In the center of Nové Město na Moravě, Czech Republic, a project is being executed for an extension in the inner courtyard of a historic house. The House in the Courtyard is occupied occasionally by the owner family of four, but the intention is to live there permanently
Architectural Vision
An important aspect of the House in the Courtyard project, overseen by IGLOO ARCHITEKTI, was to preserve and strengthen the spirit of the historic building while providing affordable housing suitable for modern standards. An equally important requirement imposed by the investor was the connection of the interior with the courtyard and garden, the creation of a protected outdoor living space facing south
Harmonizing with the Landscape
The design for the House in the Courtyard is based on the geometry of the land. The construction respects the existing courtyard paths, passageways and entrances to existing buildings. The main architectural concept of the project is the symbiosis and emotional fusion of the new extension with the existing buildings, but with a contemporary, modern approach and new architectural details, without imitating the historical parts
Integration of Traditional Materials
The materials used in the construction of the extension are traditional materials of the area: wood, steel, gray-white plaster, stone, and glass. Due to the pronounced slope of the land, the new building is divided into several levels, thereby reducing the impact of its mass, which thus fits naturally into the morphology of the site. According to this principle, the House in the Courtyard is perceived as smaller in volume than the main building. The entrance part is designed as a glazed ground floor connecting the existing building and the new extension
Thoughtful Design Details
Openings are carefully designed and placed only where they are important and justified. It is a composition of mainly square windows with different positions in the cladding so that the variety supports the impression of layering and is reminiscent of local courtyard buildings. The structure of the extension is load-bearing perimeter masonry on foundation strips. The masonry is sand-lime brick with exterior insulation. The floors are wooden beams complemented by an auxiliary steel structure. The roof structure is wood, and the roof is galvanized titanium sheet
