KURZ architects • Family villa Waterworks

FAMILY VILLA WATERWORKS

Area of the villa 210 m2 + waterhouse 140 m2 • Principal architect Zuzana & Jan Kurz • Architect Elena Fialková

Among mature pines you will find a plot of land with shabby brick waterworks from the pre-war period. It is a Neo-Renaissance two-chamber reservoir decorated with plastic bosage and stone architectural elements. The reservoir is covered with a grassy surface and has several ventilation chimneys. The waterworks has become
a fundamental inspiration for the new family house, which we have been intensively working on. It significantly defines the character of the house, the horizontal direction and the overall order. The pines, in turn, give our design its vertical rhythm. We designed many variants. We dug under the waterworks and climbed the pine branches to finally return back to the ground. The result is a villa which footprint
is almost identical to the footprint of the old waterworks. The two buildings refer to each other, both materially and ideologically.

The aim is to breathe a whole new life into the waterworks and connect it with the new villa through a residential yard with a water body. We will build the house on footings, thanks to which we eliminate the disruption of the root system of the pine trees significantly, and we will use a load-bearing steel structure for the construction. Its greatest advantage is the speed of construction, lightness and accuracy. To its future family, the new house will serve as a modest, yet generous retreat. The waterworks, on the other hand, will be more open to the world and will invite you to hold chamber events at the piano, with a glass of good wine or enjoy a water spa.

Materials

Brick • Clay • Concrete • Glass • Steel • Pines • Stone • Water