Private Apartment in Vinohrady

BYT NA VINOHRADECH
Living room with the fireplace; Photo: peter Fabo
Exterior Before Reconstruction
Living room with the fireplace; Photo: peter Fabo

PRIVATE APARTMENT IN VINOHRADY 

 

Place: Prague, Czech Republic
Type: interior reconstruction
Size: GIFA: 200m2
Client: undisclosed
Team: COLLARCH - Veronika Kommová, Martin Ptáčník
Cooperation: Vojtěch Trocha, Vojtěch Hrubant

 

The subject of the reconstruction was a four-room apartment in an interwar period villa in Vinohrady, Prague. The interior and equipment of the apartment were in good condition, but the premises showed that it was tailored specifically for the needs of its previous owners. The original scope of the reconstruction was at first only limited to a small number of adjustments of the existing layout and refurbishment of bathrooms with a minimal amount of interventions, but later it was extended to all bedrooms, the entrance hall and a large living area. The clients, together with the architect, gradually came to the conclusion that it was essential to impress their own style on their apartment, otherwise it would remain "someone else's". 

The new interior of the apartment was designed to allow the owners to place and display their collection of art and antique objects, books, sculptures and paintings. The newly reconstructed living room thus became closer to the style of the interwar period salons. The entrance hall became a gallery. The work of the architect focused on creating a neutral functional background with several distinctive elements that represented the interest of the clients in the contemporary art. The sculptor Vojtěch Trocha and the graphic artist Vojtěch Hrubant were both invited to collaborate on the selected interior adjustments.

 

Interior View - After Reconstruction
Living room with the fireplace; Photo: peter Fabo
Interior View - Before Reconstruction
THE FIREPLACE Detail; photo: peter Fabo

 

Interior View - After Reconstruction
Detail - the fireplace, ceiling & suspendEd luminaire; photo: Collarch
Interior View - Before Reconstruction
Detail - the fireplace & ceiling; photo: Collarch

 

The fireplace, designed by Vojtěch Trocha as a cluster of stylized timber beams, has become the center point of the apartment. It visually and spatially connected and defined the living room, the dining area, and the kitchen.   

A part of the ceiling above the living area was dedicated to a hand-made drawing by Vojtěch Hrubant. A space between exposed ceiling beams was used as a canvas that connected art and architecture into one inseparable element.

 

Old vs. New; Photo Alex TImpau
Bathroom with backlit mirror; Photo: peter Fabo

 

Koupelna - po rekonstrukci
bathroom; Photo: peter Fabo
Koupelna - po rekonstrukci
Bathroom with backlit stone wall; Photo: peter Fabo
Koupelna - po rekonstrukci
Bathroom with backlit stone wall; Photo: COLLARCH

 

All bathrooms are designed as an integral part of the living quarter of the apartment. The main bathroom is seen as a living area rather than a service room. In a spirit of relaxation of the parents as well as the children, the bathroom features a semi-recessed bathtub, whose low plinth can serve as a bench for parents to supervise their kids during the water games. 

However, the parents will also be able to enjoy a bath there with a glass of wine after a busy day. The dark tiling together with dim lighting mode gives the room an exceptional atmosphere and will let the backlit stone behind the bathtub stand out.

 

 

Bathroom, Collarch
Bathroom; Photo: COLLARCH

 

The collaboration of both artists gave birth to a large steel sliding door between the entrance hall and the living room. An etching by Vojtěch Hrubant decorated its both sides. A massive concrete bench by Vojtěch Trocha became the central element in the entrance hall otherwise decorated with large scale paintings.

It is expected that the owners will add more pieces to their collection over time and add yet more layers and complexity to the apartment.

 

Interior Views; Three Photos by Alex Timpau
Gallery; Photo: peter Fabo, Concrete Bench by Vojtěch Trocha

 

Galerie - po rekonstrukci
Gallery; Photo: Collarch, Concrete Bench by Vojtěch Trocha
Koupelna - po rekonstrukci
Gallery; Photo: Collarch, Concrete Bench by Vojtěch Trocha
Koupelna - po rekonstrukci
Gallery; Photo: Collarch, Concrete Bench by Vojtěch Trocha

 

The selection of materials was largely determined by the existing oak parquets and built-in oak veneer furniture. Some less favourable elements, such as salmon color paint on the walls and the ceiling, mahogany parquets and marble fireplace, were removed from the original interior. The remaining visible elements were tuned to a neutral anthracite (radiators, switches, fireplace grilles) and white (kitchen, fireplace) colors.  

The original lighting designed as a grid of recessed spotlights was also removed. The new luminaires are either designed as inconspicuous light sources

(LED strips, small frameless spotlights, subtle black pendant lights above the kitchen countertop) or as distinctive pendants completing the character of the individual rooms (metal coated glass pendants in the bathrooms, living room ring lights, etc.). 

The owners of the apartment have thus been able to inhabit the neutral interior scenery according to their taste, experimenting with pieces of furniture of different age, colors, and materials that are close to them and among which they feel at home.

 

Floorplan Before Reconstruction
before reconstruction
Floorplan After Reconstruction
AFTER RECONSTRUCTION

1 - Entrance Hall & Gallery, 2 - walk-in closet, 3 - clEaning & lAundry, 4 - BATHROOM, 5 - WC, 6 - corridor, 7 - KITCHEN, 8 - Living room, 9 - BedROOM, 10 - Winter garden, 11 - terrace

 

Concept Model, Vojta Trocha
Fireplace Concept Model by Vojtěch Trocha; foto: Collarch
Concept Model, Vojta Trocha
Fireplace Concept Model by Vojtěch Trocha; foto: Collarch

 

Concept Model, Vojtěch Trocha
Fireplace concept modelS by Vojtěch Trocha, Foto: Collarch