The peak of Sněžka, the highest mountain in the Czech Republic, is a slightly arched plain where various structures have been built since the time of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Competition between the Central European powers also led to the creation of the highest post office in the region.
The life of the old building had to come to an end, and we were asked to design a new one that could be easily dismantled but would also be able to withstand the harsh winds.
We developed our experimental SSBS system and built a wooden timber that could be dismantled. This allowed us to assemble the structure down in the valley for a test build, after which we took it apart and transported it to the top of the mountain.
The structure has a shell consisting of three layers: the outer layer is composed of hydraulically operated protective plates, then there is a layer of glazing, and the inner wooden boards provide additional insulation.
The post office is like an animal. When the weather is beautiful, it spreads its wings and opens up to the sun. When the weather is foul, it closes its blinds, shuts itself, and survives the northern winter.
Team:
Architects: HAMR Huť Architektury Martin Rajniš, Martin Rajnis, Patrik Hoffman, David Kubík, Josef Franc, Jan Mach, Tomáš Plzeňský
Photographers: Andrea Thiel Lhotáková, Petr Toman, Jan Mach
