A4: Václav Mlynář - Village on the House

CONCEPT — Assignment: "village on the house." In my project, I aimed to create social housing that could, to some extent, resemble village life through its structure and functionality. In larger cities today, it is common for people not to know their neighbors, even if they have lived next to each other their entire lives. Anonymity has become a norm. Therefore, I wanted to create an environment where people would often meet, communicate together, and spend their free time. I chose as the target group for which I designed the housing, students from outside the city and abroad, who are looking for temporary accommodation in Prague and often live in student dormitories.
I placed the student village/dormitory on the roof of a well-known six-story building called “Molochov,” designed by my great-uncle, architect Josef Havlíček. The building is situated in Letná, near the center of Prague. In the immediate vicinity are several universities, such as the Academy of Fine Arts, the Czech Technical University, or Charles University. At the same time, Letná Plain begins across the street.
The entire residential structure consists of thirty-one living modules that reflect, repeat, connect, and support one another on the roof. Arches are created between them, thanks to which the entire dormitory is interconnected. Each module is designed for three students. In addition to living units, there are two streetball courts, a café with a shop, greenery, and benches on the roof of Havlíček's building. I created a space for relaxation, entertainment, socializing, and, of course, living.
Three lift shafts and escape staircases are attached to the façade. Water drainage and installation zones are resolved using a wooden grid, which raises the entire village above the roof of the building, thus covering the unevenness and technical background needed on the roof of the house. Large planters with trees and in some places grass are embedded in the grid. For safety reasons, there is a railing around the entire perimeter of the building.

CAFÉ — Part of the Molochov dormitories is also a café, located in the middle of the entire complex. It is the main meeting place for students and their visitors. The café offers seating both indoors and outdoors under a wooden pergola. The interior and exterior are connected by a large glass wall that can be partially opened, thus linking both spaces. The blind gable of the café and the shelter serve as a climbing wall. During the winter, the shelter is used to store outdoor wire furniture, which is placed on the grassy area in front of the café during the summer.

INTERIOR — The interior of the residential units is designed very simply. It consists of three identical rooms with built-in wardrobes, shelves, a sleeping loft, and a table. The room has climbing rungs that can be used for exercising and also serve as access to the loft. The kitchen is also the living room, where students gather. In the middle of the room is a bar table and chairs. The table serves both for meal preparation and dining.