The Fortress House HRADBY

As is often the case with similar buildings, the ground floor suffered from dampness. The original stone walls were very damp. We decided to remove the plaster, exposing the walls and vaults so that the structures could breathe. Only the lower part of the perimeter walls was treated with moisture-resistant plaster. This process had to be repeated several times to remove as much moisture as possible from the walls. The other interior plasters are polished and finely smoothed, which creates interesting reflections and texture.

We joined the project when the layouts of the individual floors had already been determined. On the entry level, the social part of the house is located – a large living room with a dining area, a separate kitchen, and a guest room in what used to be an unused garage. Upstairs, there is another living room and bedrooms with en-suite bathrooms.

The vaults were reinforced with helical ties, and the electrical outlets for the lights were routed from the upper floor to keep the vaults visually intact.

The floors are partially ventilated using “igloos,” and drainage runs around the perimeter of the walls. The staircase to the upper floor was in very poor condition. Here, too, we used the exposed stone walls and highlighted their texture with backlit handrails. This creates a dramatic interplay of light, shadows, and contrasts between the plastered walls and the rough stone, separated by the line of the handrail. The staircase also had to be ventilated from below. The entire interior is ventilated by a recuperation system, with the ducts hidden in the walls and the vents covered with period-style cast-iron grilles, preserving the visual harmony of the interior.

The upper floor is entirely different. Here, wooden structures dominate. The original wooden floorboards were cleaned of asphalt coating and carefully hand-brushed and oiled to a grey tone. This floor also features original tiled stoves, which were restored. The area in front of the stoves was finished with salvaged clay tiles from a marketplace. All the floors were installed without baseboards, only with flexible joints. In addition to the period tiled stoves, this floor boasts unique painted beam ceilings. The whitewash was removed from these beams, and the original paintings were restored using reactive stains. All the painted ceilings were illuminated indirectly, creating a very pleasant lighting effect in the bedrooms. We also left the plaster “unfinished,” revealing the masonry beneath the ceilings.

In the attic, we preserved the original roof structure as much as possible and added insulation on top of the rafters. This way, the original roof structure remains visible in the interior rather than being hidden in the construction. This has the added benefit of allowing us to monitor the condition of the original structures. Localized replacements of beams were done by hand, with chisels, to match the original construction as closely as possible. The plank cladding is meticulously installed without baseboards.

However, the entire house is not strictly traditional. Modern technologies, such as underfloor heating with a heat pump and a recuperation system, were carefully integrated into the interior. Heating is further supplemented by a fireplace insert in the living room.

The interior itself has a contemporary feel. The exposed stone walls are painted in shades of grey, and the passageways through the massive load-bearing walls are framed with thin trim made of raw, waxed steel. The floors on the ground floor are laid in smaller-format tiles in a herringbone pattern. The dining room is dominated by a large round dining table with engraved coordinates that mark significant life moments for the clients. Above the table hangs a striking multi-armed chandelier.

The vaulted kitchen space gave rise to a custom kitchen that respects the arches of the vaults while incorporating all the necessary elements. The furniture, like all the built-in furniture in the house, is fully ventilated. The central island is made of solid wood with a stainless steel worktop, and the other cabinets feature steel doors.

You can find more examples of house renovations on our blog. Explore how houses can be renovated, how we approach individual projects, and what makes sense to highlight. Renovating houses is a passion that we enjoy more than anything else.

by Radka - 15. 10. 2024