Mjolk architects have designed a modern house which combines the historical soul of its predecessor with nordic aesthetics and a touch of industrial style.

“It all started with our clients’ purchase of a house over a hundred years old.” say the architects.

“The traditional building with a gable roof was at its end. Its stone basement was still in a good condition so we decided to take down the rest of the house and use the stone socle in the basement as a foundation for the new house.”

The lot borders a busy road which serves as a starting point for tourists heading to the Jizera Mountains, a northern mountain range in the Czech Republic.

“Because of this we designed a new concrete wall in place of the former exterior wall of the old house. This will not only decrease the amount of noise from the nearby road but also define the outside entrance area to the house. Behind the wall is a small yard with a view of Jested (a nearby mountain peak) which serves as a guidepost between the entrance, the guest house and the stairs to the yard below.”
“The construction of the new part is wooden. The asphalt roof together with the black, tar-painted facade reminds us of the shed that used to stand here.”

Behind the concrete wall on the old stone foundation are actually two houses; a family house and a small guest house for the clients’ son. “The parents’ house is more complicated as its building design had to...