richard meier & partners unveils a pair of prague villas for private residential community

richard meier & partners has unveiled new visuals of its first residential project in the czech republic, the new oaks prague villas. the private residential community will become a modern village in the nebřenice countryside, where two dwellings will contribute to the residential fabric of the 140 hectare (or 345 acres) development. the general concept behind the homes is driven by stringent local zoning and planning regulations. the design is characterized by a pitched roof, recalling traditional czech villages in a sculptural and contemporary form.

all images by bloomimages

commissioned by the arendon development company, the richard meier & partners-designed houses are part of a new private residential community that intends to become a ‘modern village’. a distinct massing parti conveys the design of each villa in response to programmatic and site specific conditions. villa I expresses a concise linear mass oriented towards the expanse of the adjacent golf course, while villa II reflects a more compact structure.

the houses will form part of a new private residential community

‘the architecture of the villas reflects the fundamental design principles of our firm defined through the siting and entrance procession, clear public and private programmatic organization, as well as a structural and façade system based a rigorous architectural design grid,’ explains richard meier. ‘each villa consists of a series of private spaces located on the second floor and public spaces on the ground level where residents meet and entertain, both open to the extensive views of nature.’

sweeping views ensure a dialogue between interior and exterior

an intimate connection to nature was prioritized by the design team, as sweeping views ensure a dialogue between interior and exterior. oak and cedar bring natural materials to the interior, creating a warm and serene environment. white composite panels clad the striking roof volume and wrap it continuously along both the inclined and vertical surfaces, while cedar panels line the underside of the roof and fold into the interior envelope. exterior sun screens shade the more public spaces and filter natural light, creating a brightly lit home.

villa I expresses a concise linear mass oriented towards the expanse of the adjacent golf course

‘we saw the challenge in designing a sloped roof based on the zoning requirement for the oaks prague villas as an optimistic opportunity to deliver a recognizable structure with modern aesthetics while embodying clean geometric lines to the overall building,’ says vivian lee, design partner-in-charge. ‘the connection between the living spaces to nature was an important relationship to establish, not just visually towards the sweeping views outside, but also by employing materials such as oak and cedar to bring nature inside, creating a warm and welcoming environment.’

villa II reflects a more compact structure

the oaks prague development is now under construction and comprises 250 homes, a boutique hotel, and a wellness and spa center. there is also a PGA national golf course, a country club, an equestrian center, a tennis academy, and a kindergarten. other architects and designers who have contributed to the oaks prague development include eva jiřičná and john pawson.

the use of oak and cedar help create a warm and serene environment

composite panels clad the striking roof volume

exterior sun screens shade the more public spaces and filter natural light

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project info:

design principals: richard meier, FAIA, FRIBA | vivian lee, AIA
project architect: jeremy d. keagy
collaborators: grigorios dimitriadis, peter liao, xiaodi sun, steven sze, xiao wang
client: arendon development company a.s.
associate architect: cuboid architekti s.r.o.

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