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    Collcoll hides stairs and seats in pixellated wooden structure at Pricefx office

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    Thousands of wooden cubes inspired by the computer game Minecraft conceal utilities and create casual seating areas at this office in Prague designed by architecture studio Collcoll.

    Having previously designed one floor in the Meteor Centre Office Park for pricing software company Pricefx, Collcoll was tasked with outfitting the floor below as part of the client’s commitment to flexible and creative working practices.
    Collcoll has added a pixellated wooden structure to the Pricefx office in Prague”The management and employees of Pricefx use their offices primarily for meetings that stimulate creative dialogue,” said Collcoll.
    “By their very nature, they are an open space for variable use, not subject to the stereotypes of work cubicles or traditional open space.”
    The wooden feature was informed by the computer game MinecraftThe need to link the two levels presented an opportunity to do something interesting with the circulation and service core at the centre of the floor plan.

    Collcoll chose to enclose the staircase with a wooden structure that conceals staff lockers, changing rooms and utility spaces. It also contains a slide that can be used as an alternative to the stairs.
    Collcoll concealed utilities behind the “pixels” and created casual seating areas”Vertically connecting two floors tends to be problematic if the natural flow of the space is to be maintained,” Collcoll explained.
    “The two floors are tectonically connected by a structure composed of thousands of wooden pixels, which modulates the space around it and becomes its internal landmark.”
    A slide can be used instead of the stairsThe composition of 40-centimetre-wide cubes references the blocky, pixellated world of the video game Minecraft. Its external surfaces form semi-enclosed alcoves and amphitheatres that can be used for informal work and presentations.
    The cubes are wrapped in wood veneer that intentionally does not align so the pixels can be arranged in a completely random configuration.

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    The pixel motif is continued by a lighting grid that covers the entire office ceiling and by a projection screen incorporated into a bar counter that also functions as a reception desk.
    The LED light fixtures, which are clearly visible from the street, can be dynamically adjusted to provide optimal lighting during working hours or create a party atmosphere for events.
    The pixel motif continues into the office’s lighting gridThe entire office floor can operate like an open conference hall containing pockets of dedicated functional space such as the cafe with its professional kitchen, bar counter and informal seating.
    A large conference room at one end of the space is equipped with a long table that can seat up to 50 people. The table and the room itself can be divided to form smaller hot-desking spaces or meeting rooms.
    Lighting can be adjusted to create a party atmosphere for eventsA sliding acoustic partition enables the space to function as a recording studio, while transparent walls along one side can be turned opaque to provide privacy.
    The office has no corridors and instead includes various unprescribed zones and circulation areas containing casual seating or lounges with amenities such as a pool table and a punchbag.
    A large conference room integrates with a table for up to 50 peopleA range of presentation spaces are scattered throughout the floorplan. These include dedicated conference rooms and tiered amphitheatres with retractable screens.
    Collcoll chose a neutral material palette comprising concrete, grey carpet tiles, light-grey plasterboard and black-painted ceilings to lend the office a modern, industrial aesthetic.
    Collcoll chose a neutral material palette for a modern and industrial aesthetic”The heavy black-metal tubular furniture corresponds with the concept of technological wiring,” Collcoll suggested.
    “In contrast, the ephemeral changing grid of light chips and sensor systems embodies the direction of industrialism towards the world of software and information.”
    The studio added amenities such as a pool table and a punchbagCollcoll’s name stands for “collaborative collective” and reflects the collaborative approach of its team of architects, designers and researchers.
    Other recently completed office interiors featuring wooden structures include a workspace in Edinburgh by Kin and a design office in Melbourne that aims to be zero-waste by using recycled materials.
    The photography is by BoysPlayNice.

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      Neuhäusl Hunal divides Sculptor’s Apartment in Prague using curved glass partitions

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      Czech architecture studio Neuhäusl Hunal has renovated a prefabricated apartment in Prague, turning it into an open-plan home and workspace for sculptor and glassworker Vladimír Bachorík.

      Neuhäusl Hunal opted for curved translucent glass partitions in place of doors to divide the interior spaces and create a sense of openness and fluidity.
      U-profiled glass partitions divide the interior spacesIn order to maximise floor space, the studio removed all non-load-bearing elements, leaving just a single load-bearing concrete wall that cuts through the living and workspaces.
      Three U-profiled glass partitions were then used to enclose a cloakroom, storage space and kitchen, while the remaining floor space can be used flexibly.
      An existing load-bearing concrete wall separates the living and work spacesA centralised, curved bathroom, raised by a small platform for waste management, is similarly enclosed by translucent glass panels and protrudes into the main space.

      The bathroom interior was lined extensively with white ceramic tiles and features a walk-in shower.
      Meanwhile, matching ceramic tiles were also used in the kitchen, which doubles as a work area for the artist.
      White mosaic tiles line the kitchen and bathroom”To design the maximally open and flowing space without doors, infrastructure, besides statics, was a key constraint, which defines the location of the single-almost-enclosed space: the bathroom,” studio architect and founder David Neuhäusl told Dezeen.
      “Therefore we emphasized [the bathroom] as the most prominent element in the apartment to create a strong spatial experience,” Neuhäusl continued.

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      The interior material palette was defined by the stripped concrete wall as well as the translucent panels and ceramic tiles, set on a background of white plaster walls and grey-toned rubber flooring.
      Metal furniture and shelving was used throughout the minimalist interior, with cubic plinths used to display Bachorík’s glasswork around the space.
      Existing windows draw daylight into the interior spacesDaylight shines through the existing windows at either end of the apartment and penetrates the glass partitions to create a brightly lit interior, while carefully positioned strip lights and spotlights provide artificial lighting.
      “These translucent glass blocks of high order ensure the penetration of light and create identity of the apartment,” Neuhäusl explained.
      “Their materiality and character naturally refer to the client’s lifelong work. They can be naturally composed in curves to formulate the softly shaped partitions.”
      Metal furniture is used throughout the spaceNeuhäusl Hunal is an architecture studio founded by David Neuhäusl and Matěj Hunal in the Czech Republic.
      Other projects recently completed in the Czech Republic include a winery topped with a sweeping concrete roof and an angular black extension to a neo-gothic church.
      The photography is by Radek Úlehla.

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      Dezeen Debate features a “clean” and “simple” revamp of a 1920s house in Prague

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      The latest edition of our weekly Dezeen Debate newsletter features No Architects’ “seamless” renovation and extension of a 1920s house in Prague. Subscribe to Dezeen Debate now.

      No Architects’ extensive revamp aimed to retain the character of the house, which was built in the 1920s in a romantic style that references arts and crafts-style English villas.
      “Our addition refers to the original facade details and is hardly recognisable as separate to the original house,” the studio’s co-founder Jakub Filip Novák told Dezeen.
      Commenters had nothing but praise for the project.

      “Love the clean lines, the simple gestures, the quiet flourishes,” wrote one. “With the historic muted greens and blues complementing the wood, it reminds me of Shaker modernism here in the States. Really beautiful spaces.”
      Sumu Yakushima is a co-operative housing project that supports humans and nature Other stories in this week’s newsletter include a “superbly configured” co-operative housing project in Japan, a roundup of the architecture projects not to miss in 2023 and a Zaha Hadid Architects-designed modular tent classroom for refugees.
      Dezeen Debate
      Dezeen Debate is a curated newsletter sent every Thursday containing highlights from Dezeen. Read the latest edition of Dezeen Debate or subscribe here.
      You can also subscribe to Dezeen Agenda, which is sent every Tuesday and contains a selection of the most important news highlights from the week, as well as Dezeen Daily, our daily bulletin that contains every story published in the preceding 24 hours.

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      No Architects completes “seamless” revamp of 1920s house in Prague

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      Czech studio No Architects has renovated and extended a 1920s villa in a Prague suburb, adding bespoke joinery and modern details that complement the original architecture.

      The studio headed by artist Daniela Baráčková and architect Jakub Filip Novák oversaw the modernisation of the property in the Smíchov district on the left bank of the Vltava river.
      The joinery on the ground floor was painted duck-egg blueThe extensive remodelling and extension aimed to retain the character of the house, which was built in the 1920s in a romantic style that references the steep-pitched roofs and brick cladding of arts and crafts-style English villas.

      No Architects removed all of the existing floors, ceilings and non-load-bearing walls of the semi-detached property and added a side extension to accommodate containing a ground-floor guest suite and a bedroom on the first floor.
      Bespoke joinery was added throughout the interiorThe extension utilises the same palette of clay roof tiles, painted brick and a pumice stone plinth in order to produce a timeless aesthetic that is in keeping with the original architecture.

      “Other contemporary extensions in this neighbourhood got very old very quickly and don’t fit in well anymore,” Jakub Filip Novák told Dezeen.
      “Our addition refers to the original facade details and is hardly recognisable as separate to the original house. The connection between the new and old parts is not just via design, but it seems seamless even by structure and same ageing of material.”
      The interior layout was reconfigured to modernise the villaThe revamped interior has a contemporary layout, with an open living and dining area linked to the adjacent kitchen. A new doorway in the rear elevation provides direct access from the kitchen to the garden.
      A custom-built unit next to the back door discreetly conceals a pantry and toilet, along with plenty of storage and space for the refrigerator.

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      No Architects designed bespoke joinery added throughout the house to make optimal use of the available space and to create a sense of aesthetic consistency between the various rooms.
      “The living space consists of many details and we like to frame them because it helps connect plenty of technology and infrastructure which surround us in any house,” said Novák.
      “It’s also an economic decision,” he added, “because every square metre of living space in Prague is expensive so it is rational to use it sensibly. We see joinery as part of such thinking, uniting architecture, construction and technology.”
      Green woodwork adds a splash of colour to the staircaseSome of the interventions were painted in pastel shades that add a distinctive character to the spaces. The upper floor and staircase feature green woodwork, while the ground-floor joinery is painted a shade of duck-egg blue.
      The clients spent part of their lives working in Japan and the United Kingdom, so some of the colours and details reference these experiences.
      The decorative panelling and exposed radiators on the first floor recall traditional British houses, while the minimal bench seating in the living room and the tiled porch evoke Japanese living.
      The studio designed built-in seating in the living roomA small door on the first-floor landing provides access to a previously unused space above the entrance that now contains a private play area accessible only by the children.
      Throughout the project, No Architects adapted existing features to give them a new purpose or to enhance the character of the building while ensuring it meets the client’s requirements.
      The bespoke joinery was designed to optimise space in the home”We work with intuitive ‘memory of architecture’ and aesthetics which belongs to the original era but we don’t follow it directly,” Novák added, “we just use it to make a nice place that makes the most of the potential which is in the atmosphere of the house.”
      No Architects’ founders met while studying at the Academy of Arts, Architecture and Design in Prague. The studio combines the disciplines of art and architecture to produce detailed-oriented solutions that reflect their clients’ requirements and personalities.
      The photography is by Studio Flusser.

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      Matteo Thun draws on Czech art heritage for design of The Julius Prague

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      Italian architect Matteo Thun looked to the work of Czech artists Alphonse Mucha and František Kupka for the interior design of this Prague hotel, which features pastel colours and natural materials.

      Located in an art deco building in the city centre, The Julius Prague has apartment suites with kitchenettes as well as smaller hotel rooms that were designed to have the feel of a home-away-from-home.
      Matteo Thun used soft colours for the guest rooms at The Julius Prague”In exploring new forms of living, we had to think about how to create that home-away-from-home feeling – providing privacy and independence, whilst also offering flexible communal spaces such as co-working areas, meeting rooms, and open lounges,” Thun told Dezeen.
      “The rooms are designed as apartments, and the public areas are conceived as an extension of the rooms.”
      Rooms overlook a central courtyardThe interior design of the colourful hotel was influenced by the way in which Czech Art Noveau painter Alphonse Mucha and Czech abstract painter František Kupka used colours.

      Mucha’s soft, pastel hues were used for the guest rooms, many of which overlook a central courtyard with a light-filled conservatory, while Thun looked to Kupka’s brighter colour palette for the communal areas.
      The hotel’s lighting was informed by bohemian glass work”Inspired by Mucha’s work, we selected a pared-back palette and pastel hues for the guest rooms, working with natural materials and soft textiles to create a calming and welcoming atmosphere,” Thun said.
      “Meanwhile in the communal areas we chose a more vibrant colour palette, drawing on Kupka’s abstract pieces, for a more energetic atmosphere,” he added.
      “For lighting, we were inspired by the bohemian art glass work, emitting a warm ambient glow.”
      More vibrant colours were used in the communal areasTactile natural materials were used throughout the hotel, including in the bathrooms, which are clad in a striking marble-effect ceramic tile.
      “We used ceramic tiles with a marble effect from a leading Italian tile producer for the floorings of the public areas and the kitchens and bathrooms of the residences,” Thun said.

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      “We love to work with natural materials and have used oak-flooring for the serviced residences, featuring spacious living environments with open kitchen and generous smart-working spaces,” he added.
      “Throughout The Julius, custom-made furniture and pieces ensure every space arouses curiosity.”
      Bathrooms were clad in ceramic tiles with a marble effectThe Julius Prague is the first hotel from the Julius Meinl family, a gourmet-food retailer and manufacturer based in Vienna that Thun has previously worked with.
      “We have enjoyed a rewarding relationship over the last 15 years and their flair continues to be invaluable in channelling design towards authentic, novel and inspirational projects,” Thun said.
      The hotel was designed as a “home-away-from-home””In this case we have contributed our experience to their first hospitality project, designing a timeless scheme in tune with new expectations: a contextually aware nomadic way of living,” he added.
      Other recent projects in Prague include a pop-up market with a turquoise scaffolding design and a spa with curved-cement walls and glass detailing.
      The photography is by Gionata Xerra.

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      Formafatal uses glass and light to denote treatment zones in Prague spa

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      Curved cement-screed walls with embedded rows of vertical glass bars characterise this spa in Prague designed by local studio Formafatal.

      The Cellularium spa is located in the Institute of Natural Medicine, where it occupies one curved corner of a floor in the Main Point Pankrac building, which has a glazed exterior broken up by vertical aluminum sheets.
      Light fixtures in the ceilings and walls punctuate the interiorThe spa’s main treatment area features three rooms that are delineated by rows of perpendicular glass bars, in reference to the vertical design of the building’s facade. These transparent rods are lit according to the function of the space inside.
      “There is no need to describe the purpose of the room to customers,” explained Formafatal. “The colour itself defines the content: sauna as fire (red), cryosauna as ice (blue) and air flow as wind (gray)”.
      Blue-hued light denotes the cryosaunaThe 155-square-metre interior comprises an entrance foyer and a waiting room, doctor’s office, locker rooms and treatment areas. The spaces were strategically placed around the building’s inclined structural columns.

      “You can hardly find a flat wall in the floor plan,” said the architects, who acknowledged the confines of the existing space by using curved subdividing walls.
      Locker room doors emerge from the curved wallsA convex divider decorated with metal fins separates the doctor’s office from the waiting area and nods to the exterior of the building in which the spa is located.
      “The outer shell of the surgery is lined with vertical steel plates, which gradually fold down to a flat smooth cladding with integrated doors,” the team explained.
      The exterior of the doctor’s office is accessed by a flush concealed doorAn undulating ceiling punctuated by square, solid oak dowel rods of varying lengths unites the different areas in the spa.
      Formafatal used a toned-down colour and material palette in the scheme to focus the attention on the curved shapes of the interior.

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      “Dark tones and smooth screed on surfaces together with daylight significantly underline the playfully modelled space,” the studio said.
      “We left the nurse’s and the doctor’s office in soft light shades that do not distract the visitor,” it continued.
      Inclined structural columns are most prominent in the doctor’s and nurses’s officesLocker rooms feature mirrors with bespoke backlighting housed within perforated metal sheet backing.
      “We lit up the small circular locker rooms into a play of light and shadow, again with a grid of vertical strips,” Formafatal said.
      The locker rooms employ the materials used throughout the rest of the space”We repeated all these principles and materials in other modified forms throughout the interior to achieve a harmonious whole,” it concluded.
      Formafatal is a Prague-based architecture studio founded in 2015 that works across the residential, leisure, hospitality and commercial sectors.
      Other projects by Formafatal include a villa in the Costa Rican jungle made up of monolithic concrete volumes.
      The photography is by BoysPlayNice.

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      No Architects references owner's artworks in Prague maisonette

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      No Architects repeated rounded beveled corners, royal blue and numeric details throughout an apartment in Prague, which was informed by two contemporary paintings.

      The apartment in the Czech capital’s Žižkov district, takes cues from the two modern artworks belonging to the owners – an unnamed piece by Vladimír Houdek and Cesta domů by Josef Bolf.
      Vladimír Houdek’s painting is mounted on the wall beside the kitchen.Houdek’s unnamed painting, featuring the number sixty-nine, is hung between the dining and kitchen areas.
      The rectangular piece is displayed in portrait orientation and divided into four sections with a pair of reflected sixes and nines in a greyscale, gradiented typeface.
      The bottom edge of the kitchen cabinets echo the painting’s frayed edgesThe frayed edges of the artwork are referenced on the bottom edge of the kitchen wall cabinets, a tactile detail that contrasts the sweeping curves of the base cabinet opposite.

      Rich royal blue, the central colour in the composition, is found in the kitchen, corridor, bathroom and master bedroom manifesting as large planes of lacquered MDF, tile and velvet upholstery.
      The number 69 becomes a pattern when minimised and embossed on the perforated screen in the living area, and in a larger format on cupboard doors in the second bedroom.
      The repeated 69 motif decorates a screen in the living areaA second painting, Cesta domů by Bolf, is hung in the living area on a grey-toned wall directly opposite the piece by Houdek.
      The contrastingly melancholy artwork, whose title translates to “way home” or “road to home”, shows a street scene with buildings, trees and figures obscured by a dark palette of greys and black.
      The living room separates the stairway and entrance hall from the balconyThe emotive painting is referenced by the teardrop-shaped pendant lamps above the kitchen island and dining table. They also recall a waterfall mural by artist Patrik Hábl on the side a neighbouring building, which is visible from the living room window.
      “It is a simple living space for a family who understands art and wants to appreciate and enjoy it” summarised No Architects.
      “[An] interior where contemporary art is not just replaceable decoration”.

      Bespoke built-in furniture is found in each room, backed by a neutral palette of wooden oak and whitewash finishes on floors, walls and ceilings.
      The apartment is situated in a 1990s attic extension of the original building, which dates from the first half of the 19th century.

      No Architects is a Prague-based architecture, design and planning studio founded in 2009, which previously designed a nursery in Prague that aims to ease separation anxiety in young children by incorporating plenty of internal windows, cubby holes and clear sightlines across the space.
      The photography is by Studio Flusser.

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