Prague studio Byró Architekti has renovated a 19th-century house in the Czech town of Kutná Hora, adding unexpected openings and colourful joinery that create a playful contrast with the original interior.
The studio was tasked with restoring the character of the existing house, which had been compromised by a previous programme of renovations in the 1970s.
Pastel green defines the entrance of House in Kutná Hora by Byró Architekti
The project improves the connection between the home's internal spaces by introducing new windows and openings while aiming to seamlessly layer new elements on top of the original built fabric.
"Our main goal was to rediscover the house's memory and original layers, which were actually quite rare, and seamlessly blend them with new layers to create a cohesive whole," Byró Architekti explained. Chequerboard tiles in the foyer match the painted joinery
"We aimed to blur the boundary between the old and the new rather than highlighting it," the studio added.
The house's main feature is a spiral staircase that forms a vertical circulation core at the centre of the plan. Internal windows and glass-block walls were added on each level to provide a visual connection to the living spaces.
Plywood cabinetry and wall panelling feature in the ground-floor music room
An original stone staircase links the ground floor and first floor, while a new stair leading to the attic has floating steel treads that allow light from a skylight to ...