The architecture studio re:architekti studio has developed an intervention to expand the exterior galleries in a residential building located in the municipal district of Prague 15, in the southwest of the city of Prague, Czech Republic.

In the country, the majority of inhabitants reside in shared housing in prefabricated buildings, with various owners of different social classes and ages, making it difficult to reach an agreement to develop an intervention in the buildings. However, it was the owners who contacted the studio to carry out the remodeling in their 1970s building.

The project has been a finalist for the Czech Architecture Awards 2023.
The first intervention proposal by the architects of re:architekti studio was on the roof and the extension of the homes. However, after several disputes between the neighbors, the works were carried out without them having to temporarily abandon the home, and the transformation that was agreed upon was the expansion of the exterior galleries, increasing their quality and the value of the homes.

The simple cantilever structure of the project, which stabilizes and solves the joints of the original structure, allowed a continuous gallery in the homes instead of two balconies and went from a width of 1.1 m to 2 meters. This allowed the original structure of the building to be maintained, except for the window extensions of some homes. The decisions regarding the windows, the materiality of the floor, the perimeter glazing and access to the garden were made by each owner. But the materiality of the extension is continuous, fireproof coating on the overhangs, hot-dip galvanized steel for the rest of the structure and concrete slabs on the floors covered with larch or plastic wood planks.


Panel Building Loggia Extension by re:architekti studio. Photograph by Ondřej Bouška.
 

Project description by re:architekti studio

In the Czech Republic, over 3 million people live in prefabricated residential buildings since the second half of the 20th century, which they own in shared ownership. Houses often have dozens of owners of different ages and social statuses with various requirements and it is very difficult for them to agree on anything in such a large number. The reality then is that any building adaptations beyond basic maintenance work are very rare or downright impossible. That's why we found it very interesting when the homeowners of one such residential block from the 1970s approached us with a fairly general task on how their home could be improved.

We started with a more radical idea involving rooftop development and the extension of the house, but after several drawbacks caused by disputes among homeowners, we ended up with a subtle intervention, which, however, substantially increases the usability of the loggias as well as the market value of all of the apartments. The negotiations were very demanding, long, and full of emotions, but in the end, the decisive factor was that the construction work was carried out quickly and no one had to temporarily move out of the house.

We extended the depth of loggias from 1,1 m to approximately 2 m using a simple cantilevered structure. Each apartment now has one continuous loggia instead of two smaller ones. Each homeowner made choices regarding windows, floor material, garden access, etc. Except for window enlargements in some apartments, the original structure remains intact. The cantilevers made of welded steel are designed not only to support the extension but also to stabilize and treat sensitive joints of the original structure. The cantilevers are fire-proof coated and the other steelwork is hot-dip galvanised. The ceilings above the extended part are thin concrete slabs, and the floor is covered by larch or wood-plastic planks, according to the wishes of the owner of the apartment. The construction allows for additional glazing.

More information

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Architects
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re:architekti studio. Lead architects.- David Pavlišta, Ondřej Synek, Jan Vlach, Jiří Žid, Michal Kuzemenský, Vojtěch Ružbatský.
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Collaborators
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Statics.- Ivan Beneš.
Fire safety solutions.- Emil Faltejsek.
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Client
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Homeowners of Kobylákova 815-816.
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Area
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Usable floor area.- 100 m².
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Dates
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Project year.- 2019.
Completion year.- 2022.
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Location
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Kobylákova 815/8, Prague, Czech Republic.
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Budget
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200.000 €.
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Photography
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The architectural studio re:architekti was established in 2011 with a vision of working on urban tasks. The studio quickly gained a reputation thanks to the frequent winning of awards in architectural competitions. Due to this, the focus of our work shifted from urbanism to mainly public buildings.

The essence of the studio’s work lies in the interest in context, sensitivity and empathy. The layering of the city and combining the old with the new is a key theme in the design of buildings and urban planning. We look for the peculiarities and qualities of the already existing and apply them to the designed. The studio always focuses on realism in its work. That includes the economic limits and the social context. The architects from re:architekti have long been interested in the issue of housing. The focus of our work are contracts for cities and municipalities, and recently also the share of private contracts has been increasing. The portfolio of references ranges from family houses, through public buildings to zoning plans.

They process all stages of project documentation, including author’s supervision on construction sites. Good knowledge of the area is the basis for gaining the trust of the client and of the citizens and also is important for successful processing of the order. Enforcing collision-free implementation is key for us. We have extensive experience in dealing with the public and with state and local government authorities. We can organize participation. We are used to managing work on contracts in a way that is understandable for laymen and professionals alike.

Members of the studio re:architekti publish in the professional press, exhibit, lecture, teach at universities and are professionally engaged in city administration. Michal Kuzemenský runs the studio of architecture and urbanism at the Faculty of Architecture of the Czech Technical University in Prague (ČVUT), Jiří Žid at the Faculty of Arts and Architecture of the Technical University of Liberec (TUL). David Pavlišta performs the function of the city architect of Jablonec nad Nisou.
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