 Where and when did the idea of renovating an apartment for your parents originate?Ondřej Hilský: The apartment underwent a renovation some time ago. However, gradually issues started arising, mainly humidity... But I must say that there was originally no talk about creating a new interior as such. Which construction intervention do you consider the most important? Such issues are usually resolved through a set of measures, not just one; all of them are equally important. The wall was cut, and new waterproofing was inserted. In places where the wall could not be cut, a chemical injection was performed. This solution is further complemented by drainage around the building. During the work, we found that there was considerable condensation in the floor structure due to excessive air humidity on the construction site, which also lasted for a considerable time as a result of complications with the contractor. Therefore, an additional ventilated floor structure was created here, connected to unused chimney flues. The techniques and technologies of remediation work require specific knowledge. Did the knowledge you've gained at the Faculty of Architecture ČVUT help you during the building process? The faculty dedicated certain attention to the topic of building defects. So I had some idea of what needed to be done. However, since this was a relatively large and financially demanding intervention, I had an expert report and measurements done. Mr. Matějček, an expert on defects, saved me many times during the construction when I didn't know how to proceed. The apartment features several precise details… There may not be that many, but I truly tried to ensure consistency. The design of the details partially stemmed from the intention to support the presence of 60 cm thick load-bearing walls. Although the execution was sometimes complicated, it was also about my ambition, as there were no major changes to the structural elements of the apartment otherwise. Among all the details, I would mention the door frames and recessed floor moldings. I am pleased with their execution, as they connect to each other... It simply works. But I wouldn't say it's a novelty.
For example, the recessed rosette of the door hardware – that is an element reminiscent of the beginning of the 20s; today's technology can of course produce similar hardware again. However, for me, it's a quite significant element, as you grab the handle many times a day. And there aren't that many good ones on the market. We also forgot about the new exit from the interior to the garden… And the winter garden. It's just a minor intervention, perhaps it's just a detail: I basically just moved one opening – on the axis of the glass doors leading to the bathroom. This illuminated the kitchen. The winter garden was already here, but it had aged and was replaced with a new one.. If we summed up the topic: can something be characterized as a concept of renovation? The house in which the renovated apartment is located represents the standard construction of its time, that is, from 1912, which presented a certain quality and honesty of craftsmanship. I tried to build upon these values. Since no load-bearing structures were modified, the layout also remained unchanged. Therefore, I focused on the impact of materials, or their reduction to white traditional lime plasters and oak wood. It could also be said that it involved some work with the aesthetics of the basement space – illuminating the vaults, the aforementioned support of the strong load-bearing walls. Unfortunately, the existing windows couldn't be refurbished, so I had replicas of the original block windows made, which is, after all, a requirement in the given locality of the heritage zone. CARE FOR HERITAGE Let's step out of the house to the wider surroundings. You mentioned the heritage protection zone. How do you view it? No one doubts that values need to be protected. You can get an idea of how protection is carried out by taking a walk around the immediate area. It's hard to blame anyone for enhancing an attic space, or for their property; the form of the intervention itself can sometimes be debatable. Things probably need to be assessed individually and, most importantly, professionally. And the value of the locality itself? The zone is probably a broad term; personally, I would focus on the area of the bastions where we are located. An exceptional location of former fortifications, an exceptional urban structure reflecting the original fortification circuit... The other half is represented by the architecture itself and its details. Nearby stands the Gočár House, the Kotěr Twin House, the Bílek Villa. The residential villa – this format is sought after today. Four residential units, plenty of greenery…
Could there be a more general professional lesson from the time of the district's construction? Definitely the density of development. The builders of that time built for profit just as today's builders do. If the bastions were to be developed today, the result would look completely different. However, densifying the existing structure is certainly right, serving as an alternative to harvesting land and agricultural soil. For a sensitive assessment of the legitimacy of interventions, a certain awareness of the values of the place and the architecture itself is probably necessary. I just want to remind you that in many places we argue over one skylight, and at the same time you see that the Minister of Culture allows a valuable building to be demolished in Wenceslas Square… So many logically ask where heritage protection in the Czech Republic stands today? If in orders that you must not have roof windows and what slope the roofing must have... AVANT-GARDE AND COLLECTIVE ETHOS Let’s take a deeper look into the pre-war era of the twentieth century. How would your grandfather Václav Hilský, as a leading Czechoslovak functionalist, view your current care for the house? He created in a time characterized by modern, radical entries into the city? He would understand and probably appreciate the care, as he remembered how it looked when there was a laundry and a coal storage here, but he probably wouldn't engage in something like that. I think he wouldn’t perceive the technical aspects of the renovation or remediation and would welcome a more radical approach. This is a small matter of little significance; grandfather would be interested in other things… But it is not true that he would not be able to deal with the issues of purely private housing. It is quite challenging for me to judge and evaluate grandfather's work and its role. One needs to know all the contexts to understand the era and architecture. For him, it was primarily about those buildings, about those tasks… And those houses are here…
Letná sobě is a civic initiative that deals with the problems of Letná and its potential development. Galerie Stromovka is a project for a shopping center on a valuable plot above the Park Hotel. This plan shocked me with its over-dimensioning, not to mention the new traffic burden. Such key plots should be subjects of broader public and professional debate. At a recent discussion regarding the impact of the Blanka tunnel on transit traffic, it was hinted at how it could look. Although late, it still came out. There were experts, Letná residents, and representatives from Prague 7. Unfortunately, there is still little discussion about alternatives. Traffic burden is taken as a fact, more accurately as an assignment. There is no discussion. About the burdens, about thousands of cars per day; there is no discussion about the direction of traffic, about transit, and the influence of the railway and, in general, public transport. These are complex models that need to be calculated… During the evening, it actually emerged that the Prague 7 municipality has no own concept, or rather does not realize what this concept actually entails. The representatives' speech concentrated on details: trees, lawns for voters, and generally easily visible results of work... Do you know the reasons behind this attitude of the councilors? It began to occur to me whether it is not intentional. Because the absence of a concept offers space for various interest groups and their influence. But that is just a supposition; it may be a certain laxity... I was also intrigued by the comparison of our situation with Munich. Their city hall didn't even complete its urban ring. They simply stopped investing in roads. Meanwhile, they managed to build a perfect system of suburban railway... It raises the question of whether it wouldn't be more effective to allocate resources to other forms of transport.
Given today's conditions and what we know today, it is not possible to go in the same direction. Nor would I claim that it is necessary to go in the opposite direction, rather in a different one. In my opinion, it is essential to perceive my grandfather's attitudes in their temporal context. He lived in a different time, which had significant ideals and its socio-political climate. For example… When you talk about a social project in the form of the Litvínov Koldom, the influence of Le Corbusier is often mentioned. And grandfather considered him one of his models... The Koldom took a very long time to build; he ran into great financial demands, and by the time it was completed, the ideas he had drawn from were depleted. Koldom closed one era. Nevertheless, when it comes to influences, it is appropriate to mention Alvar Aalto and his sanatorium in Paimio in connection with its perfect embedding into the landscape. On the other hand, there was a certain atmosphere of the time that cannot be compared with today’s times. Just the climate of frequent competitions... By the way, it was the architectural competitions that created certain conditions for grandfather's work at a certain stage; simply, a certain demand arose here. Which of his works would you like to mention? Certainly the Litvínov Koldom – with a strong expression, artistic treatment, and the aforementioned embedding in the landscape. Also Lidice – their urbanism has delicate lines... By the way, they recently added a street there; it’s a new development; but let everyone make their own picture of that. I would also mention municipal houses with small apartments in Břevnov and their urbanism. And finally the qualities of the interior of the cultural house in Příbram… And I would probably also mention the Memorial of the Last Shot of World War II in Slivice for its abstract form.
The name Hilský is also synonymous with the translation of Shakespeare in the Czech Republic. To what extent did the professions of your ancestors influence your considerations about choosing a career? The fact that grandfather was an architect didn't mean that I was directed towards the same field at home. The same goes for my parents. We are three siblings, and none of us followed in their footsteps. We were encouraged to seek our own paths. But it is true that I learned to speak English quite well… TEACHER In uncovering layers of your first realization, we cannot overlook your training. You graduated under Professor Bočan but also studied under Professor Kroupa… I even worked with Jan Bočan on some projects for several years, so we knew each other very well. When Ivan Kroupa came to the school, it was a fresh new wind; Ivan then persuaded Tomáš Novotný and Jan Aulík… Bočan had a significant impact on the students and contributed a lot to the school. What do you think was his strength? I would say he managed to create something like an atmosphere of collective or teamwork. He helped students find what was within them. He always appreciated the artistic qualities of the project, the strength of expression. A lot of work was done with physical models here… When Ivan Kroupa came to the school, he brought a new perspective. And he forced people to think differently…
I would say it was an emphasis on concept. Ivan Kroupa guided us to describe the initial sketches of the project or concept in words. And Bočan? Bočan was a strong person. A more emotional person who seemed to follow a certain inner desire rather than emphasizing the construction of an argument. He often did things directly and was convinced he was doing them well. There was a certain calmness in him. He might get angry, but he held that feeling deep within himself. And I might also mention another of his qualities, and that is honesty. With Professor Bočan, you also won the competition for the Czech Republic's embassy in Tbilisi. But let's note that you were also successful in other competitions after graduating, such as winning in the conceptual competition for development on the English embankment in Pilsen. I was part of a team with the Švehlík couple. It was a relatively loosely assigned competition analyzing whether to build or not to build. The range of awarded projects presented all approaches from park-like to complete development. Our team was probably somewhere in the middle because we were convinced that there should be a building there. And that it could help the space and bring new cultural activities. We were rated for a certain purity of form and probably also for straightforwardness. It was probably a result of a certain untamed quality influenced by the free choice of content. So that was joyful. Of course, the fate of the English embankment is still uncertain. On the other hand, the competition is an example of the proper and truly professional approach that should always precede major interventions in urban intravilan. A PUBLIC MATTER Your perspective as a recent graduate and author who has completed their first realization is very fresh, so allow me to ask a question with a certain degree of transcendence. It is said that architecture, among other things, can also reflect something like the state of society. If we were to attempt a general statement, what does the state of our architecture reflect, in your opinion? It could, for example, reflect the local system of awarding contracts. And also the level of politics or the management of public affairs. It reflects, but indirectly, an enormous space for possible improvement. Because there are plenty of capable architects. Yet there are not that many buildings that reach European or world standards... To summarize, the Czech Republic certainly does not suffer from a lack of talent or managerial skill; the root lies in something else. Namely, that rules are ceasing to exist here. You might immediately ask for an example. I'll give you a public competition – for example, in neighboring Austria, they announce about one thousand four hundred competitions annually for architects.
That comes to about four a day… Here you might count four maybe in an entire year... And because the rule of competitions does not function, contracts are usually designed by large studios that have already earned the trust of clients or the state... Logically, they strive for big contracts, and thus a vicious circle is born: they must win a big contract to maintain the studio's operations. However, this does not result in an increase in the quality of architecture. Quite the opposite. And what is the role of rules? Probably private interests. It’s hard to say. I rather know what is missing. There is a lack of transparency, and therefore indirectly also control. And also greater media coverage. And subsequently open discussions, especially on larger locations. Besides, architects know that all significant plots in Prague are actually occupied… And I’m not mentioning the public, which due to lack of transparency knows practically nothing about architecture, and from this arises their dissatisfaction. And if I were to ask the opposite: which building might characterize the current state of Czech society? The National Museum could be a symbol. The monument has fallen into a dilapidated state after years of our care... There are plans to expand the collections into the building of the former Federal Assembly. And soon we will learn from the media about our political representation's intention to demolish this modern architecture. Thank you for the interview. Jiří Horský The English translation is powered by AI tool. Switch to Czech to view the original text source.
0 comments
add comment
|
.jpg)
