CHERRY TREE HOUSE || Transformation of a Dated Dual Apartment Home into a Cozy Family Home in the Czech Republic
The original terrace house design was dated, following a design common in the neighbourhood, with pseudo-mansard roofs, partial prefabrication, and materials from the early 1990s.
The home was reconstructed to meets the needs of a family that wanted a comfortable urban living environment. The original space had low ceilings (roughly 2.5 metres), and the entrance felt like a basement. Bedrooms were oriented towards the sun but this also meant facing the street with little privacy. There was also a height difference between the ground and garden level, making access to the garden difficult from the street level.
The entrance area with its glass detail inviting natural light and views transforms the home.
The floating staircase steps on the lower level.
The renovation helped to unify the house into a whole for the needs of one family. The new home is designed around a central staircase, with the rooms oriented around this design element across 3 floors.
On the ground floor, the kitchen and the living room area saw the addition of large-format sliding doors and windows, maximizing sunlight into the space to make it much more welcoming than before. These social and entertaining spaces surround the central staircase for a sense of interconnectedness. The visual connection and views of the garden are important elements of the design. The team altered the clearance and height of the floor to create a direct connection to the terrain level of the garden. With the increased ceiling height, the entire floor became more dynamic, airy, and livable.
The ground level is designed with the social and entertaining spaces around the central staircase.
A skylight carved into the garden terrace draws in natural light to the fitness room located in the basement.
As for the actual basement under the garden, a new extension runs further under the terrain and is covered by the deck. A skylight nestled on the deck draws in natural light into the fitness room, which is clad with concrete walls. The difference in construction materials gives the fitness room a distinctly different look from the rest of the home.
Bedrooms are located on the top floor and accessible from a small walkway around the staircase. The master bedroom has a private dressing room and bathroom. The previously planned study room changed during the construction into an additional bedroom.
Oak windows with frameless glazing gives the home a refined and sophisticated look.
The facade of the building has also been updated to give it a sleek and modern look in comparison to its neighbours. The cladding made of fibre-cement boards transitions to the roof and oak windows with frameless glazing is optically connected with the edge of the roof. The roof cladding integrates a retractable sunblind that covers the entire terrace area in the garden, so the family can enjoy the outdoor space rain or shine.
The small garden provides a lovely space for the family to relax inp private or invite guests over for an intimate social. A small pool invites residents to go for a refreshing dip to cool off during the hot summer season. Despite the many changes made to adapt the home to the needs of its new residents, the old cherry tree remains its dominant feature. A few weeks after moving in, the whole family harvested cherries.
The shallow pool in the backyard offers a spot for the family to rest and play during sunny days.
Studio: SOA architekti
Author: Ondřej Píhrt, Pavel Směták
Project Location: Dědina, Prague 6
Project Country: Czech Republic
Completion Year: 2021
Built-up Area: 177 m²
Gross Floor Area: 440 m²
Usable Floor Area: 356 m²
Photographer: Alex Shoots Buildings
Collaborators:
Statics: Aleš Pražák
Garden architect: Atelier D.V.A.
Construction company: Klimava
Built-in furniture: Sekula