Prague-based Markéta Cajthamlová, Architektonická projekční kancelář (architectural design office) has designed a holiday cottage in the Šumava National Park in the South Bohemian Region of the Czech Republic. The contemporary wooden dwelling is inspired by a local vernacular.
The shape of the cottage was dictated by the strict requirements of its location. Markéta Cajthamlová chose the form of a traditional cottage, making the best use of the site’s natural context. The design embodies a typical local style: the cottage has a significant width, is located parallel to the contours of the land, has a protruding rizalit (the section that extends out from the structure’s main body), a gable roof with a half hip (a clipped gable), and no bordering fence.
The client’s express wish was that the home should enjoy views of the surrounding landscape. The design therefore incorporates an array of differently sized and shaped windows, offering views that range from the distant horizon of the Šumava saddle to glimpses of nearby birch roots (perhaps most noticeable in the Finnish-style sauna).
The building’s structure makes use of the NOVATOP building system — cross-laminated timber (CLT) panels are used for the walls, ceilings, and stairs. The facade cladding is dark stained spruce; the panels are visible internally, creating warm and natural interior spaces.
The cottage roof is made using a PREFALZ folded dark grey aluminum sheet. The plinth, low retaining walls, and terraces make use of local recycled stone.
The frameless windows are triple glazed and the full openings have an aluminum profile. Green shutters are traditionally used in this type of building and inspired the inclusion of full ventilation openings that complement the frameless windows.
Black slate flooring is used on the ground floor and provides a distinctive contrast to the exposed wood; Nordic spruce flooring is used in the attic. The home’s design incorporates built-in furniture pieces, made from a combination of solid spruce and maple boards. Floor heating is provided by an internal air-water heat pump and the cottage has its own well and sump.
The home’s layout is similar to a typical country house, with the rear door and service areas located in the northern section and the main entrance and living spaces in the southern section. In the attic space, there are three bedrooms and a bathroom — here, the hallway’s geometric ceiling frames a rhomboid picture window.
Built-up area: 118 square meters (1,270 square feet)
Gross floor area: 185 square meters (1,991 square feet)
Usable floor area: 128 square meters (1,378 square feet)
Plot size: 1,839 square meters (19,795 square feet)
