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O S A

Prague  / 2023

We are building the reconstruction of the mansion, or rather its main idea, on two pillars:

 

The first pillar is a comprehensive architectural solution for the entire house, i.e. modification of the layout and functional arrangement of the building, as well as renewal of the building envelope. The object is designed as an apartment building, and this function is prescribed both in its shell and in the layout. But it is the seat of an institution, which is not evident from the overall look and feel. We focused on this aspect in the proposal.

  

The first motive of our concept is the reconstruction of the facade, the adjustment of the color of all elements, the structure of the plaster, the overhaul or the reconstruction of the windows... All this with the aim of adding elegance and delicacy to the house and drawing attention to the fact that OSA is located here.

The second motive is to connect the ground floor more with the street so that OSA acts as an open institution and welcomes its members, employees, but also the public. We achieved this by modifying the facade of the ground floor of the house, which has undergone many changes over the decades. We maximized the glazed areas and connected them on the facade in a linear glass belt, divided by individual frames of openings. This achieved the openness of the layout from street level.

An important element is the modification of the original passageway to a through "passage", which invites entry and forms the transverse orientation axis of the house. The arcade is the new main entrance to the building. The passage leads to the right and left parts of the house. Both parts are visually united by generous glazing and serve several functions at the same time. The OSA entrance foyer is located in the left part, i.e. the main representative entrance area for employees and members of the union. There is a reception, filing room, counters and a waiting room. The reception is then followed by a vertical communication through the entire house, consisting of a staircase and an elevator. There is also an office and social and technical facilities. In the current form of the design, taking into account the historical context of the building, the original auxiliary staircase between the three floors is also left. 

In the right part of the building there is a "public", multifunctional hall, where the function of a cafe, coworking, or cultural and social space is mixed. There is also a recording studio and social and technical facilities. Another connecting and orienting element is the materially highlighted longitudinal axis of the house, i.e. the internal chimney walls of the three-stroke. These are fitted with built-in furniture and united with wooden cladding. This solution is prescribed for all floors and thus conceptually connects the entire object.

 The third motive is a new solution for office space. In other words, finding a functional and layout solution for the operation of the institution in the form of adaptation of residential layouts to office layouts.

 Individual floors are connected by vertical communication. The staircase and elevator are generously connected to the individual office halls on each floor thanks to the glass portal. That is, a social space, an office "lounge". The interior of the hall is defined by the built-in furniture and its specific color grading for each floor. In this way, the longitudinal axis of the house is accentuated and the orientation of the individual floors is defined. In the hall there is a kitchen, relaxation and dining areas, as well as space for informal meetings of employees. The hall is connected to the social and technological facilities. Built-in furniture forms portals for entrances to individual offices.

 The way they are solved meets the requirements for a work environment divided into smaller, separate spaces for several people. Again, thanks to built-in furniture in the color of the floor, the longitudinal axis of the house is accentuated. The offices are also equipped with a typical workplace, an informal sitting area, supplemented with greenery and illuminated with appropriate lighting. The working environment is extremely comfortable and "homey".

 The fourth and last motif is the definition of the interior solution in terms of material details and color. We work with original elements, materials and details that we refurbish or restore. These are, for example, staircases, original filing cabinets, historical doors and windows. However, we are introducing new elements into the interior, such as glazed areas, reception desks, built-in furniture with color solutions, lighting, furniture and greenery. 

 

All these motifs are interconnected and will be part of a complex architectural work, influenced by many contexts. With our solution, we continue the historical development and create another structural transformation of this house. The output of our work will be a clear and project-defined idea of what the new form of the OSA headquarters should look like. The result will be a new house with a century of history...

  

The second pillar is technology, i.e. the new technical equipment of the house

 

Administrative spaces require new technologies in terms of hygienic air exchange, i.e. ventilation, provision of standard combined lighting (day and artificial), heating and cooling, ZTI (water distribution and sewage). Furthermore, the current requirements of PBŘS (fire safety solutions for buildings):

The building is calculated for new heat losses after new thermal insulations installed on the courtyard facade and in the roof and with new insulating windows.

 For this, heat and cold source technologies will be designed, which will correspond to current energy saving trends. And this by using the least emitting types, suitable for densely populated urban areas, i.e. e.g. heat pumps that heat in winter and cool during summer. For this solution, heat exchanger surfaces and equipment in the interior of the building will be adequately selected so that cooling can take place during the summer and heating in the winter from the same end element. Which, for example, excludes ordinary radiators. These will be so-called convectors or induction units, including a measurement and regulation system.

 For heat pumps (TČ) and dry coolers, it is necessary to find a place in the exterior, which is located in the yard of the house. The devices can also be in the air on consoles with acoustic blocks for anchoring to prevent the transmission of vibrations from the operation. The advantage of a hot water heater with cooling convectors has a big advantage over air conditioning, that it does not immediately cool the space significantly and sharply like air conditioning, but there is a gradual onset of cooling and thus prevents health complications for users of such spaces.

 Furthermore, the installation of photovoltaic panels on the roof to support the TC technology will be discussed with the preservationists.

For standard air exchange, equal pressure ventilation with heat recovery will have to be designed, especially for spaces with a greater concentration of people in smaller spaces, such as meeting rooms. VZT will also comply with the exchange of air with the windows closed to the noisy street, which will be negotiated with the Hygienic Station hl. city of Prague. When using equal pressure ventilation in the building, heating and cooling will also be saved, thanks to recuperation.

The installation cores, their positions and water, sewerage and electricity distributions will be addressed following the change in dispositions. The cores will be located near the two skylights on the sides of the building. The distribution of HVAC, heating and cooling will be led under the ceilings in the office halls, hidden in the built-in furniture. We also expect to use rainwater, i.e. gray water for flushing, etc. For this solution, an accumulation tank will be designed, located below ground level in the yard.

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