Houses in the Fog

Since the 16th century, an ancient wooden bell tower has towered above the roofs of the cottages here. However, long before that, the roaring stream Rtyňka carved its bed through the lowlands. Today, its banks are lined with small gardens and, occasionally, typically Krkonoš houses. Somewhere here, between the water and the pulsating flow of cars on the Úpická road, we placed new stones of Homes in the Fog.

To build two small houses for two good friends. To give in just enough to the stream and protect the tranquility of the now-vanished cottage from waves of noise. To steal some of Podkrkonoší now. Thus, the idea of a heavy wall with two modest sculptures of life behind it was born.

We wished to build simple forms with our hands from concrete blocks and then just paint them white. To add large windows to the houses facing south. Every day with their garden. Every day a slightly different view of the spruce trees of Krákorka.

The layout of both houses is completely open in both vertical and horizontal directions. The load-bearing structure of the ceilings and stairs was therefore made of reinforced concrete. The ceiling is a concrete membrane between the day and night parts of the house. It is only interrupted by the opening for the cast staircase. The rear walls are higher concrete beams with steel "klomps" at their crowns. Thus, the narrow attic could only be supported by the rafters. The teacher's closer house opens to the corner with an apse of a glassed dining room, featuring a circular skylight above the table. The routine of daily rituals circulates around the steep single-armed staircase.

The central motif of the slightly larger doctor's house is a closable atrium oriented east toward the teacher. Glazed surfaces connect it transversely to the guest room, the living hall to the south, and a small entrance hall, closed above with a circular skylight. The living hall is vertically divided into a kitchen and dining area and a relaxed level of the resting zone. On the suspended landing of the two-armed staircase, a study with an elongated table finds its peace.

Each of the houses has its own entrance and approach, terrace, piece of its garden, and orchard. Above the shared garden, a net of fog was meant to stretch.

studio RAKETOPLÁN