Architect vs. Engineer

Architect vs. Engineer

In past 3 weeks I learnt a lot about architect Mart Stam and his house in Colony of Baba. Stam was a Dutch architect, urban planner, and furniture designer. After studies he worked in Berlin under prominent architect Max Taut. During this time he also worked with El Lissitzky who was a russian avant-garde architect. One of his most famous works was a Cloud iron, a t-shaped skyscraper supported by 3 columns. It was an opposite to the american vertical buildings. The Cloud iron, if it had ever been built, would have better and more diverse usability of space inside. This concept affected his design for Prague.

Living room, terrace in the background (author: J. Chaloupek)

Throught deeper understanding and analysing villa Palička I chose 3 characteristic features of this house that I would like to use in designing my pavilion. The first feature for re-interpretation is a characteristic load bearing structure. It consists of slender tall columns in the frame arrangement. 

The second thing is an unusual terrace which is not situated on a roof, like many other buildings of that time had, but it is almost in a ground floor and tucked in the mass of the house, creating a connection between exterior and interrior. 

The last feature is a window over the corner in the living room. It is very important for the whole conception. In addition to these features there is one more essential idea of continuity of house in time. Villa Palička contains this idea in possibility of extension in north-east.

Features (author: Jan Chaloupek)

Stam´s concept was changed by investor Ing. Palička. Architectural design faced a cold sober view of an engineer who reduced extent of house and also closed disposition inside. Glass between living room and terrace was partially bricked. One of stam´s earlier concepts included an extention of first floor in a garden.

The view from the street provides a look of a house like any other in neighborhood but from the other side it is clear that it is about something else. I find this house unique in Colony of Baba.

Load bearing structure - frame arrangement (author: A. Grůšová, J. Chaloupek)

The idea for this house was to maximalize potencial of elevation. Stam came up with concrete skeleton in a frame arrangment, house looks much taller from the garden.

 (author: A. Grůšová, J. Chaloupek)

Entrances

Functionalism as an idea was very strict and less decorative then previuos epoches, therefore many dacades might look to someone a look a like. The main entrance to the house is also sober. It is in one plane with facade. The door has a round window inside that is inspired by ocean liners and steamboats. Above the entrance is a little caret that protects against a rain. The entrence is in the first floor level.
Entrances in Colony of Baba are not the same. The most generouse entrance is in Villa Kytlica.

Interior

During our visit interior looked very cosy. All around the corner window in the living room were jalousies. The most of original furniture is not preserved but it have been replaced with furniture of the same style.

View

Colony of Baba is located at a hillside above the river so every house in the colony has great prague panoram. The best panorama view is availible from terrace and the second floor. Unfortunatly nowdays it is mostly covered with trees.

M. Stam - Villa Palicka 1932

F. L. Wright - Falling water house 1939

Miguel Barahona - The House On The Hill

M. Stam - Villa Palicka 1932

Výstavní síň Mánes (1930)

Centrum současného umění DOX (přestavba 2008)

Resources:
www.limax.co.za/we/window-guards/
www.pinterest.com/pin/201606520789081259/
www.flickr.com/photos/army_arch/sets/72157594435189002/
http://praha.idnes.cz/manes-se-zacne-opravovat-letos-na-jare-vlastnik-shani-penize-v-zahranici-1ou-/praha-zpravy.aspx?c=A111230_1708317_praha-zpravy_sfo
sketches - Jan Chaloupek

(author: J. Chaloupek)

(author: J. Chaloupek)

Light and shadow

Sketches shows 2 details (stairs and the entrance) and a corner of the living room.

Plans

Plans show relationship between served and serving spaces, spatial organization and  disposition of the first floor.

Served and serving spaces (author: J. Chaloupek)

Diagram of served and serving spaces (author: J. Chaloupek)

Spatial organization (author: J. Chaloupek)

Partition of the corridor using the columns (author: J. Chaloupek)

Center of gravity (author: J. Chaloupek)

Terrace

The volume of terrace penetrated the house. The conception of Cloud iron by Lissitzky was dealing with a space high above the ground so there was a void space under the building. Stam used this idea and created a terrace that is in the "ground" floor. It is protected from 3 sides and has panorama view. The lighting is good due to milk glass windows from 2 sides.

Ideas for pavilion

I took significant features of the house and made a fast composition, what I can operate with. The result is a few sketches.

Ideas for pavilion  (author: J. Chaloupek)

During the first phase I cooperated with Adéla Grůšová who was interested in the same house.