Houses in the Fog

The design is based on the idea of stones or rocks emerging from the fog. Here, the houses represent the stones, while a planned raised connective structure was to represent the fog. Though the construction of the fog element was ultimately called off, the houses built in Rtyně show how the full project could be implemented in a similar area in the future.

Along with the requirements of investors, the environment of Rtyně, including the surrounding buildings and the location, influenced the design of the houses. The parcel of land is bordered on one side by a first-class road and the Rtyňka stream on the other, as a result of which a significant part of the land is in the flood plain. It was thus necessary to build the houses quite close to the road, thus exposing them to potential noise. This is why there are higher concrete block walls on this side; the material has good acoustic properties and is also strong on both sides.

Due to their side and rustic block walls, the emerging houses are reminiscent of the hunter's dwelling in Maxipes Fík, a classic animated Czechoslovak tv series for children. “Maxipes Fík became our inspiration because of how accurately artist Jiří Šalamoun abstracted the countryside in it,” explains Pavel Nalezený, one of the architects. “He didn't draw anything complicated but focused on basic, ordinary shapes. We wanted to do the same.”