Stone house in Sumava
Reconstruction of a 150-year-old house
The property is located in a picturesque village on a plot with an extraordinary view of the Šumava hills.
The roughly 150 year old house, which we were invited to visit in the summer of 2021, was in a state of unfinished and very inappropriate renovation in an attempt to turn it into a modern building with yellow plaster and plastic windows. This intervention negated the vast majority of the authentic features of the original house.
Our goal was to rediscover these elements, uncover them and appropriately add period and contemporary building elements. The building was literally stripped down to brick and stone, which became the supporting artistic element of the reconstruction. The individual layers of period reconstructions and additions in stone and brick are visible on the facades of the house. We chose to preserve and acknowledge most of these layers. The gable walls in the attic are made of modern blocks (unfortunately of all kinds). We decided to plaster these with hand drawn stucco. Between the plastered and exposed façade, we have returned the characteristic dividing cornice to the gable walls in the form of a subtle line of exposed concrete. The cornice is set into the existing face brick composition.
The original roof cladding was made of rhomboid eternite tiles, which are found on most of the houses in the village. We are retaining this structure on the new roof in the form of painted aluminum templates. Because the existing skylights (a non-authentic feature of the structure) also remain on the site, we decided to treat the roof as a uniform sheet metal covering enveloping the details of both the windows and the chimneys. This creates a clear contrast between the stone pedestal and the technical modern roof surface.
In the interior, only the original walls and ceiling vaults were retained. Other modern structural elements have been removed. The retention of the original structures has created certain boundaries that generate variability in the space in the form of different floor and ceiling heights. This was supported by the addition of the old stone stairs in the interior. Similar stone elements were created at the main entrance in the form of steps and paving made of Pilsner slabs. The other paving around the house was made of the same stone used for the original house. This creates a gradual transition between the house and the surrounding areas.
The original dilapidated beamed ceiling in the lounge area has been completely removed. This creates a generous open space in which a wide range of structural elements, materials and original building fragments can be explored. In the place of the original ceiling, a sight-reinforcing reinforced concrete wreath was created, which encircles the entire space and separates the ground floor from the attic. The ground-floor stonework is plastered on the inside with sand plaster. Above the wreath, the brickwork is plastered with classical stucco, where the original openings with frameless glazing in the gable wall stand out more. This feature is supported by a window between the attic corridor and the living room. The original roof structure is further reflected in this wall. The ceiling of the space matches the original timber structure in colour and its darker shade visually softens the height of the space. The most important element of the space is the large frameless window, from which the most beautiful part of the room is visible - the Šumava landscape.
This house was commissioned by an investor who wanted a retreat from the busy city life. He wanted an authentic but contemporary renovation with respect for the landscape and sustainability. This was achieved largely thanks to the local skilled and patient craftsmen with whom we were in constant contact. This friendly dialogue between craftsman and architect shaped the final outcome of the building.
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