In the quiet village of Křenovice in South Moravia, Czech Republic, a thoughtful architectural intervention by ika.architekti demonstrates how a home can gracefully evolve to meet the changing rhythms of life. The Family House Křenovice was conceived for a couple, both doctors, embarking on a new chapter after their children had moved out. With one of the owners, Mr. Michael, being a dedicated painter, the project brief extended beyond mere comfort to encompass a profound need for peace, creativity, and a deep connection with the garden. The resulting home is a masterful balance of preservation and innovation, a serene retreat that feels both timeless and purpose-built.
The architects were granted significant freedom, which they used to carefully honour the existing structure. Their approach was one of subtle enhancement, preserving the rural character and unobtrusive street presence of the original single-storey house. The thoughtful renovation saw the retention of the ground floor perimeter walls, while the ceilings and roof trusses were entirely replaced. The most significant addition to the main volume is a single attic studio, strategically fitted with a generous north-facing skylight. This provides the steady, diffused illumination essential for the owner’s painting practice, transforming the attic into a dedicated sanctuary for creation.
To accommodate the new programme without overwhelming the original building, the architects introduced a modest garden extension. This smaller, detached volume contains a private bedroom with an en-suite bathroom. The two structures—the main house and the new pavilion—are cleverly linked by a living kitchen that flows seamlessly onto a terrace. This layout is the heart of the home’s spatial narrative, forging a natural connection between indoors and outdoors and ensuring daily life is immersed in the landscape. The arrangement creates an intimate courtyard, making the garden an integral room of the house.
Architecturally, the extension creates a dynamic yet harmonious counterpoint to the main house. A larger longitudinal mass with a gable roof dialogues with the smaller volume under a pitched roof. This balance between old and new is echoed in the interior layout, which prioritizes simplicity and practicality. The ground floor is organized around openness and visual flow, while the attic art studioabove is a free, uncluttered space designed solely for concentration and creative work. The journey through the home is one of carefully sequenced spaces, each with a distinct purpose and atmosphere.
The material palette is rooted in tradition, ensuring the new elements integrate naturally into the village context. The extension is constructed from Porotherm brick blocks with a rendered facade, a choice that provides excellent thermal insulation while respecting the local aesthetic. Inside, a key feature defines the spaces: a wooden truss structure is closed with a plasterboard soffit that curves gently into an arch at the ridge. This soft architectural curve subtly refracts light, eliminates sharp edges, and contributes to a calmer, more cohesive atmosphere. This motif is repeated in a circular attic window, promoting visual harmony throughout the space.
home’s public face remains deliberately reserved. The front garden and entrance are modest, ensuring the building respects the scale of its neighbours. Privacy in the rear garden is achieved not with a solid fence, but through a clever landscape design element: a garage consisting of a poured concrete slab intended to be gradually overgrown with climbing greenery. This living screen visually protects the sanctuary without severing it from its rural context. The overall concept of Family House Křenovice is a testament to how architecture can support a specific way of life through simplicity, purpose, and a profound respect for its place, creating a home that is both a quiet neighbour and a deeply personal haven.