APARTMENT FOR GUESTS IN HOJNÁ VODA

Inside an old stone barn surrounded by an orchard, a small guest apartment emerges. It’s built from natural materials such as birch plywood, clay and glass. Old and new coexist here in silence, light and the scent of moss. A place that heals through simplicity.

Area 80 m²
Project year: 2020 – 2021

Principal architect Zuzana & Jan Kurz

Photo Lucie Fenclová
Completion year: 2021

Area 80 m²
Project year: 2020 – 2021
Principal architect Zuzana & Jan Kurz
Photo Lucie Fenclová
Completion year: 2021

We designed a warm and cozy, yet unconventional guest apartment. It’s a compact 1+kk space consisting of a main living room and a small bathroom. Though modest in size, the apartment is rich in spirit, quietly nestled within the structure of an old stone barn surrounded by a wide orchard. It stands independent of the barn’s original framework, creating a deliberate and poetic contrast between the old and the new.

From the very beginning, it was crucial to use natural, healthy materials to the greatest extent possible. That’s why there is almost no glue, insulation foam, or concrete in the entire build. The interior walls are clad with waxed birch plywood, which curves softly at the corners. Such a detail not only enhances the feeling of intimacy but also the pervasive sense of calm and harmony. The floor is made of handcrafted clay, wax-finished for durability and resistance to moisture. It’s warm to the touch, naturally regulates humidity and maintains its qualities over time. The clay mixture was created directly from local soil, blended with different sand fractions and fillers like wool and ceramic shards. This material experiment was refined through compression tests until it was perfected. Only then did we begin the careful process of laying and compacting the matter by hand.

Beneath the clay floor lies a layer of foam glass which is a 100% recycled material made from waste glass. Its network of glass bridges provides exceptional compressive strength, non-flammability, lightness, insulation and long-term stability, while remaining completely non-toxic. A brick partition wall, finished with decorative clay plaster, subtly divides the main room. The plaster features small cutouts which are ornamental and also functional, as they allow the warm air to circulate between spaces. The countertops in the kitchen are made from Organoid panels, pressed with natural moss, whose earthy fragrance gently fills the apartment. The space is dominated by large oak-framed windows, crafted by the Jánošík company. The most extraordinary feature, however, is a southern window covered with a very delicate, light-permeable layer of birch veneer. The light penetrating through this uniquely decorated window creates a pleasant and impressive play of shadows in the space. The apartment in the barn is a true oasis of calm, and we would like to see more projects like this for all of us.

Materials

Moss • Clay floor • Bricks • Foam glass • Oak • Birch plywood • Roses • Wood fiber • Shingles • Brass • Ceramic tiles • Glass

Materials