Block house

Family house near Divoká Šárka

The Block House is positioned at the bottom of a sloping plot to maximise the views of the landscape, the enjoyment of the garden and the intimacy of the occupants.

The central theme of the building is its subdivision into blocks and the merging of the building and the character of the surrounding buildings. Emphasis is placed on taking advantage of the sloping site and the natural garden.

The house is therefore designed as a three-storey building on a rectangular plan, woven into the terrain with sloping green roofs. The layout is deliberately zoned by floor, both horizontally and vertically. The individual blocks are coherent masses that help articulate the overall expression of the building.

The masses are offset from each other by about 10 degrees, making them stand out slightly from the classic rectangular plan. This accentuates the vertical articulation and gives the architecture an interesting and original feel.

The sloping site was both a challenge and a stimulus for ideas.

In the end, it was possible to link the different height profiles both functionally and visually. The elegant functional and visual transition from the garden behind the house to the living room and kitchen is almost barrier-free. Similarly, one floor below the house opens up to the street level. The height difference is bridged and the occupants of the house can enjoy the benefits this brings.

Horizontal zoning

The first underground floor houses the main entrance of the house, a spacious garage, technical facilities and SPA.

On the second floor we find the daily living area, which consists of a living room connected to the open kitchen and dining room, designed so that both longer glass facades offer maximum views of the garden but also the valley of the Tichá Šárka. There is also an office (guest room) and a bathroom with toilet.

On the third floor there is a resting zone with two children’s rooms, parents’ bedroom with a dressing room and a bathroom. All rooms are oriented to the garden with access to the roof terrace.

The mass of the house is formed by three boxes sitting on top of each other with different angles of rotation, so that the building gets the right rhythm and a pleasant visual perception.

Depending on the side of the building, the angular variation in the plan varies between 10 and 13 degrees. The overlapping of the individual Boxes also creates protection against overheating of the house through its large glazed surfaces set in anthracite aluminium frames.

The façade is made up of a combination of light-coloured plaster and wooden slats. The first floor is designed in stone cladding.