Prefab Story Exposes Czechoslovakia's Socialist Housing Failures
Published on 7.10.25
The Communist government's attempt to create a more equal society through identical apartment blocks in Czechoslovakia has been exposed as absurd by Věra Chytilová's film Prefab Story, set in Jižní Město sídliště, one of the largest housing estates in Prague. The estate, which is roughly the size of Newton, Massachusetts, is home to up to 100,000 people and still houses about a third of Czechs. Photographer Jaromír Čejka captured the harsh realities of life in these concrete slabs, mud, and garbage-filled environments, highlighting the stark contrast between the idealized utopian dream and the everyday struggles of its residents.