The potential of energy

Written by: Štěpánka Strouhalová
Photo by: Věroslav SixtThere are many opportunities for relaxation at the vacation home above the Drahanské Valley on the north of Prague. The “open” design of the airy building on piles supports the connection with nature. Thanks to the greenery, the building enjoys a sense of utter privacy, and it’s largely self-sufficient, requiring nearly no outside energy.


The site is built into a sharp slope and concrete terrain stairs allow access to it.		The outdoors can be accessed from every room.


The architectural elements are deliberately reserved.		The house’s aesthetic restraint makes it beautiful: architectural concrete, water-proof Finnish plywood, black segments, stainless steel, and glass.

Maximal use of glass helps tenants connect with nature.

Effective graphic interplay of black and white in the bathroom.

The “prism on piles” is surrounded by greenery on all sides, even on its roof. It is almost completely self-sufficient energy-wise: water is drawn from a 94-meter well, propane-butane in an underground tank heats it, and telecommunications with the outside world are provided through microwave technology.

from the outside
Luděk Rýzner
architect, OK Plan architekt

What was the basic design idea behind the project?
“The plot has great potential for energy, and we tried to incorporate it into the house. The investor gave us great freedom with the design. He relied on our judgment, as we’d worked with him on several projects before. We wanted to achieve interesting views from the house and concurrently have its mass minimally interfere with the surroundings. It’s situated below the slope’s horizon, so the inhabitants enjoy an unbroken view of the panorama of the valley. The house should provide its inhabitants a connection with its natural surroundings and a sense of freedom, so after getting home from work a person could completely relax without interruption. The investor set a certain construction program that we followed, but in the end he left a lot up to us. He also told us his financial limits, and we were careful not to exceed them when designing the house, including the interior. As per his wishes, the interior design contains unusual furniture, supplemented by stock chairs and couches.”