The Prague DBK belongs to the jewels of brutalist architecture

Prague - House of Residential Culture (DBK), opened on May 29, 1981, in Prague's Pankrác, maintained a unique position in the furniture market for many years. The building, designed by architect Věra Machoninová, was constructed starting in 1972 and was labeled as a house of the 21st century upon its opening. This unique structure is considered one of the most significant works of brutalist architecture not only in the Czech Republic.

The building, which grew alongside the Budějovická metro station, has eight floors; however, at first glance, due to its design, it appears significantly lower. Its façade was made using a special patinating steel called Atmofix, which was a Czechoslovak patent and does not require the use of paint. The surroundings, including other buildings near the Budějovická metro station, shopping passages, and greenery, also received significant modifications.

In 1991, the building became the first Czechoslovak store of the furniture chain IKEA. After IKEA moved to its own premises in the mid-90s, the DBK building underwent a drastic reconstruction, during which most of the original interior furnishings were removed, it was renamed Prior, and included in the same-named retail chain. This caused it to lose its status as a furniture specialty store. The surroundings were filled with additional buildings and lost their original character.

Another extensive reconstruction of this architecturally valuable and strategically located shopping center began in 2006. It started with the return to the name DBK (managed by DBK Praha), the creation of a new logo, and a gradual transformation of the building into a modern shopping gallery.