Reconstruction of the Embassy of the Czech Republic in Brazil

From the three buildings of the Czechoslovak Embassy constructed between 1965-1974, the building originally intended for employee housing remained with the Czech Republic after the dissolution of Czechoslovakia. The poor technical condition of the building and its inadequate spatial arrangement led the investor in 2002 to intend to reconstruct and expand the building. The northern part of the main residential structure was converted for administrative purposes, while the southern part was retained for residential use. We newly designed what is called an entrance building with the consular department's office at the originally rear entrance to the property, thereby reversing the building's original orientation. The original tennis court was relocated from the current forecourt of the embassy to the rear - recreational - part of the plot next to the renovated pool.
Our intention in working on the reconstruction was to restore the building's generous and optimistic spirit (despite a partial change in usage). Spatial changes were proposed with maximum caution, and the replacement materials (only a reinforced concrete skeleton remained from the original building) were carefully compared with the originals. The newly constructed entrance building - a simple low structure with a contemporary expression - is positioned low behind the boundary wall to allow the original concise spatial concept to resonate. Special attention was given to the color scheme. The recessed parts of the façade on the main building were painted dark according to the original black-and-white photographic documentation. Later, remnants of dark gray, red, and even yellow were uncovered. However, the newly chosen dark blue solution appeared to be more suitable under the local lighting conditions and given the urban context.