Farmhouse in Orlová near Příbram

I like to return to the topic of family farms (see Kostelec nad Černými Lesy), if a client with a relevant program can be found, whose interests indicate a desire for this form and propose a program that meaningfully fulfills this form. This happened to me again in Orlov near Příbram, where initially the client, who found me through magazine references, approached my proposals with some caution; however, after deeper mutual acquaintance, he fully respected my suggestions emerging from our discussions. Thus, the work was a joy for me and a pleasure for the client with its results. I returned once again to a certain reminiscence of folk architecture, a closed composition of agricultural buildings, which grew ad hoc upon a solid framework while using natural materials that were available. The reference to this inspiration is clear from the implementation. Balancing on the edge of historicizing forms and contemporary forms leads, in my opinion, to a response to architectural shaping at the edge of the Brdy forests and the requirements of nature conservation defined in this area by sloping roofs, materials, and window divisions (where we managed to assert our view that there was no need to necessarily insert historicizing divisions into the window openings). The composition integrates work with the terrain so that the living space is elevated, enclosed by the buildings, where a green courtyard is created with views over the newly built southern developments into the valley of Příbram with a view of Svatá Hora. Such an internally enclosed space, where the main living areas, a cottage, and an indoor pool are situated, along with an outdoor fireplace, connected by a service staircase to the gallery in front of the bedrooms upstairs, gives a feeling of complete privacy, but also subconsciously a sense of security.
The entrance part, technical equipment, and a garage for multiple cars are tucked under the terrace, and together with the landscaping, create the possibility for raising the living floor. Supply to the pantry on the upper level is handled by an approach from the eastern side of the building. However, the internal spaces do not open views only to the courtyard part but are richly opened to the meadows at the edge of the forest. For perfect contact of the 15-meter indoor pool with the surroundings, it is extended into a glazed wedge from the body of the building itself, so the swimmer sails into the "outdoor" space, and the building does not need to be unacceptably long. In the interior, we designed all built-in furniture including a shoe cabinet, outside a doghouse, more of a house for the dog, and a garden shed for placing the tractor and other garden tools. The layout from the initial sketches has remained largely unchanged and is readable from the attached drawings. The materials consist of a combination of brick construction with concrete ceilings. The house is insulated and partially clad with stone, partially with cedar, and some sections are plastered. The stone pillars in front of the main building are a reminiscence of the nearby barn, where, however, the masonry is better – mixed masonry, stone – brick, but I would have to do it myself because stonemasons want it to be beautiful and not just some patchwork.