A green house in the midst of lush greenery. The metamorphosis of the 60-year-old building was designed by Aoc architekti

The green house is located in the old part of the village of Dvorce in Prague Podolí. It is an unusual property on the edge of the development, overlooking the opposite bank of the Vltava River and the Church of St. Philip and St. James in Zlíchov. The family of the current owner has lived on this site for several generations. The task was to transform a dilapidated family home from the 1960s into a comfortable villa of a contemporary and high standard.

The concept of the house is based on a strong, distinctive architecture, refined in details and interior design elements, and a visual and functional connection to the surrounding lush garden. The architects at Aoc architekti decided to use a play of light in the building: at times intense, at others diffuse, at times soft behind the translucent façade, at others mysterious through contrasting twilight. Noble materials in their natural state have been used for the finishes, preserving their colours and textures, while ensuring practicality and maximum comfort. The designed distinctive green façade was made of fine-grained render, which harmonises with the surrounding rich vegetation in every season.

The two upper floors house the main living areas. They are accessed from the ground floor hallway via a comfortable wooden staircase clad in oak panelling, creating a homely and cosy atmosphere. The staircase leads to the main living area with lounge areas, kitchen and dining area with access to a large terrace suspended over the garden. This part of the house enjoys a pleasant twilight for most of the day. In the summer months, it is possible to move the living space outside and connect it seamlessly with the garden. A green bathroom and a small utility room have also been designed there.

The first floor serves as a study, as well as a living room with a fireplace and a large window overlooking the river. It has its own built-in tea kitchen with a fridge. The main space features a wooden ceiling and a monumental study window, offering different types of light to change the atmosphere at different times of the day. Behind the study is a separate private area with a bedroom, dressing room and bathroom in blue.

The house is furnished with custom-made built-in furniture that conceals the entrances to the private areas of the house. Tables made of polished solid tropical padouk wood on a steel frame were designed especially for these interiors. At the same time, the client’s older furniture was also inserted there, which integrates perfectly with the new décor. Paintings by leading contemporary artists and photographs of the homeowner hang on the walls. Special attention was paid to the design of the interior lighting fixtures.

On the lowest floor of the house there is a small studio with its own terrace. The garden has been left in the form of lush, natural vegetation for the time being, and future landscaping is proposed to include trees bearing exotic fruit, a pond and a vineyard.

Studio: Aoc architekti
Authors: Ondřej Císler, Filip Rašek
Design team: Josef Choc, Ján Vyšný, Barbora Lopraisová, Natálie Kristýnková, Emily Hillová, Jonáš Mikšovský
Project location: Prague, Czech Republic
Year of completion: 2023
Usable area: 172 m²
Photographer: Studio Flusser

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Theme: Green house in the midst of lush greenery. The metamorphosis project for the 60-year-old building was carried out by Aoc architekti