1999 Štefánikova 32

Our first encounter with developer-architecture took place on a long narrow site left by the demolition of several old apartment blocks. The building faces the street like a classic urban object with a set-back terrace on the top floor. However, the front facade matches the street profile from the 19th century, while the retreating floor matches the street profile formed by the adjoining block from the 1930s. We solved the difference between them by bending the new facade, thus also creating a narrow southern facade and archway with a single column in the parterre. The layout of our house is simple: traditional office space with a central wing, and a penthouse apartment with terrace on the top floor. Inside the building, we added a low structure with rounded corners. The staircase in the entrance hall is lighted from above, giving the space a residential quality. Another pleasant feature is the hand-operated blinds on the south facade: although they are outside in front of solid glass, they are mechanically adjusted from inside with little effort. There are also many other unusual touches, such as the light fixtures or the postboxes of bamboo, which were designed by Martin Pässler.