Apartment Buildings 4 Dvory in České Budějovice - winning project

The city of Česká Budějovice organized an architectural-urban planning competition for the design of new city residential buildings in the newly emerging locality 4 Dvory. For citizens, the new municipal rental apartments are intended to represent an alternative to purely market-based housing. In the competition, the studio Malý Chmel placed first with a proposal that sought to find architectural quality while maintaining common standards. The aim was to create high-quality spacious apartments and, if possible, eliminate classic corridors. The project includes the construction of six six-storey buildings with an underground parking lot—five of them clearly define the space of the block, while the last one stands in its center. The city, as a public client, believes that the residential buildings will serve as a model example for other builders in the city, demonstrating that even with standard construction costs, high-quality living can be achieved.

CONCEPT AND URBANISM

The design involves the creation of six buildings in two phases with a park in the inner courtyard, which seamlessly connects to the neighboring park. Five of them delineate a new block and street line, creating a certain rectangularity and regularity towards the surrounding streets, while the shapes of the buildings are irregular in the inner courtyard—more dynamic and creating an internal landscape with the last sixth building. In relation to each other, the individual masses are oriented loosely with an emphasis on visual communication and sightlines between the buildings. The spaces are dynamic and flow between the individual houses.

The goal was to create a pleasant environment in the inner courtyard with a direct connection to the surroundings. The orientation, position, and shape of the buildings create an open airiness and allow for ideal sunlight exposure for outdoor space as well as apartments. The last floor is set back on two sides in the spirit of local regulations.
The addressed area is part of the locality 4 Dvory, which has risen on the site of former barracks and a military tank training ground. The locality 4 Dvory borders the two largest housing estates in České Budějovice, Máj and Vltava. Due to its characteristic wedge shape, the area gradually opens up to the wild landscape of the Vrbenské ponds. It is also the largest developable area owned by the city, and besides residential construction, civic amenities and sports facilities are also being considered here. After the demolition of most of the barrack buildings in 2013, a part of the basic technical and transport infrastructure was implemented by the city, and subsequently, in 2015, park 4 Dvory was established, which arose based on an architectural competition.

LANDSCAPING SOLUTION

The landscape between the buildings is freely traversable, gently undulating, with tree plantings creating a park with trails and resting spots. There is also enough space for private front gardens of the apartments, separated by hedges. The space between the buildings is divided into an eastern—more communicative and maintained part, and a western—a quieter part with a flowering meadow. Moving away from the street, the terrain gradually rises due to the elevated underground parking. However, this increase is smooth and gradual, not a barrier. The entire inner courtyard area is sloped towards a system of retention basins. This is ingeniously connected to the drainage of the roofs of the individual buildings and with strips for surface water retention. Water from the retention basins is then distributed for irrigation purposes.

APARTMENTS

The layout and shape solutions of the apartments are based on urbanism and the shapes of the individual buildings. The intention was not for forced orthogonal solutions, but rather an adaptation to the whole. The aim was to create quality spatial connections and, if possible, eliminate classic, purely functional corridors. The apartments are thus relaxed, often irregular, with excellent spatial quality of residence and flowing space. For most apartments, we also propose an outdoor living space—a balcony, or potentially front gardens at ground level. Balconies have been intentionally chosen as an intimate solution for outdoor private space, protected both visually and from inclement weather.

GROUND FLOOR

The level of the first above-ground floor is raised 1.5m above the level of the surrounding streets. Because of this elevation, we propose apartments on this floor oriented towards the street, while apartments facing the inner courtyard have private front gardens connecting to the elevated courtyard. In a smaller section, the ground floor is directly at street level. In these places, there are entrances to the residential buildings and small civic amenities such as shops, hairdressers, studios, etc.

BASEMENT AND TRANSPORT SOLUTION

The basement is designed as one compact space connected by two ramps. The basement is designed as two levels and serves for parking 155 cars in the first phase and 133 cars in the second phase. There are also storage cages for individual apartments, bike storage rooms, and technical rooms. Parking is resolved in a simple, rational, and orthogonal grid, with the western and eastern halves offset by half a floor and connected by ramps—this height offset follows the natural slope of the area.

CONSTRUCTION AND TECHNICAL SOLUTION

Based on the considered geotechnical conditions, we anticipate the foundation of the buildings and the underground parking on piles. The underground floors—walls and ceilings are designed as reinforced concrete monoliths. The above-ground parts are then designed with vertical bearing structures made of ceramic blocks, with ceilings and cores as reinforced concrete monolithic. The facade is designed with a contact thermal insulation system. The project strives to find architectural quality while maintaining common standards.

APARTMENT DISTRIBUTION AND PHASING

Given the chosen solution—freestanding objects—the phasing is divided according to the individual, whole buildings. In accordance with the assignment, the proposed apartment buildings in the first phase contain 145 apartments and an additional 142 apartments in the second phase. In the first phase, three out of six total buildings will be constructed along with approximately the southern half of the underground space. In the second phase, the remaining three above-ground buildings and the remaining northern part of the basement will be built.