Oblouková 171 | ORA

Oblouková 171 was no ordinary project. It is a commitment, a family chronicle embedded in the house.
It is is a mixed-use townhouse in the historic centre of Žatec, combining guest accommodation, a holiday home for the owners with and a taproom.

History
Great-great-grandparents moved to Žatec in the 1920s. From then on, successive generations lived in the house until the Velvet revolution, when it gradually fell into disuse. Later, unqualified attempts at renovation ended in failure and did more harm than good to the house. 

The house came to us as a surprise gift/inheritance. It was in a state of ruin: the roof was leaky, some ceilings were caving in, and entire sections of the roof truss were missing. Dry rot had spread aggressively. 

Renovation
We fell in love with the house right away. Here was the attic where Grandpa used to hide his moonshine behind a beam—that’s where the most distant stories from his memory came from. We had no money and no clear idea of what to do next. But who else but architects would know how to handle an old ramshackle house? Ergo architects, who already had a few notches on their belt in historic restoration.

The renovation process took a long 8 years. The endless renovation was marked by a lack of funds, the poor state of traditional craftsmanship, and COVID-19, when the whole world came to a standstill along with the construction. 

In the meantime, we welcomed two children into our lives. They grew up alongside the slow-moving construction. At first, they hated the ruin—it was dark, cold, and dirty. But once the heating was turned on and the spaces gradually began to take shape, they started to make the house their own.

The main starting point was figuring out how to carry out the renovation economically while maintaining a deep respect for the building’s historical value. During the renovation, we made a number of wrong decisions. We earned our diploma on this building. To explain to the workers how to apply lime plaster by hand, we had to try it ourselves; to be confident in our decisions, we needed real-world experience with the materials and their application. A number of companies and craftsmen worked on the site. Some failed to meet our standards, while others learned that the plaster doesn’t have to be perfectly smooth, that the walls aren’t and won’t be perfectly vertical, and that traditional processes and recycled materials simply defy perfection—which certainly doesn’t mean the work can be sloppy. We found common ground. We consulted with the heritage preservation experts throughout the renovation process; I dare say the discussion was mutually enriching and constructive. 

The purpose of the renovation has been successfully fulfilled. 

Interventions
First, the house needed to be stabilized. The entire structure was braced with steel tie rods; the collapsed vault was rebuilt by an experienced master mason; and the collapsed ceiling—where water had been pouring in heavily, and where the local fruiting body of Serpula lacrymans was large enough to cook a whole mushroom skillet—was replaced with a concrete slab. 

The most demanding element was the roof structure—a three-tiered hop-drying attic typical for Žatec. It was likely used for drying hops; markings on the beams suggest workers once counted sacks there.

Local companies were afraid to take on the task. At that point, we were already giving up all hope and considering getting rid of this millstone around our neck in the form of an old ruin. But who else but architects should know how to deal with an old shack, right? How else could we convince our clients not to give up, that old buildings are worth restoring with care? So we reached out to true masters of their craft, who restored the structural integrity of the roof truss and revived its grandeur. What a relief it was not to have to convince anyone of the right approach—because this time, we were the ones who had lost faith. 

The rest of the process proceeded slowly, but without any major setbacks. 

Reuse
We collect old floor tiles, old doors, beams, and bricks. We don’t collect them just out of noble motives or because they are beautiful, handcrafted items. Often, we collect them simply because someone else wants to throw them away. Here, we finally had the opportunity to put them to use and lighten the barn. 

That’s why the old, rotten ceiling was replaced with other old, hand-hewn beams from a demolished house in Vrbovec. You wouldn’t stand a chance of knowing that a new structure arches over your head. We personally hauled the red marble stone tiles out of a demolition container and transported them in small batches 400 km by car. We traded the tiles for a crate of Pilsner lagers. In the passageway, there are cleaned tiles from a South Bohemian farmstead, which are almost identical to the tiles that were originally there. See if you can tell which is which. The entire courtyard is paved with timeless Šatov tiles, which must have been stored in a barn for a hundred years before finally being used. 

Reusing materials, besides being ethical, also resulted in significant savings. These are unwanted waste materials, clearly showing signs of wear and tear. Because of this, it’s hard to tell what was in the house originally and what’s new here. The house is a collage, but one that isn’t built on contrast. 

The New
Under the centuries-old floor tiles lies underfloor heating, and behind the uneven plasterwork are all the modern utilities. 

New uses and current standards called for new fire-rated doors. We sought a design and craftsmanship that would match the quality of the original work, yet this is a contemporary interpretation of paneled doors. They are made of solid ash and are completely custom-made. 

The windows feature classic profiles and divisions. Where openings were altered, the windows have been reinterpreted, with their profiles designed by the architect. They are not meant to stand out in contrast but to blend into the whole. 

The street-facing facade presented the greatest dilemma. In the 1990s, it was stripped of all detailing. As a result, the facade appeared disfigured and architecturally incomplete. We couldn’t figure out why. Understanding it was made difficult by the fact that we couldn’t find its original form. The street is called Oblouková (Arched Street); it curves around the historic center, and the house is on the inner side of the curve. Although there are photos of the street itself, our house is never in the frame. We managed to find a fragment of the facade in one of the photographs, where it is evident that there were prominent suprafenestras above the windows on the upper floor and the house had a distinctive cornice. Stucco decoration is particularly important because it evens out irregularities; it is a compositional tool that allows us to create pleasing proportions and relationships between individual elements. Although we eventually uncovered the original design, we did not simply want to restore it. We reintroduced the individual elements but treated them in a new, more simplified way. We want to demonstrate that, in principle, it is not the specific minor details that matter, but the overall geometry. The façade began to make sense again, yet this is not a mere quotation. The original motifs are developed in a new formal language. 

What Remained
We’ve preserved as much as possible. Sometimes it’s better not to mess with what works. The upstairs floors have become a major focal point. Solid planks, some of which are still fastened with wrought-iron nails. Over the centuries, they’ve been worn down so much that the knots, polished to a shine by shoes, protrude even a few centimeters above the surrounding surface. In addition to being uneven, the floors are therefore also dramatically bumpy. The greatest experience is walking across them barefoot and letting the ancient material work its magic on your feet. We sanded the floors ourselves by hand, but we also wanted to apply a layer that could be worn down. For each floor, we designed and painted a new “carpet” using linseed oil paints—an admittedly new intervention that will gradually fade away. 

Concept
We usually start with the concept. Why are we presenting it at the end? Because we didn’t have a clear vision at the beginning. We reevaluated everything several times; the most obvious example is the street-facing facade. As the renovation progressed, our perspective evolved and the project was constantly refined. If we had to give the overall concept a name, it would be “fusion.” Or a blurring. With a few exceptions, it’s not immediately apparent where we, as the designers, came in. The atmosphere of the house is meant to be calming. Like when you arrive at your grandmother’s for a Sunday visit. The new and the old blend here, as if surfaces and fragments had been layering for ages. Perhaps that would be the case if history hadn’t been interrupted. 

Life
Coming up with a sustainable program for the house was just as much of a challenge as the renovation itself. We want the house to come alive, to be open to the public, and to make its mark on the map of Žatec, which has since been inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List. Forgive the cliché, but what could be better here than a craft beer bar, when the town’s entire reputation is built on hops?

That’s why we approached the master brewer of the FALKON Flying Brewery and got him excited about the new bar. The bar and its interior are an integral part of the house. The taproom goes hand in hand with the renovation concept. The quality of the craft beer and the way it’s served match the atmosphere the house exudes.

The house also offers accommodation for travellers and visitors in several apartments, while we use it ourselves as a holiday home.

After all, what more does a person need than beer and a blanket? 

Conclusion
The house has become our testing ground. When we say that even a historic building can be restored to a high standard without incurring unreasonably high costs, we are now certain that it is possible. However, it is necessary to attune oneself to the atmosphere of the house; one must understand it, accept it, and be willing to compromise on certain demands. At the same time, a restored house does not have to look brand new. A certain degree of wear and tear is, on the contrary, a quality that has been developed over centuries. 

But above all, it takes time. Over time, the house will cease to be an unpleasant obsession. Eventually, it will begin to return that attention. 

Studio
ORA

Author
Jan Hora, Barbora Hora

Co-author
Jan Veisser, Maroš Drobňák

Project year
2018

Completion year
2026

Built-up area
200 m²

Gross floor area
500 m²

Usable floor area
300 m²

Plot size
282 m²

Cost
400 000 €

Client
Jan Hora, Barbora Hora

Photographer
BoysPlayNice, www.boysplaynice.com, info@boysplaynice.com

Collaborators and suppliers
Beer: Falkon, www.pivofalkon.cz
Graphic design: Michal Smejkal [Symbiont], www.symbiont.cz
Roof reconstruction: SlamastaV, www.slamastav.cz
Construction contractor: PP stavby, www.pp-stavby.cz
Joinery: Truhlářství Netolický, www.truhnet.cz, Truhlářství Brtník, www.brtnik-truhlarstvi.cz