Family House, Czech Karst

In the summer of 2009, we visited a location near the Berounka River together with the future builder. The wide valley with wooded slopes was once a recreational area, which is gradually transitioning into residential use. A path runs through the valley lined with elongated plots (approximately 50 x 15 m) oriented perpendicular to the contour lines. The development thins out towards the outskirts of the village, and the building plots turn into gardens with cottages. Initially, we considered modifying one of the cottages, but it turned out to be unrealistic due to nature conservation regulations. Eventually, an opportunity arose to buy one of the plots, including a house, with the possibility of renovation. Modifying the existing structure gradually proved to be less advantageous, so we decided on a new build.

On the site of the original square building (approximately 9 x 9 m), a new house with a rectangular layout of 7.6 x 12.3 m is proposed. The simple mass topped with a gable roof is oriented with its shorter side towards the access road. The symmetrical gable has the same width and height of 7.6 m. The roof has a slope of 45° and is positioned at half the height of the house, that is, at 3.8 m. A dormer with a flat roof protrudes from the roof plane, set back from the northern gable. Adjacent to the house in the northeast corner is a simple entrance structure. The mass solution was limited by the relatively strict regulations of the Czech Karst Protected Landscape Area.
The succinct form of the house is emphasized by the austere facade made of oak planks, which cover the generous windows on the ground floor with folding shutters. An exception is the square non-opening window in the gable.
The narrowing of the house compared to the original structure freed up space along the longer sides, allowing for the creation of a wooden deck that seamlessly connects to the living room on the ground floor. To the south, in front of the house, the area is largest, thereby expanding the main living space connected to the terrace by a large glass sliding wall spanning the entire width of the house. A wide staircase over the stream connects the terrace with the southern part of the garden and the access road. Behind the house to the north, where the land begins to rise into a steep slope supported by a retaining wall, a northern garden has been created which directly connects to the upper floor and provides a shaded alternative to the southern terrace.

The structure of the house is entirely wooden framework, stiffened from the inside with OSB boards, which also serve as a vapor barrier. The composition of the walls is diffusion-open. From the outside, it is finished with a weather-protected diffusion foil covered with oak planks of various widths. The southern gable wall is composed of a truss beam supplemented with angled elements - braces to reduce deflection. The roof covering is made of concrete tiles.