Weekend House in Krámy

Alex Shoots Buildings

• Architects

Located in the Czech village of Krámy, near the Brdy Highlands, a weekend house designed by Anna Koukolová architekti has been built on a sloping site bordered by a grove and a stream. Clad in charred spruce, the timber house is based on a simple structural system, honest materials and a carefully considered layout that makes its modest floor area feel unexpectedly spacious. While the house turns away from the neighbouring buildings, its glazing and framed views maintain a continuous visual connection with the surrounding landscape.

photo_credit Alex Shoots Buildings — Alex Shoots Buildings

A site defined by the woodland

At the beginning of the pandemic, the clients were looking for a peaceful weekend retreat outside the capital city for themselves and their dog. Just 40 kilometres from Prague they found two adjoining plots sloping down towards a small grove. They approached Anna Koukolová architekti, and thanks to the mutual trust between client and architect, the project evolved into a distinctive timber house clad in charred Scandinavian spruce. Its architectural language is loosely inspired by contemporary Australian houses, where interiors flow naturally into the landscape through simple forms and natural materials. Although the house has a usable floor area of only 123 m², the raked ceiling in the main living space, combined with large-format glazing, creates a strong sense of openness and spatial generosity.

Framed views and visual connections

The design is based on two key principles. The first is a constant visual connection with the landscape. “The layout was clear from the very beginning. We wanted to make the most of the site's direct relationship with the woodland while shielding the house from the neighbouring development and the road, creating a private and intimate setting of its own,” says architect Anna Koukolová. Although the house presents a closed façade towards its neighbours, the north-facing glazed elevation opens the main living area to views of the grove, the stream and the distant pastures. The bedroom in the private wing enjoys the same outlook. Carefully positioned windows frame newly created pocket gardens and transform movement through the house into a sequence of changing spatial experiences.

The second principle is the clear separation of the day and night zones. These are arranged in two separate wings connected by a glazed link, which has become one of the defining features of the project. “The simple brief and the clients’ trust gave us the freedom to develop a surprisingly complex whole. Each part of the house has different spatial requirements, which is reflected in its form. The main volume features a monopitch roof, generous ceiling height and a fully glazed façade, while the bedroom wing is smaller, topped with a pitched roof and offers a more intimate atmosphere,” Koukolová adds.

Construction

The house stands on reinforced concrete strip foundations with a concrete slab. Its load-bearing structure consists of a 2 × 4 timber framing system with a longitudinal structural wall supported by a pair of steel columns. The main living volume opens towards the northwest through a lightweight glazed façade, while the internal walls are lined with birch plywood incorporating acoustic insulation. Underfloor heating is supplemented by floor convectors. A chimney cast in board-formed concrete contains a double-sided fireplace accessible from both the interior and exterior, creating a warm focal point indoors while serving as a barbecue on the terrace.

Honest materials and atmosphere

The dark charred timber façade requires virtually no maintenance and naturally weathers over time. The material palette is completed by an anthracite standing-seam metal roof. The spacious outdoor terrace is made from untreated larch, which will gradually develop a silvery patina. The boundary fence combines a reinforced concrete plinth bearing the imprint of timber formwork with vertical timber slats.

Inside the social living area, pale birch plywood defines the character of the interior, cladding the walls, doors and built-in furniture alike. The plywood-lined corridor discreetly conceals the doors to the WC, the utility room and ample built-in storage. Deep window occasionally punctuate these continuous surfaces, framing carefully composed views of the greenery. The private wing also contains a bathroom with a freestanding bathtub and a walk-through shower. A seamless cement plaster unifies the surfaces into a calm, monolithic interior, while epoxy resin flooring provides a durable finish capable of withstanding everyday use and life with a dog.

The architecture responds to the character of the sloping site and strengthens the house's relationship with the surrounding landscape. The original masterplan also allows for a future garage and a separate guest house within the woodland area, without compromising the overall spatial composition of the site.