House By The Forest By Kaa Studio

This quaint dwelling is located near a forest, on the outskirts of the Lány village in Czech Republic. The owners hired Prague-based Kaa Studio to transform the suburban house into a contemporary but still retro building they could use as a weekend retreat. Thus, House By The Forest stands out among the other houses and looks at home in the rural environment. The studio preserved the simple, stereotypical house shape, intervening only to open up the living spaces, improve views, and enhance the link to nature.

Maintaining the envelope of the building intact, the architects changed the fenestration – on the facades and on the attic’s roof. New windows appear alongside original openings, allowing sunlight to brighten up the rooms. Inside, the team removed walls to create a spacious, open-plan area with a contemporary look and feel. Kaa Studio also designed most of the wooden furniture.

As the only extension, the wooden patio enhances the garden facade, which now boasts large windows overlooking the forest. Both the interior and exterior feature materials that reference vernacular architecture. From natural stone, wood and copper to ceramics, brick and plaster. Standing between the forest and two old spruce trees, the gray-brown house blends into the natural landscape while taking on its new role of comfortable and welcoming family retreat. Photographs© BoysPlayNice.