Eva Jiricna Architects

The hotel is situated in the middle of theOld Town in Prague, a short distance from the Old Town square. A small urban space formed by a "T" junction of three streets is dominated by a nineteenth century building with a typical pitched roof, forming a ridge defining the busy skyline with its ornate monumental language. After careful studies of the urban conditions, planning consent was granted for an eight storey building which continues the frontage of the adjacent buildings and forms a gentle transition to the shapes of the roofs on either side.

A particular requirement for the hotel was to form large windows so as to make relatively small rooms seem more spacious and bright. We aspired to take advantage of the rather special contemporary view, and achieve a different character to the surrounding buildings with proportionally smaller openings. The external façade is very simple and repetitive in terms of the rhythm of the windows and solid wall. In order to achieve a more sympathetic transition between the new and old, the modern and traditional, lightweight perforated sunshades were introduced which, apart from providing a three dimensional character to what would otherwise be a simple pattern alternating between solid and glazed, also protects the interiors from the summer sun
and heat.

Completed 2002
AIA Excellence in Design Award 2003

www.hoteljosef.com


Photography:
Ivan Nemec