Architecture studio Atelier-r has added a series of Corten steel bridges and platforms to provide tourist access to the ruins of Helf?týn castle in the east of the Czech Republic.
The studio carried out the major renovation of the visitor attraction, which is the second-largest castle complex in the Czech Republic after its deteriorating state had forced parts of the building to be closed to the public.
Atelier-r renovated Helf?týn castle
The majority of work was carried out on the castle's keep, which its owners and Czech Republic's national heritage institute wanted to be preserved as a ruin.
Atelier-r created a series of glass roofs that sit below the original walls so they can not be seen from outside the building to enclose some of the rooms. The studio enclosed several rooms with glass roofs
"Our team strived to complement the historical building with the contemporary architecture that would fit the purpose and focus on both practical use as well as gaining an aesthetic appeal," said Atelier-r's principal architect Miroslav Pospí?il.
"We aspired to go beyond the core task of creating a suitable roof solution because we wanted to involve the visitors in the historical development of the palace," Pospí?il told Dezeen.
"This intention sparked a great idea of incorporating the contemporary architectural elements into the historical building and connecting the existing ground floor with the newly accessible higher levels of the palace."
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