Residential Development Kavčí Hory, Prague
study 2006
authors: Aleš Papp, Milan Vít, Magdalena Pappová, Zdeněk Hölzel, Jan Havel
cooperation: Václav Aulický, Michal Gabriel, Jan Kerel
client: Hochtief Development Czech Republic s.r.o.
Because the surrounding built-up area is not impediment to the structure of the complex we created in any significant way, we had the possibility to create several units, diverse in character. In this way, we could offer the future inhabitants apartments in a high-rise building, along a street, in a city villa or in a loft. Individual buildings are placed in such a way as not to obstruct each other and to use the opening views created by others.
The parterre was formed in an effort to eliminate traffic in the space between the houses. In the southern part of the property, this was achieved by placing the street underground, in the northern part by hiding the service street under an artificially created fracture of the terrain. These service corridors then lead to individual underground parking lots.
On the southern end, ten-story buildings line the grassy plane. Whereas the apartments on the northern side face the Prague Castle, the ones on the southern side have an unobstructed view of the park through a full glass facade. The eastern and western frontage is freshened up by an irregular combination of windows, loggias and full walls. Thank to this irregularity, we could offer a very wide range of apartments of various sizes and layouts.
The formation of the street facade of the apartment building on the eastern side of the complex allows sunlight for the apartments facing northwest. Alternating of loggias with protruding glass walls ("scales") gives the facade a unique face and offers a view of the center of Prague. Colorful balconies of various sizes enliven the western facade, facing the inner part of the complex.
On the western side, the eight-story apartment building with loggias overlooks the hills of Smíchov district on the other side of the river. The break through the eastern facade reflects a small square within the complex.
The group of six-strorey city villas in the middle of the complex offers quiet residential housing, separated from the busy streets. The uniqueness of each villa is emphasized by individual roof structure - a kind of five-room villa on the top. Apart from the exclusive views of Prague panorama, each rooftop residence offers a quality of life comparable to living in a family house. The villas have an intimate space in their midst with a "village square" with pond, benches, playground and other small architecture elements, possibly artworks.