Cottage with skylights
The cottage in the recreational area outside Prague has an atypical shape and appearance. The asymmetrical tent roof is trimmed and finished with a pair of skylights. Originally, a simple one-story cabin with a basement and a low gabled roof, built in the 1970s, stood in its place. A married couple from Prague purchased the land for a "getaway from the city," not just for weekends, but also for working from home. They were enchanted by the peaceful location in the midst of nature, surrounded by a garden and mature trees. They were very much looking forward to their retreat from urban noise and even took a gardening course, but the problem was the building in a very poor technical condition. Moreover, it was also inadequate in terms of layout, as the investors wished to expand the ground floor room with an attic bedroom. However, the zoning plan did not permit new construction and the height was limited to a maximum of 7.7 meters from the adjacent terrain. Therefore, the only solution was a complete reconstruction that would enlarge the house while meeting the requirements of the authorities and the neighbors.
Architect Martin Hajný responded to these challenges with a design for a building of atypical shape with a trimmed roof. The reason was to minimize height and be considerate of neighbors, as the shaped roof does not disrupt their view of the landscape. Only the stone foundation of the original cabin remains, on which the new metal structure stands. The main structure is a post-and-beam wood construction on a reinforced concrete slab, which is placed on reinforced concrete pillars hidden behind stone walls. The roof and facade are clad in trapezoidal sheet metal, a maintenance-free material with a long lifespan, which resembles wooden slats in its shape.
While the dark exterior helps the building blend in with the surroundings, the interior is, on the contrary, bright and predominantly wooden, evoking a classic cottage. The pine plywood used, with its pronounced grain, transitions from the ceiling to the walls and all the furniture. It contrasts in color with the facade and is also practical, as more light penetrates into the interior. The bathroom features a discreet gray plaster on the floor and walls.
From the ground floor, views of the surroundings open up through large glazed areas facing south and east. The simple layout here allowed the use of facade windows on all sides. The trimmed roof, on the other hand, remains uniform from an external perspective; any insertion of a window would disrupt the simplicity of the house as seen from the outside. The bedroom is therefore illuminated by a pair of opening skylights from above. The skylights create an interesting meditative space and allow for quick chimney ventilation of the entire building. In combination with a pronounced overhang of the roof over the southern part, a pleasant indoor climate is ensured throughout the year.
Architect Martin Hajný responded to these challenges with a design for a building of atypical shape with a trimmed roof. The reason was to minimize height and be considerate of neighbors, as the shaped roof does not disrupt their view of the landscape. Only the stone foundation of the original cabin remains, on which the new metal structure stands. The main structure is a post-and-beam wood construction on a reinforced concrete slab, which is placed on reinforced concrete pillars hidden behind stone walls. The roof and facade are clad in trapezoidal sheet metal, a maintenance-free material with a long lifespan, which resembles wooden slats in its shape.
While the dark exterior helps the building blend in with the surroundings, the interior is, on the contrary, bright and predominantly wooden, evoking a classic cottage. The pine plywood used, with its pronounced grain, transitions from the ceiling to the walls and all the furniture. It contrasts in color with the facade and is also practical, as more light penetrates into the interior. The bathroom features a discreet gray plaster on the floor and walls.
From the ground floor, views of the surroundings open up through large glazed areas facing south and east. The simple layout here allowed the use of facade windows on all sides. The trimmed roof, on the other hand, remains uniform from an external perspective; any insertion of a window would disrupt the simplicity of the house as seen from the outside. The bedroom is therefore illuminated by a pair of opening skylights from above. The skylights create an interesting meditative space and allow for quick chimney ventilation of the entire building. In combination with a pronounced overhang of the roof over the southern part, a pleasant indoor climate is ensured throughout the year.
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