ADDRESS: Vodičkova 37, Praha 1 - Nové Město DESIGNERS: Pavla Burešová, Lenka Dvořáková, Zdeněk Heřman, Ladislav Lábus, David Mareš - AA Lábus (Praha) COOPERATION: Jan Drahozal, Daniel Hakl, Jan Chlumský, Petra Kandusová, Martin Matiska, Dagmar Prášilová, Křístek, Trčka a spol. - statika, Mikuláš Vavřín - zeleň INVESTOR: Zuzana Meisnerová-Wismerová MAIN CONTRACTOR: Průmstav, a.s.. BUILT-UP AREA: 867 m2 ARCHITECTURAL VOLUME: 18 585 m3 PROJECT: 1996 - 2000 EXECUTION: 2001-2002
The plot adjacent to the Franciscan gardens displays typical, medieval features: narrowness and depth. It was recently occupied by several houses separated by yards and roof terraces. Previously, however, it was an important center of portrait photography called Langhans Studio. The typical light-weight superstructures of photographic studios on the house roofs inspired the remodeling design. All four current multi-storey buildings were both reconstructed and extended, while a new house was erected in the rear section of the plot. The remodeling design follows the individual arrangement of the houses longitudinally spanning the plot. Due to this approach, a small scale of the original buildings was preserved and the interior spatial atmosphere retained. The conceptual application of addition, layering and extension was motivated by a search for a dialogue between the randomness of contemporary architectural expression and the pleasant historical character of the original buildings. The structural diversity is also present in terms of function. The basement, ground floor and mezzanine contain sales areas, the bottom floors offices, and the top floors apartments. The last structure, Exploration, wiil be used as a photographic gallery. Along the longitudinal axis of the plot, courtyards were included between the individual houses providing both daylight to ground floor areas while reinforcing the main circulation axis of the house. The layout of all the apartments provides for visual contact with the Franciscan gardens, as well as the street. The superstructures above the cornice level are designed as open 3-D structures protected with louvers.