Josef Wer nach einem Tag in den engen Gassen von Prag Sehnsucht nach Transparenz hat, wird schon in der Lobby dieses Designhotels aufatmen: So viel Licht, so viel Luft, so klare Linien! » More

(Oct. 2012) 

Stvoriti dizajnersku senzaciju usred grada poznatog po bogatom arhitektonskom naslijedu

Like many European tales, the origin of Prague’s Hotel Josef is a story of passions. It is difficult to resist the romance of Prague with its cobblestone streets winding through a sprawling city lined with beautiful architecture.

This four-star hotel, member of the prestigious Design Hotel TM Group, was baptized in honor of the Emperor Josef II of Austria and opened in June 2002 in the heart of the medieval quarter of Prague, close to the Wencelas Square and the Opera. There is no need, however, to look for any Baroque traces in this thoroughly minimalist and high tech edifice designed by the architect Eva Jiricna and her Architects Limited Studio.

Das Hotel Josef in der Nähe des Judenviertels ist für Geschäftsreisen empfehlenswert. Entworfen von der tschechischen Stararchitektin Eva Jiricna, ist es ein tolles Beispiel für tschechisches Design des 20. Jahrhunderts. Helle, moderne Materialien, Badezimmer aus Glas - jedes Zimmer ist individuell gestaltet. Gehe ich essen, liebe ich das Flair des Palais Palffy auf der Kleinseite. Der Eingang ist unscheinbar, aber drinnen fühlt man sich wie im Ballsall aus "Tanz der Vampire".

It is a city full of mystery, full of life, full of history. When one sees Prague for the first time, you might even say it’s hard to believe that it’s a real city -- not some movie backdrop of a made up fairy tale European wonderland. While most cities in Europe have become increasingly modern over the past few decades, Prague has managed to keep its generally Gothic look. The Golden City, The City of a Hundred Spires, The Mother of Cities

 Wer gern unterwegs ist, schätzt die Tipps anderer Traveller. Jetzt startet die GEO-Reisecommunity, in der sich Reisefans treffen können, sich austauschen und ihre Berichte und Fotos veröffentlichen
Titelthema: Die besten Hotels Die aktuelle Rangliste von GEO SAISON: 90 wundervolle Häuser in allen Kategorien. Von Irland bis Sizilien, von Mallorca bis Helsinki

Michael Cunningham interviewed by Marek Eben, Hotel Josef
See online the interview of Michael Cunningham invited to the Prague Writers' Festival with Marek Eben, CT 2

 Room 116 of the Hotel Josef houses a double bed with a bright-orange spread, one uninviting chair and writing desk, and one exhausted Pulitzer Prize-winning author. Jeffrey Eugenides, sprawled across the bed with his shiny black shoes on, does not rise to meet the reporter. He politely excuses himself, explaining that he hasn't slept a wink in the past two days.

Tablet Hotels the world’s leading source for unique luxury and boutique hotels, today announced that Hotel Josef was awarded the 2009 “Tablet Hotels Selection” Award. This award, which is being presented for the first time, recognizes Hotel Josef’s excellence in service, accommodations and guest satisfaction - maintaining a consistent online guest rating above 17 out of 20 points.

Margaret Atwood was quite pleased with her hat. After sitting down to a bright courtyard table at Prague's Hotel Josef, she took her time putting it on, shaping the green, floppy brim and commenting on its superior packability. 

It’s a balmy summer evening on Wenceslas Square, though it’s more broad boulevard than square, jammed with restaurants, souvenir stalls and clothes shops. We’re lingering over an icy beer on its pavement terrace, watching the boys watching the girl’s click-clack by on their high, high heels in short, short skirts. It seems only Czech women dare wear heels on Prague’s cobbled streets – tourists are easily identified by their sensible walking shoes. » More

 15 Hotel Josef, Prague

Situated in the old Jewish quarter of Josefov, yet built from scratch by London-based architects Eva Jiricna, the Hotel Josef is definitely the business hotel of choice in Prague. Free internet access complements a lovely breakfast room.

If you’re counting Koruna, settle for teenier quarters in the Hotel Josef (from $190)—the hippest boutique hotel in town. Book rooms 704 or 801 for impressive views of Prague Castle and the spires of Old Town Square.

Days before the new Hotel Josef was scheduled to open last August in Prague the heavens unleashed a three day downpour, flooding the Vltava and nearly everything that lay along it. “We were sitting at breakfast planning the opening party,” says Eva Jiricna, the architect of the Josef, one of the city’s most sensational new buildings. “By lunchtime we had to evacuate.” Water rushed up through basements. Swans swam in and out of riverside restaurants. A giant sculpture, which sat in front of the new Museum Kampa, was washed 28 miles downriver.

A temple of glass and chrome, Hotel Josef is Prague's key design hotel. If you are a fan of the Starck school of design, you will feel right at home in Czech interior designer Eva Jiricna's transparent and semi-transparent rooms and bathrooms.
Located in the old part of town, the hotel is close to good boutiques, restaurants and some of Prague's famous sights, such as Old Town Square, Wenceslas Square, Charles Bridge, Powder Tower, Opera and concert halls.

 

 

 the lobby is a symmetric realm of white and cream topped off with lots of light, coming from outside but also subtly generated by ceiling lighting and by the beautifully crafted and lit front panels of both the reception and bar desks [a true eyecatcher is the high-tech/glass staircase which leads to the conference rooms downstairs].

Where The Czech Republic's capital city sits on the Vlatava River in the heart of Central Europe's Bohemian plateau. Following 41 years of Communist rule and a peaceful switch to democracy in 1989, the Czech Republic joined the European Union in May of this year.
Your guide Prague-born Ana Geislerova, 28, is one of the Czech Republic's most respected young actresses. Recent film roles include the female lead in the Oscar-nominated Zelary (2003), Little Scars (2004) and Shut up and Shoot Me (2004), which is currently in post-production.

Ouvert en 2002, l'Hotel Josef est la premiere realisation hoteliere d'Eva Jiricna, la plus appreciee des architectes et designers tcheuques, devenue membre de l'institut royal des architectes britanniques, qui vit et travaille desormais a Londres.  

This four-star hotel in Prague’s Old Town received almost immediate acclaim as a design sensation when it opened as Prague’s newest boutique hotel. Designed by Eva Jiricná Architects, it was accepted into the elite umbrella of the Berlin-based design hotelsTM and won the American Institute of Architects’ Design Excellence award for the UK. Throughout, it is evident that design investment has been concentrated on essential elements of comfort, rather than unnecessary luxuries. 

 

Another great night’s sleep. Jump into the shower, quickly dress and prepare to go downstairs for a morning treat. Notice there is a message left from the Hotel Josef staff. Steven Gove called and has asked that I call him. Pick up today’s Guardian and join Sasha, Teri and Elena.

Edgar Doctorow sits at a nearby table but he is busy reading The Guardian. Elena is feeling a bit ill and tired. This trip is supposed to be a restful vacation for her.

"If you've won a literary award, you can be pretty certain that it was against a book that will live longer than yours." Pulitzer Prize-winning novelist Michael Cunningham is as humble as he is forthright.

The author of the renowned The Hours was in Prague before Christmas as a guest of the Prague Writers Festival, at which he gave two readings,

 We like mixing up a bit of modern design culture with the great historic architecture. So when I heard that Hotel Josef just around the corner from Old Town Square in Prague was designed by London (though Czech nationality) architect Eva Jiricna I knew I had to stay there.

 That’s the interior design of Hotel Josef, Prague (Czech Republic) this picture is focused at the hotel staircase design, modern staircase design with the transparent ladder-step, unique shape with strong futuristic look, look at this picture and get an inspiration!

Von Gotik bis Jugendstil hat Prag auf engstem Raum alles zu bieten, auch Barock, viel Barock. Da tut ein bisschen Reduktion gut, ohne dass es gleich ungemütlich wird. In der Lobby oder an der gläsernen Bar des Hotels "Josef" in der Josefstadt sitzt man in gemütlichen Fateuils wie im Aquarium und lässt tout Prag an sich vorüberziehen.

A visit to a Prada "epicentre" superstore in New York, LA or Tokyo is all you need to understand the relationship that exists between the worlds of contemporary fashion and architecture in its most basic and direct form. Whether it's Rem Koolhaas's frontless shop-front on Rodeo Drive or Herzog & de Meuron's dazzling

Amid Prague's historic spires sits stark, modern Hotel Josef. Set in the Jewish Quarter, it eschews the surrounding architectural opulence for bold, contemporary design and white, minimalist decor. A staircase consists of a sculptural swirl of glass and metal; a circle of clear glass set against a stone wall is your bathroom sink. Be warned, the bathroom sits in an exposed glass cubicle in the corner of the room.

Eva Jiricna — the woman behind the design of some of Prague’s most prestigious hotels — hadn’t intended on becoming an architect, nor had she intended on living in England for nearly 40 years. But life, as they say, is what happens when you are busy making other plans.

No one knows this better than Jiricna, who left Prague in 1968 for a “smashing” job opportunity in London. Three weeks after she had moved, however, the Soviets invaded Czechoslovakia. Jiricna was immediately notified that her passport had been abolished, and she was banned from returning to her home country. 

Magazine: Journey POD
Author: Andrea Cannistraci

Prague is one of the best preserved cities in Europe, and it is not unusual to come across a striking variety of architectural styles – from Baroque to functionalism – in the space of a few minutes. But how has the Czech capital fared when it comes to contemporary architecture? It is the subject of a new exhibition entitled The New Face of Prague, which has just opened at the city's Czech Centre. 

BIG IN PRAG: DESIGNHOTELS JOSEF & MAXIMILIANMagazine: Plugged
Author: Tina Metzger

Das erste wahre Designhotel Prags erhielt bereits einige bedeutende Architekturpreise. Die in Prag geborene Eva Jiricna von London Architects konzentrierte sich in ihrem minimalistischen Stil auf das Wesentliche wie einst die funktionalistische Moderne in Prag. Viel Weiss und Glas beherrschen das Bild. Beeindruckend ist vor allem der Garten als Ruheoase inmitten der beiden Hotelgebäude.

In Praag ligt alles op comfortabele loopafstand, waardoor u eindeloos kunt blijven flaneren.
Breng ook zeker een bezoek aan het Alphonse Mucha Museum (www.mucha.cz). Dit museum is nog maar sinds 1998 open en is opgedragen aan de Jugendstilvorst Alfons Mucha (1860-1934). Het museum was tijdens het socialisme verboden gebied.

“The Josef is the only boutique-style modern hotel in Prague, with a great central location near the Old Town Square and Jewish Quarter. Consciously ‘designer’ style is visible everywhere, created by Eve Jiricná who has worked to acclaim in Paris and London, and pleasingly this is never at the expense of comfort. The overall feeling is one of light, air and an interesting use of fabric and colour.

If you were a member of London's moneyed party set in the mid 1980s to early 1990s, you might have spent a substantial portion of your life, or at least your weekend, in Eva Jiricna's world. You might have gone clothes shopping at Harrods' Way-in department, and snapped up some of those new "designer labels" everyone was talking about, or perhaps popped down to Joseph on Fulham Road for some matt-black accessories. Then dinner at Le Caprice, followed by a night getting down to the Pet Shop Boys or Bros at an exclusive club like Legends or Browns. And all the time you'd have been surrounded by the understated cool of Jiricna's interiors.

Newly opened and built around a simple COURTYARD, the 110-room Hotel Josef (Rybna 20; 00420 221 700 111; www.hoteljosef.com) was designed by London-based Czech Eva Jiricna (best known for her designs incorporating glass and steel). The Josef has been designed as a stunning modern contrast to Prague's beautiful historical buildings.

The Josef is the only boutique-style modern hotel in Prague, with a great central location near the Old Town Square and Jewish Quarter. Consciously ‘designer’ style is visible everywhere, created by Eve Jiricná who has worked to acclaim in Paris and London, and pleasingly this is never at the expense of comfort. The overall feeling is one of light, air and an interesting use of fabric and colour. 

With its mix of medieval architecture, youthful atmosphere, strong booye, and cheap nightlife Prague has quickly become one of Europe's trendiest destinations. And the artsy-cool Hotel Josef may be one of the trendiest places to stay - a light, airy, and modern retreat in a city filled with gritty buildings, drunken beerhalls, and pulsing dance clubs.

Mit dem ersten Designhotel Tschechiens, dem „Josef“ in der Altstadt, setzt die Stadt Trends. Entworfen wurde das Haus von der gebürtigen Tschechin Eva Jiricna. Die Architektin, international für ihren minimalistischen Stil bekannt, verwendete hochwertige und handwerklich präzise bearbeitete klassische Materialien wie Glas, Stahl und Stein in einer modernen Designsprache.

In Trebon wird noch einmal der Nostalgie gepflogen, das ist man seinen Erinnerungen schuldig und dem Tourismus: Hering mit Zwiebeln, Karpfen in schwarzer Sauce, Aal am Spieß. So hat es auch damals geschmeckt, vor rund 20 Jahren. Und die Tschechen, lesen wir bei Jiri Grusa, haben es noch nie gemocht. Weil das Fischige ausschließlich der Weihnachtszeit vorbehalten ist, außer, man wurde auf Kur geschickt und hatte Diät.

Well it has been one hell of a week. That is to say, five days of pure joy from morning to night. And today we all depart wonderful Prague and wonderful Hotel Josef to the four corners of the world. I have loved every minute. What can be better than to wake up in a great bed, go down for a fabulous breakfast with stimulating company? Each day has unfolded with so many provocative encounters.

Trumping the Unbearable Darkness of History By NICHOLAS KULISH
THAT history has not been just a string of kindnesses and gifts of beauty for the ancient, golden city of Prague is far from apparent at first glance.
The blows of World War II and the heavy hand of Communist construction — so apparent in neighboring capitals — are barely discernable there. It is nothing like the wholesale reinvention of Bucharest, the scars of Warsaw or the division of Berlin.

This trip has been overwhelming and wonder-filled. So many times I’ve had to stop and wipe the tears of amazement off my face. I’m so grateful that I’m able to take this trip. I wish everyone could take a trip like this. This voyage has become a pilgrimage for me. I’ve moved from place to place, praying that everything will go smoothly during my travels – truly trusting God, and I’ve been blessed by some fantastic people along the way. I can’t believe that I only have a few days left on this adventure. It really has been magical.

Ed Sanders: The suffering now is nothing compared to what's going to happen in the Golden Writer Retirement Home where we'll all need a lot of painkillers. Suffering, unfortunately, seems built into the human condition. We can only use literature and art, poetry and making love, taking long walks and skiing, scientific inventions, dancing and hanging out with loved ones to alleviate the pain.

The Charles Bridge was beautiful, its stone arches looping their way gracefully across Prague’s Vlata River. But instead of T-shirt-clad backpackers peering up at the statues of saints and martyrs lining the 14th-century bridge, there were schoolchildren bundled in parkas and bright scarves. And the two young women playing classical guitar midway down the span were wearing half-fingered-gloves. The women smiled, despite the fact that their breath was white in the December air, and I was happy to stop and listen, leaning over the parapet to see the towers of Old Town glowing in the soft winter sun.

Gleich draußen vor dem Hotel wartet Prag. Mit so vielen sehenswerten Plätzen, Gassen, Ufern, Hügeln, mit all der Gotik, der Renaissance und dem Barock, mit Gründerzeit und Jugendstil, dass man aus dem Schauen nicht herauskommt. Da tut es gut, wenigstens zwischendurch den Augen etwas Ruhe zu gönnen. Im Josef zum Beispiel, dem Design-Hotel, das Eva Jiricna entworfen hat. Bloß einen Katzensprung vom Altstädter Ring und dem Touristengeschiebe entfernt, hat die Architektin eine Oase der Ruhe geschaffen. Im Gegensatz zu anderen "modernisierten" Hotels ist das Josef von Grund auf eine Neulösung.

Die österreichischen Besitzer hatten den Mut, auf das konventionelle Hotel-Interieur zu verzichten und eine minimalistische, gleichzeitig aber höchsten Komfort bietende Architektur als Ausstattung zu wählen.
Die tschechische Metropole ist vom Geheimtipp zum Höhepunkt vieler Europareisen geworden. Die Stadt liegt voll im Trend und ist als „Hollywood des Ostens“ Drehort zahlloser internationaler Filme.

Eva Jiricna, like Jan Kaplicky and Boris Sipek, is one of the Czech luminaries who emigrated some 30 years ago. While Sipek returned to the Czech Republic to live, Jiricna and Kaplicky continued to work in London at the Richard Rogers agency. For more than twenty years, Eva Jiricna's hallmark has been the elegance of her interiors, she has been working stably in Prague for several years. In the city centre, the Hotel Josef was constructed on a piece of land left abandoned until the 1960s.

 

 

One of Europe’s most popular destinations, the Czech Republic’s magnificent capital, Prague, has been plagued with a shortage of well-appointed rooms. Helping ease the situation is the brand-new 110-bedroom Hotel Josef, which opened last June in the heart of the city’s medieval quarter. Rather than trying to re-create the past, Czech-born London architect Eva Jiricna has given the Josef a bold glass-and-steel façade, which fits in surprisingly well with the historic surroundings.

„Das Hotel Josef und das Hotel Maximilian liegen nur ein paar Gehminuten von einander entfernt mitten in der Prager Altstadt im ehemaligen jüdischen Viertel. Vor allem das Josef fällt in den schmalen, gewunden Gassen sofort auf durch seine weit aufgestellten Alu-Sonnenschutzgestänge über jedem Zimmerfenster – eine Konstruktion, die den historischen Holzläden am gegenüberliegenden Gebäude nachempfunden ist. Das Erdgeschoss wurde als Kontrast zur verputzten Lochfassade ganz und gar verglast

 

Prague is a such a tractable city that you could in theory stay anywhere and have a good time, from the famously vertiginous castle on the west bank of the River Vltava to the “beyond” of Vinohrady. It still pays to know where to stay and where not to stay, however. 1989 is a long time ago, and the initial flurry of redevelopment on either side of the Charles Bridge has hardened into semi-larcenous tourist tat. You’ll end up there on the first night searching for a decent restaurant, and despite a hundred choices you’ll go home disappointed – especially if you fall for the old trick of wanting native bohemian fare, which amounts to another pile of potatoes and overcooked meat flavoured with ubiquitous peppers.

Le premier, grand maître du cubisme tchèque, a illuminé les années dix du siècle dernier par l'inventivité de ses formes. Son service à café noir et blanc en porcelaine a révolutionné le design à une époque où on l'appelait encore art plastique. Ses œuvres sont actuellement exposées dans l'une des salles d'exposition de la Maison Municipale (Obecní Dum) de Prague, fameux bâtiment Art Nouveau décoré par les fresques d'Alfons Mucha qui mythifient l'épopée slave.

By way of example, one of the boutique hotels in the city is Hotel Josef, a Functionalist building where owners took a minimalist approach. It was redesigned inside and out by architect Eva Jiricina. Not antiques but contemporary and crisp design: glass and shades of white. Hotel Josef's Milena Findeis: "You can see it in the details, if it's design or not. It doesn't happen so often that the architect and the interior designer are the same person but we were lucky.

When I was a little girl, I wanted to buy a stairway to heaven so I could stay in a perfect place with fluffy pillows and happy people. Well, after all my travels, I don’t need that stairway because I have found some hotels that are pretty close to heaven. For a hotel to make my celestial list, they had to be extraordinary. So, after hours of contemplation, I have compiled my list of eight hotels around the world that I think are truly Diva-worthy.