ADR‘s simple yet refined dwelling for a ski resort manager in the north of the Czech Republic draws on vernacular mountain architecture.
Sited in Horní Malá Úpa in the Czech Republic, Bučina Cottage is compact yet expressive residence for the manager of a local ski resort. Designed by Prague-based architect ADR, the two-storey house adopts an asymmetric cruciform plan that evokes traditional buildings in the Krkonoše National Park area, while also providing framed views of two mountains: Sněžka and Lysečina from different parts of the house.
The plan comprises two identical volumes measuring 4.8×11.4 metres each, with the entrance on the east-facing side. A compact entrance vestibule, cloakroom and toilet give way to an open-plan kitchen, dining and living space. Located at the intersection of the two axes is a black-painted metal spiral staircase that winds around the flue of a small log burning stove. The upper floor accommodates two bedrooms, a bathroom, and a snug. A simple material palette comprises white-painted plaster walls, together with exposed timber beams, flooring and bespoke furniture all made from solid spruce.
The prefabricated, lightweight timber structure is built off a concrete slab that floats over the surrounding terrain in the summer, and is level with it in the snow-covered winter. Clad with unplaned, red-painted spruce boards, the facade makes reference to the region‘s vernacular mountain architecture. A crisply-detailed standing seam metal roof complements the vertically-laid cladding panels. Large rectangular-shaped windows provide panoramic views out, while a generous covered terrace on the south elevation provides protection from the elements.
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