in recent years. At the Design Museum, we have decided to save these fragments and tell their story before they turn to dust.

What can we entice you with now?

We have already acquired pieces for our premises that carry the "genius loci" of vanished or endangered Prague icons. Here's a small taste of what you'll soon see in a new context:

The Phantom of Transgas: We have a rare decorative element from the staircase of the legendary Transgas complex, which was demolished in 2019. It is a fascinating combination of chrome, glass, and "space-age" aesthetics. Today, it is one of the few surviving fragments of a building that defined Prague Brutalism.

Seating at the Golden Serpent: Imagine a unique armchair by Olbram Zoubek with a concrete base in the shape of a coiled serpent. This piece was created in the 1970s for the now-defunct U Zlatého hada (At the Golden Serpent) café. It is perfect proof that even concrete can be incredibly sculptural and elegant in design.

Why Brutalism?

Because the design of that era wasn't just about grey and concrete. It was about the courage to experiment with new materials, about technical progress, and about the effort to create a total work of art (Gesamtkunstwerk), where architecture, furniture, and details form a single whole.

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We are currently preparing a full-fledged exhibition focused on this fascinating and controversial style. It will be a journey between raw concrete, glossy metal, and visionary ideas that were ahead of their time.

In the meantime, stop by our exhibition "Evolution of Modern Design," where you can already glimpse these first signs. And remember – Brutalism is not just a style, it's an attitude!

Details about the exhibition's opening date will be announced soon. Follow our website and Instagram so you don't miss anything.