STUDENTS IN THE ROLE OF ARCHITECTS

How do young people envision their ideal family house with a living attic? The answer to this question is provided by the projects of students from secondary building vocational schools, which they submitted to the competition Family House with a Living Attic.

This competition for students of secondary building vocational schools is organized by VELUX Czech Republic, s.r.o., with professional patronage from the Architects' Association for the third year in a row. The winners of the competition were officially announced at an exhibition in the Písecká Brána in Prague 6.

The expert jury, composed of architects Petr Fuchs (Akad. arch., member of the Architects' Association), Jan Melichar (Ing. arch., member of the Architects' Association), and Klára Bukolská (Ing. arch., architect at VELUX Czech Republic, s.r.o.), selected three winning projects from 70 student works that advanced from the school round to the national round of the competition. The jury evaluated the projects based on the following criteria: overall architectural and technical design of the building, optimal design solutions for the attic and roof windows considering optimal lighting, ventilation, and adherence to the principles of building physics. "After reviewing all the submitted works, I can confidently state that the competition shows a rising trend. I remember the timid beginnings of the first year when some projects resembled children’s building blocks, awkwardly sketched with a pencil on paper," says juror Petr Fuchs and continues, "Today, however, most projects are well-computerized. The details of VELUX windows are generally used appropriately. Only the heights and shapes of the window sills were a tough nut to crack for some high school students."

Ing. arch. Jan Melichar adds: "We evaluated the submitted works not only from the perspective of architectural and layout solutions but primarily from the viewpoint of optimal use of roof windows, both for lighting and ventilation, thermal losses, etc. The submitted works documented that even while adhering to these basic criteria, the architecture of the building can be diametrically different. I personally appreciated that some works were not designed as a 'house in the Czech landscape', having a catalogue footprint, but were shape and mass-wise very well thought out. Some works have the level for acceptance into a university without entrance exams."

The jury finally awarded first place to the original project by student Michal Tichý from SPŠ stavební Zlín. "The project feels both cultivated and cheerful at the same time. With the sensitive use of structural details and fine-tuning of certain interior functions, this house could achieve exceptional aesthetic and technical qualities," writes the jury in its evaluation.

Second place was awarded to Jiří Magdálek from SPŠ stavební in Uherské Hradiště, whose project was praised by the jury for the courage to apply a biomorphic shape for the house, somewhat reminiscent of a snail shell - ammonite. The overall composition gives a calm, even closed impression.

And the third prize was shared by the authors of two entirely different projects. Martin Fabián from SPŠ stavební in Valašské Meziříčí impressed the jury with his traditional concept of a house that respects the roof slope suitable for the landscape not only of the snowy Valašské hills. "The house is harmoniously composed with the garden. The color scheme, as well as the overall culture of the graphic presentation, convinced the jury to place this house in contrast to the attempts at today's modernity," the jury justifies its selection. The author of the second project is Martin Šikula from SPŠ stavební in Brno, who approached the house in a purely modern way. His standard solution for a contemporary house appears in many variants today. The roof has no overhangs, no gutters, with an all-metal body that initially gives a cold and impersonal impression. Upon closer inspection, there is a noticeable effort to illuminate the house well with properly placed VELUX roof windows in combination with façade windows. The house appears balanced, accessible, and quite modest.

In addition to the main prizes, the jury also awarded six special commendations.

"In the future, I would like to recommend to students, my future colleagues, architects - builders of houses and temples, to rely more on their own handwriting, hand drawing - a necessary artistic introspection that has always preceded the era. To distinguish fashion trends from true modernity. Computers are only good helpers; they will not design the house for them," concludes Petr Fuchs.