House on Kozina

In the historic part of a small South Bohemian town, albeit neglected, but with a relatively strong atmosphere and potential, our new home has arisen. The place attracted us from the beginning with its quirky character and great location. In the narrow, sleepy streets, next to a grassy area in Kozinovo Square, we are shielded from the hustle and bustle of the surrounding traffic, yet we are only a few steps away from the center with shops, services, and offices, from schools, cinemas, theaters, and the train station. We perceive the reconstructed house as an alternative to villas in the suburbs, to construction projects that often disproportionately slice away at our landscape. On a significantly smaller area, we are implementing a construction program that boasts a sufficiently large living space with an adjacent outdoor terrace, an attic with children's rooms and a playroom, a bedroom with its own bathroom nook, a garden with fruit trees, two garage spaces, and a large workshop with a lift. The residential object is being created by connecting two neighboring houses. One of them underwent significant renovations at the turn of the millennium, while the other is in a state of emergency. We are removing unsuitable modern elements, such as a large dormer with a balcony and plastic windows. Behind the masonry, we discover original stone walls and minor historical fragments valuable to us. We respect the basic shape, scale, and materiality of the original masses. We adapt the internal layout to facilitate access to the object from two sides – for pedestrians from the square and for those arriving from the opposite side. A large window in the gable courtyard façade responds to the unique view of the church tower. Sightlines from the interior into the adjacent courtyards enrich the overall perception of the space. The minimalist approach to the newly created openings is intentionally left in contrast with the original, traditionally divided windows.