The village of Statenice, west of Prague has developed incrementally along both sides of a small valley with the flat area in between, too prone to flooding to support development. This led to a straggling development without a central focus.
To enable development to be possible, the land levels were raised and a retention lake and new drainage channels added. A new civic square, with amenities and apartments is then created with town houses fanning out towards the lake.
The public square has become a place for interaction and the new ‘heart’ of the village with shops, café, kindergarten, benches and a clock tower. A restaurant hovers above the lake with an external deck projecting into the water. The designs incorporate traditional materials used elsewhere in the village – stone, timber, render and these are combined in a contemporary manner. The project won 2nd prize in the Residential sector of the 2007 Czech Real estate awards.
