Interior of the family house Na Krutci
A young married couple, focused primarily on professional growth, desired a comfortable living space with good transportation accessibility and established amenities that wouldn't burden them with demanding maintenance. A row house, part of a sophisticated urban complex in Prague, appeared to be the ideal solution, but to ensure a fulfilling life, its interior needed to be altered.
The greatest value of the house lies in its location on the border of an older villa district and a large protected natural area, in a quiet zone on a gentle southern slope with a nice view. The architectural firm Kuba, Pilař - architects designed a cohesive collection of detached and row family houses, complemented by several multi-story apartment buildings and civic amenities. The artistic composition based on elementary geometric shapes and "classic" materials, such as exposed brick, smooth plaster, and natural wood, brings a certain standard quality and timeless value. However, the couple wanted to maximize the internal layout of the house to match their own needs and style, and therefore they were not satisfied with the "universal" basic floor plan and reached out to architect Ivana Dombková during the project phase, whose work they admired.
A house with internal light
The primary requirement was to open up and lighten the internal layout, which in the original project was segmented into several separate small (and dark) rooms, as well as to utilize the basement. In a fully basement house, the intended use was not clearly defined, creating a sort of dead space. The architect divided it into two functional zones – the house's utility area (laundry room, large storage space, and a room for garden equipment) and a relaxation area, where a guest room, sauna with amenities, and a rest area are located. Daylight comes into this area through the English courtyard created alongside the eastern facade of the house, essential for mental well-being.
The ground floor significantly "brightened" thanks to the removal of part of the walls. Only the entrance area, garage, and WC remain separated by doors, while the living room, dining area, kitchen, and staircase to the upper floor create a continuous vessel through which both natural light and the sounds, scents, and moods – all the events happening in the house – flow. Household members are thus closer to each other and can breathe more freely in the open space.
The somewhat special atmosphere is primarily due to the light coming from above through a large skylight. Similar to a medieval basilica, it reflects and disperses among the walls, providing the interior with two main focal points – the dining table and the staircase, which serve as both factual and metaphorical cores of communication. The spatial role of light also plays a part upstairs, as glazed walls in the bathroom, glass doors, and other elements create fascinating effects.
Between sculpture and architecture
“Working within the confines defined by a parcel width of 8.80 m and facade positions posed much greater demands on the layout than designing a house on a greenfield site, where I can arrange functional spaces much more freely,” explains the architect. “In such a limited space, every centimeter must be weighed – if something is added in one place, it automatically disappears elsewhere. It was about precisely balancing the sizes of living rooms, hallways, utility areas, and all furnishings to ensure optimal space for each function in the house.” Missing centimeters were sometimes compensated by the thickness of the demolished wall, other times by refined structural solutions. Designing the interior approached modeling or sculptural work, and the furnishings had to match not only their purpose and spatial possibilities in shape and size but also meet aesthetic criteria. And the result? According to the owners, they managed to extract the maximum from everything the house had to offer.
The greatest value of the house lies in its location on the border of an older villa district and a large protected natural area, in a quiet zone on a gentle southern slope with a nice view. The architectural firm Kuba, Pilař - architects designed a cohesive collection of detached and row family houses, complemented by several multi-story apartment buildings and civic amenities. The artistic composition based on elementary geometric shapes and "classic" materials, such as exposed brick, smooth plaster, and natural wood, brings a certain standard quality and timeless value. However, the couple wanted to maximize the internal layout of the house to match their own needs and style, and therefore they were not satisfied with the "universal" basic floor plan and reached out to architect Ivana Dombková during the project phase, whose work they admired.
A house with internal light
The primary requirement was to open up and lighten the internal layout, which in the original project was segmented into several separate small (and dark) rooms, as well as to utilize the basement. In a fully basement house, the intended use was not clearly defined, creating a sort of dead space. The architect divided it into two functional zones – the house's utility area (laundry room, large storage space, and a room for garden equipment) and a relaxation area, where a guest room, sauna with amenities, and a rest area are located. Daylight comes into this area through the English courtyard created alongside the eastern facade of the house, essential for mental well-being.
The ground floor significantly "brightened" thanks to the removal of part of the walls. Only the entrance area, garage, and WC remain separated by doors, while the living room, dining area, kitchen, and staircase to the upper floor create a continuous vessel through which both natural light and the sounds, scents, and moods – all the events happening in the house – flow. Household members are thus closer to each other and can breathe more freely in the open space.
The somewhat special atmosphere is primarily due to the light coming from above through a large skylight. Similar to a medieval basilica, it reflects and disperses among the walls, providing the interior with two main focal points – the dining table and the staircase, which serve as both factual and metaphorical cores of communication. The spatial role of light also plays a part upstairs, as glazed walls in the bathroom, glass doors, and other elements create fascinating effects.
Between sculpture and architecture
“Working within the confines defined by a parcel width of 8.80 m and facade positions posed much greater demands on the layout than designing a house on a greenfield site, where I can arrange functional spaces much more freely,” explains the architect. “In such a limited space, every centimeter must be weighed – if something is added in one place, it automatically disappears elsewhere. It was about precisely balancing the sizes of living rooms, hallways, utility areas, and all furnishings to ensure optimal space for each function in the house.” Missing centimeters were sometimes compensated by the thickness of the demolished wall, other times by refined structural solutions. Designing the interior approached modeling or sculptural work, and the furnishings had to match not only their purpose and spatial possibilities in shape and size but also meet aesthetic criteria. And the result? According to the owners, they managed to extract the maximum from everything the house had to offer.
The English translation is powered by AI tool. Switch to Czech to view the original text source.
0 comments
add comment
