Mountain Harmony

One residential house and a building resembling a barn. Together in the heart of the Jizera Mountains, they create an ideal home for a weekend getaway from the city, as well as for permanent living. The entire concept is a successful example that even modern constructions conceived with humility can harmoniously blend with the traditional mountain environment without disrupting the character of the surrounding landscape.

In the beginning, there was a desire – a residential log cabin and a standalone auxiliary building with technical facilities and potential for leisure use. The log cabin was ultimately omitted, but the house built in its place fully respects the environment of the Jizera Mountains, into which it naturally fits. “After a long discussion with the investor, we reached a mutual decision not to imitate historical approaches and log cabins but to build a modern house utilizing contemporary materials and details that will not visually stand out or unnecessarily draw attention to itself. It will simply be humble to its surroundings and respect the character of the mountain environment and nature,” says architect Martin Vomastek from the studio Labor 13, co-author of the design for this realization. And from these values, the main concept of both buildings emerged. They consist of shape-similar, parallel masses with differing external appearances, construction solutions, internal climates, and standards. Yet they belong together. Despite many differences, the two buildings are united not only by their shape but also by the modesty of the materials used and minimalist execution.

For the everyday hustle and relaxation

The main building, intended for living, was constructed from classic masonry and clad with larch planks. The otherwise regular rectangular shape of the house is intentionally disrupted by the recessed space at the entrance, created to provide a roof over the large sliding windows in the living room. This “missing” space is compensated by a large dormer in the upper floor, which not only creates more room in the attic but also brings in a lot of light. The extensive window elements permeate the entire main building. “With the large-format windows, we tried to bring as much natural daylight into the interior as possible while maximizing the visual connection between the house and the surrounding nature,” explains architect Martin Vomastek. The most glazed area is the central living space on the ground floor, which combines a kitchenette, dining area, and living room. This space is surrounded by large-format windows on one entire side and half of the opposite side. In addition to the main living space, a relaxation room on the ground floor also serves as a gathering place, featuring an entrance to a private Finnish sauna, which is accompanied by a bathroom with a cold bucket. The upper floor represents the quiet part of the house. One side is dedicated to a guest room with a separate bathroom and wardrobe, while on the other side is a children's room with an open roof structure and a built-in loft; the central part contains the owners' bedroom, a shared toilet, bathroom, and wardrobe.

Colorful symbiosis

Light colors permeate the entire interior of the main building. White walls are tastefully complemented by the exposed reinforced concrete ceiling, and on the lower floor, the floor is made of cast terrazzo. Wood is also prominently featured here, not only as flooring on the second above-ground level but also in the form of kitchen units with built-in wardrobes and additional furniture. The functioning symbiosis of white, gray, and wood is further elevated by striking black details. “We incorporated black elements into the interior in the form of window frames, appliances, faucets, shower heads, the metal structures of dining chairs, lighting, and switches,” lists architect Martin Vomastek from the studio Labor 13, continuing: “For an elegant contrast with the door leaves in brushed oak, we also chose black hardware, specifically the TERRY handles from the Czech manufacturer M&T. Besides their high-quality execution, which we have verified over the years in other projects, ensuring that the black on the handles does not peel off over time, their square, yet ergonomic shape seamlessly fits into the interior.” The stark lines of the TERRY handles are further emphasized by the square rosettes in the same color finish. “Both the TERRY handles and the lower square rosettes feature a special matte titanium finish, which is not only highly resistant to mechanical damage but also retains its color even after many years of everyday contact with hands,” adds Roman Ulich, the chief designer of M&T, a Czech manufacturer of designer door hardware.

A barn open to nature

The main building is complemented by a second one that resembles a barn. However, do not expect agricultural use – it serves more as a garden shed with technical facilities. It is composed of a reinforced concrete structure with an open roof and a built gallery. Externally, it is clad with local granite stones. The building is equipped with large doors on three sides, allowing the interior space to be completely opened up, thus connecting it with the surrounding nature up to the corner columns. “The natural connections between the interior space of the barn and the exterior are facilitated by the paving that smoothly transitions into the terrace between both buildings,” says architect Martin Vomastek, adding: “This paving is made from the same granite stones used for the barn's cladding.” The terrace space has a more private character, as it is partially shielded from the surroundings by the buildings. The concept of gently diverging buildings, however, preserves sightlines to the surroundings. The terrace also includes a historical well, and a bathing pond has been created near the house.

Harmony of the whole

The intention to create a pleasant family base while simultaneously allowing for the natural blending of modern buildings with the environment of the Jizera Mountains has been perfectly fulfilled by the architects. Evidence of this is not only the satisfaction of the owners but also the positive evaluation from local residents. “Architecture is about the interplay of millions of details that must fit together, harmonize with each other for everything to work as it should. That’s why we were present throughout the entire construction process – to have control over the execution of all technical and design details,” concludes the architect.

Technical data:

Year of realization: 2017 - 2021
Built area: house 124.6 m², barn 80 m²
Usable area: house 169 m², barn 88.8 m²
Construction of buildings: reinforced concrete, masonry
Facade: house – wooden cladding, barn – stone cladding (granite)
Roof: folded aluminum sheet
Windows: aluminum
Floor: cast terrazzo, wood
Heating: underfloor heating, electric boiler
Manufacturers and suppliers:

• Supplier of interior furnishings – Bernt interiors
• Door handles – M&T, TERRY hardware, kliky-mt.cz

Architect: Ing. arch. Martin Vomastek, Ing. arch. Eva Smolíková, studio Labor 13, www.labor13.cz

Labor 13 is a studio founded in 2007 by architects Martin Vomastek, Albert Pražák, and structural engineer Jiří Bardoděj. It provides complete project services from building design and its interior to execution projects and collaboration in realization.

The scope of activities includes projects of civic and residential buildings, interior designs, exhibition displays, and urban planning of smaller units. Besides new constructions, they also have experience in designing renovations and modifications of historical and culturally protected buildings. In their designs, they strive to understand and process the client's brief, but also to capture the context of the building and its significance in the territory.

Photos of the realization: Roman Mlejnek for M&T