Family house in Suchdol for snowboarders

Introduction. The story of the house began with the wedding of the architect's friend, to whom as his witness he gifted an architectural study for their new home as a wedding present. Within a year of the wedding, a suitable plot was selected after consulting with the architect, and the architectural study was prepared. Following that, a separate documentation for the zoning decision was completed, as the complex plot required approvals for four exceptions (setbacks from neighbors and property boundaries, built-up area, garage access to a narrow road). Then, a building permit project was prepared according to which the house, along with the interior project and author's supervision by the architect, was successfully realized.

The Plot and Original Condition. On a small sloping plot of only 460 m² stood the ruins of an old cottage, which was not worth preserving. Thus, a new house was designed in place of the original, derived from local customs, regulations, and the possibilities of the plot.

The Brief. The primary requirement was to create modern, economical family housing for a young, growing family, offering a connection to the garden, a garage with a workshop, and energy efficiency.

Design and Location of the New House. Consideration was given not only to regulations but especially to the existing character of development with gabled roofs, views, privacy, surrounding greenery, and sunlight exposure of the plot.

The effort for maximum compactness of the house and thus the minimization of costs for both construction and subsequent operation led to the choice of a rectangular shape of 14 × 7.2 m, with a gabled roof featuring large dormers on both sides of the house. The position of the house corresponds to the original development. The house adheres to the existing street line and is placed directly on the property boundary as is common in the area. The house has one above-ground floor and a habitable attic.

To create a usable garden in front of the house, it was necessary to bury the garage into the slope and build a three-meter high retaining wall. The garage roof is covered with a thick layer of soil that smoothly connects to the filled terrain, creating a continuous lawn area, thereby keeping the garage completely hidden from view from the house. This solution also allowed for perfect shielding of the private garden from the road one level below.

Materials and Structures. The house is built on foundation concrete strips and is constructed from lime-sand blocks, which are insulated with a contact thermal insulation system. The façade combines white plaster and wooden cladding made of Siberian larch. The windows and doors are wooden with triple glazing. The ceiling above the first floor consists of a monolithic reinforced concrete slab. The roof's supporting structure is made from a wooden truss. The thermal insulation of the roof structure consists of mineral wool.

The attic's gabled roof and dormers are covered with dull gray folded sheets from Prefa. An airy wooden pergola with glass roofing connects to the house on the southern façade. The flooring layers consist of glued oak three-layer boards and large-format tiles.

Transport Connection. The construction expands the local very narrow road by allowing the garage and retaining wall to start two meters from the property line, thereby improving the cramped traffic situation and enabling vehicle passing, offering additional parking on the investor's property. This solution required one of the exceptions from the traffic inspectorate, along with the installation of a mirror in front of the garage exit.

Layout. In the "basement," at street level, there is the entrance to the garage and a gate leading to a staircase to the "private" garden at a higher level.

On the ground floor, there is an entrance hall, a technical room, a toilet with a vestibule, a study, and the main living area with a kitchen connected to a terrace with a covered pergola. Behind the house is a garden house/shed.

In the attic, there is a bedroom with its own dressing room and a bathroom with a shower, two children's rooms, a children's bathroom, and a storage room/pantry.

All living spaces have "open" windows to the south and offer views of greenery and the surroundings.

Complications Worth Mentioning. Construction within the built-up area of the village is often quite complicated, especially where conditions are cramped, as was the case here. Local complications stemmed from the narrow access road, which did not allow for the arrival of a concrete mixer.

Fortunately, a sensible neighbor allowed the mixer’s access over his property, and using a large 25-meter pump, the concrete was pumped to the construction site. During the construction, it was also necessary to relocate and replace a streetlight pole that directly obstructed the garage exit.

Complications associated with construction in built-up areas are often worth it because they tend to have good public amenities (public transport, schools, restaurants, shops, etc.), which are drastically lacking in satellite developments.

Interesting Features and Non-standard Solutions. Central vacuum cleaner. Transparent solitary design fireplace. Laundry chute from the second floor directly next to the washing machine in the technical room one floor below. Concrete overlay behind the TV and in the kitchen. Pathway and parking area made from monolithic concrete. Doors with hidden frames. Use of water construction visible concrete for the garage. Implementation of recessed house number into the concrete... the number was unfortunately changed by the authorities after final inspection, but this interesting element reportedly still brings joy to the owners ©. Windows are shaded by external screen roller blinds, which allow for visual contact with the garden even when fully drawn while effectively preventing overheating of the interior. The three-meter high retaining wall is built from concrete "night pots," which are filled with soil, allowing plants to be planted in them. The height difference between the street and the garden is balanced by a concrete staircase with a landing made from prefabricated steps.

Heating. The heat source is an air-water heat pump located behind the house on a separate foundation to prevent vibrations from transferring into the house! The heat distribution is in the floor with plastic pipes.

Investors' Evaluation of Living in the House. “Kuba perfectly captured all the needs that we didn’t even know we had. Every day we enjoy the utility value of our house. The perfect connection between the interior and the garden makes the whole house feel much larger. I remember the question: ‘Where will you put the suitcases and bags?’ Now I'm glad we have a small room where they fit and are out of the way. By raising the plot above road level, we gained a larger garden and enormous privacy.”

Lesson Learned. The house was originally meant to be connected to gas, as there were pillars with HUP established in the street. Therefore, it was a surprise to find out from the gas company that there is no gas in the street, only a dry water line, and they are waiting for the installation of the main pipeline in the adjacent street. Just because something seems obvious does not necessarily mean it is so. Assertions like, "And why would it be here otherwise," are surprisingly often incorrect and can complicate construction significantly.