realisation
reconstruction and addition of residential building in historical context of Vinohrady: residential and office block
The reconstructed building on the northwest side of the hill of Saint Cross, at the base of park Parukářka, first appears in the plan of Žižkov in 1891. It represents the original, pre-industrial building style of this area. The garden restaurant Bezovka, which gave its name to this neighbourhood, stood at what is today the intersection of Prokopova and Rokycanova Streets; it was demolished in 1936. This could be an outbuilding belonging to this property. When it was last in use, it was a day care centre, but for many years it was vacant and therefore in very bad shape – flooring was destroyed, wooden roof members caved in, windows and doors mostly missing, indoor stairs completely destroyed. Through this reconstruction, reminders of historically valuable elements were saved really at the very last moment. The building structure is masonry; on the south side it is built into the hill. It was necessary to structurally secure this side and this retaining wall now forms part of the newly built 5-floor building annex.
The building is designed as 19 residences: 14 flats were created in the reconstructed building, and there are 5 flats in newly constructed annex which starts at floor one of the old building.
The two barrel vaults in the main space of the ground floor have been preserved with the addition of four French windows, which allow access to the individual back gardens. These residences with vaults are designed as 2-story lofts with built-in mezzanine. The façade in the late classical style has been carefully reconstructed; the new windows and doors, all in wood, maintain the original proportions. The little round decorations and the horizontal mouldings are also recreated. On the southeast façade where there were no openings, balconies and galleries or walkways were created. The original roofing tiles of grey Eternite were replaced by new ones in the same colour.
The annex is attached to the reconstructed building by a glazed connecting link, containing a stairway and elevator for both buildings. The façade towards Žižkov is glass, and the view towards the hill is of the treetops. The design is a composition of aluminium insulated sandwich panels of different profiles and colours.
The design strongly emphasises the criteria that each flat in the reconstructed building have either a little garden or balcony; or a larger, live-in balcony for those in the annex. Each of the gardens has its own design, and most of the area is covered with plantings of trees and shrubs. There is a common roof top terrace on the annex building, as well. The retaining walls along Saint Cross Hill are terraced with tree and flowering shrub plantings at several levels, and the walls are covered by climbing ivy.
The parking are is designed in two levels along the sloped terrain at the front of the building. The lower level, with entry from the street, is a grassy area of grass-tiled prefabricates; on the upper lever the parking bays are on an iron grill, with access from the side street. The roof of the parking is green with grass, trees and shrubbery.
Area: 659,1 m2
Number of floors: reconstruction 4, new construction 5