Like a sleeping giant the Prager Zeile stretches before us. This colossus is more than just a building. It is a symbol of Dresden’s past and present.
The Prager Zeile began its life as a Wohnzeile Prager Straße. It became known as Prager Zeile in the 2000s. Standing on St. Petersburger Straße, this residential and business building is impressive. It measures 240 meters long and boasts twelve stories. It was once the largest residential building in the DDR.
Inspired by Le Corbusier’s Unitè d’Habitation, the Prager Zeile represents post-war modernism in the DDR. The Prager Straße was destroyed in 1945. The Prager Zeile became the eastern anchor of its reconstruction from 1965 to 1978.
Architects Kurt Haller, Manfred Arlt and Karl-Heinz Schulze designed the building. Construction occurred from 1965 to 1967. The Prager Zeile used 5-Mp panel construction. This means megapond. It features a loggia facade and sandstone gables. The building comprises five independent sections. Each section stands twelve stories. This matches the height of the hotels across the street. These hotels are named Lilienstein, Königstein, and Bastei.
The facade reflects its mixed use. The ground floor is monolithic. It originally had four shop groups. Passages connected these shops to Prager Straße. The first floor rests entirely on supports. It housed offices spanning 2580 square meters. Above this, nine floors offered 612 apartments. These were mostly one and two-room units. A roof terrace completed the structure. Before renovations, four pavilions stood on the terrace. They were meant for community gatherings. People used the roof terrace until the early 1970s. Later, access was restricted because the railings were too low.
A fire in the early 1970s prompted changes. The original balcony balustrades were flammable. They were replaced with PVC elements. Initially, the green color scheme maintained the facade’s uniformity. Over time individual replacements led to varying colors. This dissolved the uniform appearance. Before its 2007 renovation, the building’s colors dated back to the 1990s. A basement provides access to an underground parking garage. This garage lies beneath the area between the Prager Zeile and the pavilions on Prager Straße.
By the 1990s the Prager Zeile needed renovation. Finding an investor proved difficult. The building’s layout presented economic challenges. In 2006, the Prager Zeile served as a backdrop. It hosted the Hochhaussinfonie. The Pet Shop Boys and the Dresden Symphony performed a new score. They played to the silent film Battleship Potemkin. Musicians performed from the balconies during Dresden’s 800-year celebration.
Renovations began in 2007. The work occurred in phases. New tenants moved into renovated apartments. Others lived in the older units. The redesign resulted in 561 apartments. There were 143 one-room, 402 two-room, and 12 three-room apartments. Four penthouse apartments offered loft-style living. The Prager Zeile now offered housing for many. This ranged from student apartments to luxury penthouses. Apartments at St. Petersburger Straße 32 catered to senior living. The Arbeiter-Samariter-Bund provided support services.
Since 2007, the facade’s design reflects modern styles and colors. Light gray aluminum loggia balustrades dominate. This creates a strong graphic pattern. City loggias punctuate this pattern. These serve as meeting points and bring light to hallways. They also play a role in the building’s fire safety.
Architects Knerer and Lang from Dresden earned awards for their work. The Prager Zeile won the Architekturpreis Zukunft Wohnen 2009. It won in the category of residential building renovation.
Today the Prager Zeile stands as a testament to Dresden’s resilience. It reflects the city’s embrace of modern architecture. It also shows its commitment to creating diverse and livable spaces. It is a reminder that even the most imposing structures can evolve. They can meet the changing needs of a community.