mjölk architects completes its 'house behind a wall' in the czech mountains

mjölk architects presents its ‘house behind a wall’ — a project comprising the restoration and revitalization of a derelict, gable-roofed heritage building overlooking the mountainous landscape surrounding the czech city of liberec. as the stone basement was still intact, the team moved to demolish the rest of the house and use this remaining underlying structure as the foundation for the new project, characterized by its distinctly brutal concrete facade. the team at mjölk comments: ‘our courageous and somewhat risky plan worked out and today, the clients live in a beautiful, modern house which combines the historical soul of its predecessor and nordic esthetics with a touch of industrial style.‘

all images by boysplaynice

‘house behind a wall’ is situated on a lot which borders a road used by tourists venturing to the jizera mountains. in response to the heavy traffic along this road, mjölk architects built the house behind a street-facing concrete wall, designed in place of the original facade. this gesture serves an acoustic function, decreasing noise from the road, as well as an aesthetic function, introducing a defining, monumental entrance to the project. behind the wall is a small yard with a view of ještěd, the highest mountain in the country. the yard serves to mediate between the entrance, the guest house and the stairs leading downward to the yard below.

the renovated structure, built above the original stone foundation, is built of timber, with a black, tar-painted facade. the house behind the concrete wall actually comprises two houses: a family house and a small guest house for a young sailor — the clients’ son — who spends most of the year at the helm of transatlantic ships. the living space of the main house is defined by large windows on both sides. the window on the southwest facade offers views over the valley of ještěd mountain while the north window shows the yard and sauna.