An unusual reconstruction of a classical tenement house in the historical centre of Prague, designed for its original purpose.

The restoration of the house in Havelská Street took the authors from Qarta Architektura studio nine years. The story of this remarkable building dates back to the Romanesque period, so its continuation required a highly sensitive approach supported by a comprehensive study of the context. The house is located in the Prague Monument Reserve and is part of the UNESCO heritage, it is also under monument protection, i.e. under the regime of an immovable cultural monument.

In the second half of the twentieth century, the house fell into disrepair and its preservation was only made possible by the owner, who is still working abroad. The task was to restore and restore the function of the tenement house, which is truly unique in a depopulating neighbourhood affected by the 'tourist industry' and short-term accommodation. The descendants of the original owners also wanted a dignified and high-quality restoration of the family silver.

The existing layer
A detailed study determined what was "untouchable" and therefore needed to be restored in an intact manner. This included the facades, the infill of the openings, the joinery and the locksmiths. The house also had original plasterwork, ceramic floors and solid wooden floors (the so-called Viennese crosses). There were also historic ceiling beams, ceiling and truss structures, stone parts such as staircases, lining or paving.

The new layer
The residential function is important for the central part of Prague, it is the only way for natural social relations to emerge; the preservation of services on the ground floor is also linked to the regeneration process. The individual floors will therefore continue to be used for housing after minor modifications, with the ground floor providing space for a restaurant or pub. The house was originally conceived as a pass-through building, and this will continue to be the case. One of the main pillars of the renovation was therefore the transformation of the roofing of the courtyards.

We have integrated the technologies into the building so that they are not obvious. They are integrated into parts that did not require invasive interventions and in parts above the top floor they were incorporated into the new structures. In the roofscape section they do not disturb the poetics of "beautiful old Prague". In the course of the reconstruction of this historic house, we found that the process of restoring monuments requires open and constructive discussion, in a society-wide context. From this broader perspective, it is clear that new layers are permissible and often necessary for immovable cultural monuments. Just as it is unquestionable that the process of reconstruction must be conducted with respect and according to rules.

Materials 
Steel trusses - restored roofing of the skylight in the courtyard 

lime stucco - exterior of the whole building 

steel portals - elevator entrances 

steel screens - stair hall 

scratch plaster - throughout the building 

glass lintels and partitions - reinforced concrete in historic flats - extension of existing staircase 

steel railings - on the new staircase 

wooden beams - original, in the restored parts of the truss