atelier štěpán's internal landscape villa takes influence from greek atriums

the internal landscape

atelier štěpán sites its ‘internal landscape villa‘ outside an historic town in the czech republic, at once near the town center and the vast, natural parklands beyond. in celebration of this location, on the threshold of the urban and rural contexts, the client wished to ‘live largely in the open air,’ which the design team notes was not easy to fulfill due to the small and complex plot.

lead architect marek štěpán elaborates: ‘I wanted to try and create an inner disposition in which people can move naturally, where they can swim like a fish in the water. the kind of relaxed living where you subconsciously anticipate where everything is. the natural flow of the daylight is most important. as light flows through large windows as well as through circular openings in the roof. when I first visited the completed project, my eleven-year-old daughter unexpectedly stayed there for the next three days, because she loved the space so much.’

images by boysplaynice | @boysplaynice

atelier štěpán’s grassy atrium

the atelier štěpán-designed ‘internal landscape villa,’ negotiates a gently sloping terrain, which is fully reflected in the concept. the architects organize the dwelling as an inward-facing landscape — an inverted living experience with subtle openings into the outside world. the villa is horizontally divided into three different platforms, with its entrance platform at the street level made of concrete, hosting the utility rooms. the main living platform with the social area is elevated by a little less than a story above the street level.

the external atrium is elevated by another half meter, with social and resting areas constructed of timber, and arranged orthogonally to each other. both areas are connected to a grassy atrium, the inner core of the whole house. a sauna with a small plunge pool closes the atrium separating it from the street.

classical greek influence

the facades of the internal landscape villa are simple and abstract. they express the material essence of the house. the ‘front garden’ is replaced by integrated elevated linear planters.  

the team at atelier – continues: ‘the residence in nový jičín is a variation on a classical greek atrium house, specifically atrium displuviatum, which means atrium without eaves/gutters as described by vitruvius in his ten books on architecture. it is an atrium with no columns and the rainwater is directed away from the atrium.’

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project info:

project title: internal landscape villa
architecture: atelier štěpán
location: janáčkovy sady, nový jičín, czech republic
lead architect: marek jan štěpán
design team: františek brychta, lukáš svoboda, tomáš jurák, hana arletová, hana myšková
client: miroslav mixa / MIXA VENDING
photography: boysplaynice | @boysplaynice