Family House Ctiboř
When I arrived at the site of the house designed by us in Ctiboř, it immediately evoked in me the atmosphere of Australian houses in nature. It appeared incredibly light, natural, and dynamic. Without unnecessary ostentation, without complicated details, and without the effort to showcase anything dramatically.
The house was built with a limited budget. From the beginning, we had to think about every square meter, every detail, and every material used. However, we did not want the austerity to reflect in the final quality or atmosphere of the house. On the contrary, we sought a way to maximize the limited resources. The result is a building that seems much more generous than one would expect given its budget.
The house is situated on a beautiful, sloping plot of land. Its basic concept is based on a simple floor plan in the shape of a Z. The kink in the mass naturally creates covered outdoor spaces on both diagonals. On one side, a main terrace oriented towards the garden is created; on the other side, a covered entrance with technical and storage facilities.
From the beginning, we understood the covered outdoor spaces as an integral part of the house. At the entrance, there is space for bicycles, strollers, children's toys, garden equipment, or other items that do not need to be stored indoors. There is also a seating area, which naturally complements the entry to the house. On the opposite side, however, there is a peaceful terrace, shielded from the pathway and open to the garden. A large table and comfortable seating create a place for daily outdoor living.
These two covered outdoor areas are crucial for the functioning of the house. They significantly expand its living space and create a seamless transition between the interior and the garden. The relatively small interior space does not feel cramped; rather, it feels airy and open. For us, this is one of the important principles of the entire house – the quality of living is not just a matter of square meters, but also of how one works with them and how they connect with the spaces around them. Even a smaller house can offer very pleasant and comfortable living if it has a well-thought-out relationship with the garden and its surroundings.
The center of the house consists of a communal living space with a kitchen, dining area, and living room. Its natural dominant feature is the fireplace. From this central area, the house splits into two quiet wings. On one side is the parents' bedroom with its own bathroom; on the other side, there are two children's bedrooms with another bathroom.
The scheme is deliberately simple. Minimal corridors and maximum usable space. Every meter here has its significance. Areas that would be merely communicative in another house have been utilized as living, storage, or service spaces. Therefore, closets, storage rooms, and other facilities are a natural part of the layout.
A prominent feature of the house is its envelope. The façade consists of corrugated galvanized steel, which gives the house a very specific character. Its use was to a large extent a matter of trust and courage for the investor. The result is a material that is simple, durable, and can appear surprisingly elegant with the right application. In combination with the surrounding nature and wood, the house acquires a very distinctive atmosphere.
The metal façade is complemented by natural wood. It is primarily found on both living terraces and also on other smaller buildings in the garden – a guest house and technical and storage areas. These are designed to a simpler standard than the main house and create a natural whole together with the main structure.
The main house is designed as a low-energy building with an emphasis on operational simplicity and minimal maintenance costs. The quality of living is further enhanced by the space under the house, which has created a biotope and a sauna. Here, too, our belief is confirmed that the quality of living is not just a matter of interior size, but primarily about how the individual spaces and their relationships function.
Ctiboř reminds us that a limited budget doesn't have to mean limited architecture. On the contrary. Sometimes a lack of funds forces a person to strip away everything unnecessary and focus on what is essential. On light, proportions, the relationship of the house to the plot, material, and the way one truly lives in it.
Our experience from this house is simple: do not be afraid of unconventional solutions, do not be afraid of smaller spaces, and above all, do not be afraid to follow your own conviction. When one succeeds in working correctly with scale, material, and outdoor space, even a relatively modest house can offer a very high standard of life. And perhaps that standard is ultimately more important than the square meters themselves.
The house was built with a limited budget. From the beginning, we had to think about every square meter, every detail, and every material used. However, we did not want the austerity to reflect in the final quality or atmosphere of the house. On the contrary, we sought a way to maximize the limited resources. The result is a building that seems much more generous than one would expect given its budget.
The house is situated on a beautiful, sloping plot of land. Its basic concept is based on a simple floor plan in the shape of a Z. The kink in the mass naturally creates covered outdoor spaces on both diagonals. On one side, a main terrace oriented towards the garden is created; on the other side, a covered entrance with technical and storage facilities.
From the beginning, we understood the covered outdoor spaces as an integral part of the house. At the entrance, there is space for bicycles, strollers, children's toys, garden equipment, or other items that do not need to be stored indoors. There is also a seating area, which naturally complements the entry to the house. On the opposite side, however, there is a peaceful terrace, shielded from the pathway and open to the garden. A large table and comfortable seating create a place for daily outdoor living.
These two covered outdoor areas are crucial for the functioning of the house. They significantly expand its living space and create a seamless transition between the interior and the garden. The relatively small interior space does not feel cramped; rather, it feels airy and open. For us, this is one of the important principles of the entire house – the quality of living is not just a matter of square meters, but also of how one works with them and how they connect with the spaces around them. Even a smaller house can offer very pleasant and comfortable living if it has a well-thought-out relationship with the garden and its surroundings.
The center of the house consists of a communal living space with a kitchen, dining area, and living room. Its natural dominant feature is the fireplace. From this central area, the house splits into two quiet wings. On one side is the parents' bedroom with its own bathroom; on the other side, there are two children's bedrooms with another bathroom.
The scheme is deliberately simple. Minimal corridors and maximum usable space. Every meter here has its significance. Areas that would be merely communicative in another house have been utilized as living, storage, or service spaces. Therefore, closets, storage rooms, and other facilities are a natural part of the layout.
A prominent feature of the house is its envelope. The façade consists of corrugated galvanized steel, which gives the house a very specific character. Its use was to a large extent a matter of trust and courage for the investor. The result is a material that is simple, durable, and can appear surprisingly elegant with the right application. In combination with the surrounding nature and wood, the house acquires a very distinctive atmosphere.
The metal façade is complemented by natural wood. It is primarily found on both living terraces and also on other smaller buildings in the garden – a guest house and technical and storage areas. These are designed to a simpler standard than the main house and create a natural whole together with the main structure.
The main house is designed as a low-energy building with an emphasis on operational simplicity and minimal maintenance costs. The quality of living is further enhanced by the space under the house, which has created a biotope and a sauna. Here, too, our belief is confirmed that the quality of living is not just a matter of interior size, but primarily about how the individual spaces and their relationships function.
Ctiboř reminds us that a limited budget doesn't have to mean limited architecture. On the contrary. Sometimes a lack of funds forces a person to strip away everything unnecessary and focus on what is essential. On light, proportions, the relationship of the house to the plot, material, and the way one truly lives in it.
Our experience from this house is simple: do not be afraid of unconventional solutions, do not be afraid of smaller spaces, and above all, do not be afraid to follow your own conviction. When one succeeds in working correctly with scale, material, and outdoor space, even a relatively modest house can offer a very high standard of life. And perhaps that standard is ultimately more important than the square meters themselves.
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