Weekend house for an artist on Libeň Island - Between Art and Nature

Project idea

The main idea is to create a space that provides comfortable relaxation and space for work. It was important for me to create a seamless connection with the garden, which is a part of the entire building. The main advantage of this solution is the feeling of privacy without the need for a fence. This design also provides views in all directions, which I think allows you to draw inspiration from anything in the surroundings: the dance studio, nature, the Vltava River, etc.

Project description

During the studio, I designed a recreational facility, specifically a weekend house for an artist. The location of the building was chosen on Libeň Island, in Prague, between the modern development of apartment buildings and the transition to a gardening colony. First, I analyzed the requirements for the facility: lighting, height division, orientation, atmosphere and at the same time the location: surrounding development; views; activities that take place there. Nearby is the former sculpture studio of Jan Lauda, from 1930, according to the project of the famous Otakar Novotný. Therefore, I emphasized that the mass of the proposed weekend house should follow the neighboring functionalist building. The design consists of two main spaces or shapes, a studio and a living space, connected by a through axis. It creates a space that provides relaxation and at the same time space for work. These two spaces are also connected by a garden with a stone paving, that reflects the surrounding green area.

Technical information

The foundation of the house is ordinary reinforced concrete strips. Since the house is divided into 2 parts, the materials also respond to this. The structure of the house is reinforced concrete walls, columns and slabs. These walls have white plaster, which supports the general mood of the house. The walls that "enclose" are brick with window holes. They create intimacy and at the same time a connection with the outside world. The brick has a soft peach colour, which gives the structure lightness. Responding to the surrounding context and the general color scheme of the object, all steel elements have a gentle green color. The working area/part has two levels, for work and for relaxation. They are connected by a spiral wooden staircase that simultaneously serves as shelves for storing things. Since the user is an artist, the house has a well-thought-out lighting concept, which is created using a huge window-door on the northern part. The living area has several exits that are connected by a stone path and complemented by a wooden terrace zone for warm weather with table and chairs, that can be easily moved into the house for rainy or snowy days.