Between the Arches

When an architect builds or reconstructs a building for themselves, the result usually stands out from the crowd. The zero necessity of compromises or adapting the architect's intention to the investor leads to an exceptional design and a cohesive concept, where everything fits together like a perfect mosaic, and the resulting building bears the discernible handwriting of the author. For this reason, the reconstruction of a traditional log house from the late 19th century and its transformation into a recreational facility was recognized by the judges of the Grand Prix of Architects 2022 – the National Award for Architecture with an honorable mention.

"The windows and doors are waiting for the wings. The bedroom for the attic beneath the feet. The stairs go on tiptoes. The kitchen is no longer a stable, the passage will be a dining room, and the table dreams of the first evening. The centuries-old well accumulates drop by drop, and the garden cannot wait – large pear trees with small sweet pears and plum alleys along the stony path to the house, the houses. Our piles return where they belong, to Beskid clay and stone. Over the meadow seeds and wildflowers, butterflies circle. The house in the meadow seems to have always been here," describes the building Daniela Hradilová, investor and architect in one person. However, the path to poetic daydreaming on the porch of the restored building was long.

The original building consisted of a residential house – a wooden log structure – and a stone stable. Architect Hradilová decided to remove all additional layers of materials and non-original constructions in the first phase of reconstruction. She invited a company specializing in the reconstruction of folk buildings for collaboration. The building on a stone foundation with a preserved cellar was restored using local fir wood. "My intention was for all the materials used to come from the immediate vicinity of the house - not only wood but also stone for the missing parts of the stone stable, walls, or paved areas, old granite slabs found on the floors or outdoor terrace. The chimney and the old dug well were also restored from stone. I chose hand-split larch shingles without surface treatment as the roofing," lists Daniela Hradilová.

The restored log structure of the house uses traditional wooden pegs, oak rods as joints, and sheep wool for insulation. From the outside, the beams are worked with hand carving, while from the interior side, they are planed. In the bedrooms, floors made from a hundred-year-old butcher's tables stand out. The log part contains the main living space, to which an entrance veranda attaches on one side and a stone annex with a bathroom on the other side. The beamed staircase connects the ground floor of the house with its attic, which is conceived as a generous airy space used for relaxation and occasional sleeping.

The stone part of the building also underwent a significant restoration and today houses the kitchen. A completely original and very impressive place in the house is a glazed passage, which serves not only as a dining room but also as an observation area, from where unique views open up to the outside through the floor-to-ceiling windows. Thanks to the smart choice of stone flooring, which is the same inside and outside, the interior seamlessly meets the exterior.

The dominant element of the glazed passage has become the MOON light by Davide Groppi, which does justice to its name and resembles a full moon floating under the sky in the glazed passage... Also, other interior furnishings bear the marks of renowned names: In the bathroom, you will find ceramics from Villeroy & Boch and tiles from Mutina, in the kitchen furniture from Reform Copenhagen or Todus. All lighting is controlled by black rotary switches from the Berker series 1930 made of genuine porcelain from Rosenthal. To highlight the historical spirit of the building, wall-mounted switches were used in this project, meaning with an installation box and exposed wiring. Due to their robustness and visual supply cable, they attract deserved attention in the interior. They look highly authentic both on stone walls and on both light and dark wood. "The Berker series 1930 switches and sockets not only announce their name but also their appearance related to the time of their origin, i.e., the 1930s," explains Thomas Grund, the general director of Hager in the Czech Republic, whose portfolio includes Berker switches. "These switches look almost exactly like the first rotary switches we still encounter in old buildings from our grandparents," smiles Thomas Grund, adding: "The switches, sockets, and other electrical components from the Berker series 1930 combine retro aesthetics with precise modern technology and uncompromising safety. Therefore, we need not fear using them even on wooden cladding, as they are separated from it by a special non-flammable base. The use of our switches in this renovation, which openly adheres to sustainability, the use of natural materials, and overall respect for the environment, precisely fits into the philosophy and environmental policy of Hager. I am pleased that we resonate with the architect on this."

The house offers a soothing touch for the soul not only through its thoughtfully designed interior down to the last detail but also its surroundings. The building is surrounded by an expansive meadow of four thousand square meters. It is sown with a Beskid grass mix with wildflowers and planted with old varieties of fruit trees. As it is not fenced, it flows smoothly into the surrounding mountain meadows and pastures and seems endless.

"We found the log cabin by chance... or did it find us? We saved it, just like our ideas - ideas about architecture as a sensitivity captured in the house. In every place of this building, you find yourself in a different time. In the time of wood, stone, sheep wool, and linen. In a time you can touch, and that smells and tastes until you get goosebumps. And in the meantime, we met people here – craftsmen with deep eyes and strong hands. They were here for hundreds of days to ensure that the centuries-old house remains forever," poetically concludes Daniela Hradilová.

www.hager.cz/vypinac



Between the meadows
Location: Čeladná
Architect: Daniela Hradilová
www.mezilukami.cz

Photo:
Romana Bennet, www.romanabennet.com
Petr Polak Studio