Development News

architektura / architecture
PROJEKT / PROJECT
Theatre Square with its gem of European theatrical architecture
also within its immediate proximity.
v bazénové hale dokonce trojskla; na podlahách září litá polyuretanová
stěrka, ložnice pak využívají dřevěné lamely.
JOSEF VOMÁČKA
Karlovy Vary is pursued by a compilation of fortunate.
as well as completely desperate moments in its.
building development. Gone is the second half of the.
19 th century when the Czech Republic set the trend for.
modern style and luxury!.
Central European architects were then scrambling for local
contracts and procurements (let’s remind ourselves of the
Viennese architectural studio Hellmer and Felner – town theatre,
promenade and the Emperor’s Spa). Karlovy Vary at
least has well and nicely reconstructed facades and many interiors
after the Russian investment invasion; however, there
is an emptiness in current architectural activities, mostly
from Czech creative sources. Dreadful buildings are dominated
by Rýnský dvůr which is literally a blot on the famous
EXCEPTION THAT PROVES THE RULE
Fortunately, one can find exceptions there as well. Those are
for instance buildings by the A69 studio being originally from
Cheb (Boris Redčenkov, Prokop Tomášek and Jaroslav Wertig),
that has started to become very distinctively (as well as
obstinately) involved in the town’s sleepy image. After the
Triplex complex of housing blocks which is situated just a few
hundred metres from the Imperial Sanatorium, that is accepted
uneasily by the conservative public of Karlovy Vary for
its unusual and utterly contemporary concept and the white
housing block in Stará Role located on the western outskirts
of the spa metropolis shines with its originality. It may be located
quite unfortunately in the centre of a new development
of family houses that is, with its appearance, completely subordinate
to what is mockingly called ‘entrepreneurial Ba -
roque’ in Czech but it moves the perception of architectural
design further to the beginning of the third millennium.
The house, where one can clearly feel the hand of Prokop
Tomášek, is an entirely distinctive project that despite its
openness provides its residents with significant privacy and
intimacy. A central lighting element, a small atrium garden located
in the middle of the building, adds to a significant level
of privacy and also distributes light energy via a colour (in this
case strictly white) design to all residential areas. Thanks to
the concept of interior premises and a sort of large concrete
frames, the building offers interesting apertures connecting
individual parts within the interior as well as with the surroundings.
EFFECTIVE STRUCTURING, MODERN TECHNOLOGIES
Impeccable co-operation with the investor and his clear idea
about the utilisation of the premises allowed the creators to
work freely with the concept. The above ground section comprises
two storeys where, on the ground floor, there is an extensive
residential area, a snooker table, a swimming pool
and various smaller premises (a kitchen with various fixtures
and fittings, a utility room, storage premises and others) as
well as connecting the outdoor terraces made from Siberian
larch. On the second above ground floor, there are bedrooms,
family members’ private rooms, cloakrooms and even the
bathrooms give the impression of a spa. All premises in the
building, that resemble an ascending helix, come with their
own outdoor areas, part of a terraced garden or at the very
least fundamental glazed walls that open up communication
with other premises in the building.
The third millennium left perfect indications on the technical
operation of the building. All technologies can be found
in a type of case that surrounds the residential light central
part of the building. Heat is provided by thermal collectors on
the section of the roof above the second above ground floor;
they carry responsible for the entire heating system, with
heating the swimming pool and the utility water. Openings are
filled with insulated double glazing and the swimming pool hall
is equipped with triple glazing; floors shine with cast
polyurethane screed. Bedrooms are fitted with wooden laths.
JOSEF VOMÁČKA
dn 8–9/2015 53