The mountain town and ski resort Pec pod Sněžkou originated from the earlier original buildings in the valley, that expanded toward the surrounding hills. Slowly, large tourist accommodation and hotels emerged. The core character of the area is shaped by the individually standing buildings along the main street that are in close contact with the surrounding nature. The atmosphere is captured by a road rising through the valley along-side streams and by the openings between houses that allow a view of the further planes of the village and the cabins scattered on the meadows. The design of four apartment buildings continues the thread of these qualities and develops and further elaborates on them.
On the investor’s parcel in the village centre on a visually exposed spot, there used to stand the small department store Sněžka from the 80s. The long mass of the building gave the impression of a barrier and blocked the views into the further planes of the village. The remaining space around the building wasn’t utilized or well-maintained because it belonged neither to the building, nor the street. The commission from the investor was to build 90 apartments in the form of suite houses on the parcel of the former commercial building and the surrounding vacant spaces of the plot.
The building of the former shopping centre was removed. In its place there was created a new commercial parterre covered by a meadow. On this roof-meadow, four houses were erected. The houses are of different size and orientation. There are dynamic and exciting spatial relations between them, reinforced by the ascending terrain.
The roof meadow is a semi-private open space in-between houses, intended for various activities and events. There is an outdoor grill with seating, a children’s playground and the space in front of the apartments doubles as terraces for individual suites.
