Vila Všenory

A Simple House in an Unusual Location

The northwest slope rising from the Berounka River to the Brdy Mountains is lined with villas from the early 20th century. The area has retained the atmosphere of the First Republic, a summer residence near the railway line outside of Prague. The builder's plot is located in the last row of houses under the forest. There was a small wooden cottage on the plot. In its place, utilizing the original terrace and retaining wall, a new building has been erected. The front of the house stands, like its neighbors, high above the access road. From here, there are wide views into the Berounka valley and the slopes of the Brdy Mountains.
The brief called for minimal housing for a family with three children. The house is entered through a service block with a hall, bathroom, and technical room. Surrounding it is the living space with a study that can be separated by a sliding wall.
The structural cross of the joisted ceiling with a central column divides the house's floor plan into four sections. Each of them opens with a large window to a different cardinal direction. Thus, the living space has contact with the terrace and garden, a view into the valley, and from the study, a view towards the escarpment of the cemetery with a lookout.
On the upper floor is the private part of the house with three bedrooms. The small rooms gain dimension from the openings into the sloping roof space. The bathroom, with a large window facing the overgrown slope, finds itself among the trees.
The gable roof corresponds to the character of the surrounding development. The wooden structure simplified the implementation on the steep terrain. Horizontal layers of larch cladding and solid glass panels flush with the façade give the wooden house a solid form. It thus becomes an equal partner to the neighboring brick villas.