prodesi/domesi completes a waterside cottage inspired by a ship cabin

a cozy refuge in the czech republic

czech architecture studio prodesi/domesi realizes a small cottage with a large, open interior viewing the greenery of the vranov dam. with a form inspired by a ship cabin, the house is clad with ‘sunburned’ larch planks. not only owner’s family, but also visitors can enjoy it. it provides plenty of space for evening gatherings as well as for sleeping. there are inconspicuous storage spaces in every corner of the house and everything has its place just like in a cabin of a ship. the interior of the house is interconnected, but at the same time the attic provides plenty of privacy. the interior surrounded by spruce wood offers a cosy refuge, whereas large, glass panes overlook breath-taking water surface.

images by boysplaynice | @boysplaynice

a waterfront cabin by prodesi/domesi

the architects at czech-based prodesi/domesi designed the cabin for a client who had acquired a small cottage on the banks of the dam from his grandfather. he approached prodesi/domesi with a specific vision — a wood cottage built on the existing foundations which would have everything that today’s modern timber buildings allow for, and which would become a comfortable haven for his family on weekends and holidays. the architects had to deal with the forest land and also with the floor plan of the original cottage they had to stick to while constructing the new timber construction.

inspired by a ship cabin

the cabin of a ship was an important inspiration for prodesi/domesi’s project. this influence is evoked by nearby water surface, especially when designing the interior. everything in this small room is practically arranged, using up literally every inch of the space. the contrast between the exterior and the interior is also impressive. from the outside, the house is purely functional and modest as for the used material. by contrast, inside it is modern, spacious, and thought-out to the last detail.

architect klára vratislavová of prodesi/domesi comments: ‘the construction of the house went hand in hand with its interior design, so that we could make good use of every inch of space that the original grandfather’s cottage had set for us.’

‘we took a reverse approach when designing the upstairs. first, we created the necessary spaces for bedrooms and after that we “cut off” the exceeding part of the roof, so that the house would be as small as possible. our goal was to design a building that humbly integrates into the green slope above the water with mostly modest old cottages.’