Family House in Ráječko

It may seem that Fránek's houses, which occasionally lie on the edge of the technical capabilities of contemporary Czech construction - and additionally impose high intellectual demands on their inhabitants - are something completely exceptional, a luxury for a chosen few. However, Zdeněk Fránek is capable of creating an extraordinarily strong house even with a minimal budget - a testament to this is the family house in Ráječko, realized partly through self-help at the price of an apartment.
The hard concrete shell of the prism protects the soft insulating core made of birch plywood, which lends its color and texture to the interior. Due to the enforced formal restraint, this house is entirely archetypal. "The only curve is the bending of the roof, creating a gutter through which water flows out." says the author. The house is much more than just a concrete box and surpasses the ingrained notions of a cheap house in every respect, primarily thanks to the creative collaboration with the client.