Located in Prague, Villa M is the reconstruction of a Functionalist villa designed by architects Arnošt Mühlstein and Victor Fürth and built in 1937–1938. The house remained largely in its original state until 1994, when it underwent a partial renovation. After 2000, it was seriously damaged by fire and stood abandoned for several years.
The client approached Prague-based architecture studio Tunicate with a partially developed proposal, in which the basic exterior form and volumetric arrangement had already been defined. The interior, however, required a new interpretation in response to contemporary living standards and a more precise client brief.
Rather than treating the house as a fixed historical artefact, the studio approached it as a living structure: one capable of accommodating present-day domestic life while retaining its identity.
From street to garden
Towards the street, the house has a closed character. The small windows of the entrance facade create a sense of protection from the surrounding bustle, making the moment of entry more pronounced.
Beyond the vestibule, the entrance hall opens visually towards the living area and a wide panorama of Prague, framed by a newly created horizontal strip window in the dining and living room. Tunicate sought to accentuate the contrast between the closed street-facing elevation and the openness towards the garden. At the same time, the studio balanced openness between both hall and view with the option of screening the living space from unwanted sightlines. This was resolved through a sliding partition made of slender wooden slats.
Spatial organisation
The spatial concept follows the logic of the original house. The ground floor is arranged as an open social zone, the upper floor forms a more intimate living level, and the basement combines technical and habitable functions.
Tunicate’s aim was to connect rooms into larger functional units and develop spatial relationships that would sit naturally within the existing structure.
Working with existing conditions
The reconstruction also responded to a number of fixed conditions within the existing building. Differences in floor levels and the articulation of the structure were treated not as obstacles, but as part of the basis for the design.
One example is the way the original articulated staircase was formally and materially unified with newly added structural interventions. The new elements were designed to emerge from the character of the building, maintaining continuity within the space.
Material approach
The material concept draws on the original rationality of the building. Exposed concrete elements and mineral finishes reinforce the restrained character of the spaces, while oak floors in the living areas introduce warmth and calm.
The interior’s restrained material palette supports a sense of cohesion throughout the house.
Fireplaces as interior accents
Fireplaces form a distinct motif within the interior. One is located on the ground floor, where it articulates the relationship between the living room and dining area; the other is positioned on the top floor.
Both fireplaces are complemented by slender metal structures that respond to the proportions of the space. Their patinated copper cladding, realised by Brno-based design and fabrication studio DURO DESIGN, gives them a freestanding, sculptural character within the interior.
