Reconstruction of the villa of architect Oldřich Starý

The story of the house, designed by architect Oldřich Starý for the chief counselor of the Ministry of Railways in 1929, mirrors the post-war fate of our country in the following years. After February 1948, the villa was confiscated and divided into several smaller apartments. From the state before the renovation, it was not exactly clear from which periods these interventions were made. Very little of the original interiors has survived; fortunately, the exterior of the villa remains unchanged. The house was abandoned for almost 30 years. We did not want to significantly alter the exterior appearance of the house, as we felt respect for Oldřich Starý's design. However, a few minor changes were made to the façade and surroundings, mainly to adapt the house to current needs. We relocated the main entrance to the house to the site of the original garage, while a new, larger garage was added next to the house and is nestled into the garden terrain. All windows on the garden façade remained in their original positions, with the only addition being one window that provides another entrance to the garden. The windows, glass surfaces, and views through the house to the outside are one of the main themes of the renovation. The original windows are certainly reminiscent of train windows due to the profession of the villa's first owner. All windows had very delicate frames. It was very important for us to maintain this delicacy when replacing the windows. After a long search, we found manufacturers in three locations in Europe who could produce retractable, delicate sliding windows and fixed thin steel glass facades. Working with ornamental glass, which was originally used in the villa, was crucial to us. A sculptural staircase vertically intersects the entire house. In the original laundry and drying room on the roof, a "master bedroom" with a bathroom, terrace, and an incredible view of Prague Castle was created.