Villa on the hill

The royal town of Slaný and its center has a characteristic medieval urbanism. The development outside its walls is not as compact and transitions into fertile countryside with orchards and vineyards, dominated by Slánská hora. In the outskirts of the town, where vineyards once stood, a small collection of family houses has emerged. The last undeveloped plot had a triangular shape with an elevation of over three meters. It had been on sale for a long time, waiting for a brave investor and their architect. For some, a limitation; for us, a challenge on how to develop it.
The investor found a liking for wooden houses and wanted to use this technology for their new home as well. Given the significant slope, the wooden structure had to be combined with classic masonry technology. The mass with non-residential spaces, a technical room, storage areas, and a photo studio partially embedded into the slope is built of masonry. In contrast, the residential mass was realized as a prefabricated wooden construction made from panels manufactured in a hall. The staircase inserted between the masses creates a separation while also providing a functional connection between the street level and the garden, which is three meters lower. The facades are plastered with white or gray ground plaster imitating concrete. The interior is restrained, minimalist, featuring striking wooden solitaires made of oak, such as the staircase, dining table, and custom-made furniture. Large-format windows ensure constant contact with mature greenery and a view of important landmarks in the area, Slánská hora and the monastery church.