Atelier of a Film Director
My journey with this assignment didn’t start in the usual way, although perhaps, looking back, it should go like this every time. A friend of mine, whom I met at the book club, called me saying he wanted to buy a house. We did the viewing together. It took us two and a half hours by train to get there. The friend's choice was driven by a reasonable commute by public transport but was also looking for a quiet place. First, I was not convinced - to start with, it wasn’t in the mountains as one would expect but in our Slovakian lowland. However - once there I immediately fell in love with this place and so did he. Simple structure, a classic cube with an extension into the garden. The building was in the "original state" as the real estate agent would say but had tons of character.
The house’s façade didn’t need much refurbishment. Original roughcast plaster is just smoothed somewhat with a fine green cover, it almost looks like glazing. Otherwise, it remained in principle unchanged just added a few perforations for the yard area. Roof construction also remained largely original although, considering that this place will be visited by students and friends we could not resist and opened the roof in the central area to add to it more living space. The remaining part of the roofing space was not practical to be used due to its height, so we decided to keep the original shape, add isolation, and replaced the roof tiles. We took a very rational approach towards the reconstruction; we aimed to keep and reuse original design elements as much as practically possible.
As this house, the house of a film director - would regularly host 10 to 12 people, i.e. a small filming crew, it should be a creative basecamp in a cozy home format - a good feeling place for discussions, get-togethers, sharing ideas and presentations. Hence the large table, the traditional stove with an area to lie down, the stairs leading to the bunk beds, and the kitchen around the corner. The bunk bed under the roof but straight above the table would be great for after-dinner chats and discussions. The guests can watch the movies on the sofa or in the alcove just behind. Large bifold doors connect inside chats with the outside space framed by a pergola. The master bedroom is situated in the original extension. As you can imagine it wasn’t in great shape when we found it, falling apart under a leaking roof.
We opened the ceiling to add more room volume and make the room airier. Originally, we were planning for a window-based working table, however as the construction progressed and considering the cost, the atypical made-to-measure features were reduced to the stove, stairs, and the steel double beam - items considered the best value for money for my friend. All the interior work had been coordinated remotely during the pandemic, a challenge that we however managed very successfully. Next, we continued with online discussions on the best use and place for readymade furniture and other accessories.
Finally, I left it as a small surprise for me to see how my friend turn it into his home once moved in. The pergola was completed later - it turned out to be a very scenic part of the house - truly a mini movie stage - a play of light and shade that change dynamically during the day. Sometimes you see a half shade, sometimes a chessboard. The aim was not to restrict the light coming into the house and at the same time provide a nice cover from rain outdoors. In the future, it will bring natural cover with bean plants, climbers, and more. The Platanus tree got enough space to be allowed to grow within the grid. As time and ideas come, we're sure there will be further bits of fabric, some lights, and maybe a grapevine added. Text description by the architects.
