The conifers that surround a cottage in Prague shaped its skin. The architecture studio Archicraft turned the tree forms into a pattern built from pinecone aluminum shingles, and the result breaks from the usual cottage look.
The house keeps a traditional pitched roof. Its dark metal shingles carry a subtle geometric pattern that echoes the overlapping scales of a pinecone. Inside, warm wood finishes and compact planning make the most of a small footprint.
A facade of pinecone aluminum shingles
The architects were struck by the tall conifers on the property. They wanted the building to reflect that presence. The shingles cover the roof and upper walls, so the aluminum exterior reads as one continuous finish.
Forest settings shape buildings here too. Contemporary Warsaw retreat set in a pine grove shows another approach to building among evergreens.
These shingles also made practical sense. The owners wanted a comfortable place away from the city. The metal’s durability and low maintenance requirements matched that goal.
Local building regulations limited the cottage’s maximum size and height. The pitched roof, clad in pinecone aluminum shingles, was chosen with the neighboring buildings in mind.
Glass doors connect the living room to the garden
The dark upper section sits above a ground floor clad in wood. Large sliding glass doors open the living area onto a covered terrace. The living space effectively extends outdoors.
Light played a central role in the design. One of the owners paints while staying at the cottage. The large windows bring in daylight and views of the trees without taking up interior floor area.
A kitchen that merges with the living room
Space was tight, so Archicraft made the kitchen part of the living area. Green cabinets provide storage. A built-in bookcase rises toward the ceiling, giving the room a residential feel rather than a conventional kitchen look.
The dining table fits into the cabinetry layout. Cooking, dining, and relaxing share one room. Oak detailing ties the interior together.
The profiled wood cabinet fronts match the treatment on the fireplace wall. There, a built-in bookcase combines storage with the heating feature.
Exposed spruce and a timber structure
The cottage uses cross-laminated timber, or CLT, which is a solid panel built from layers of wood. Specialist company 3AE designed and built the structural system using Czech wood.
CLT panels carry heavy loads while staying relatively thin. That matters when every centimeter of interior space counts.
Archicraft left the spruce panels exposed along the staircase and in the upstairs bedrooms. Skipping extra wall coverings in those areas saved finishing costs. The wood itself became part of the interior design.
Upstairs, the sloping roof shapes the bedrooms. Built-in storage and a desk make use of the available space. Tall windows keep the surrounding trees in view, carrying the connection to nature from the ground floor upward.
A small house built on experience
The owners already knew how to live in a small space. They had spent time in a much smaller original cottage nearby. That experience gave them confidence to commission another compact home.
For another take on compact living, eVista XL tiny home with ground-level bedroom fits sleeping space and smart storage into a small footprint.
Archicraft says on its website that it has been creating architecture for more than 14 years. The studio states that architecture should serve people, and this project applies that principle to cottage architecture at a modest scale.
Photography by Petr Polak. Design by Archicraft, with team members Lenka Bartonova and Miroslav Kratky. Project documentation and turnkey construction by 3AE.
The cottage shows how a surrounding forest can shape a building’s exterior, its window layout, and its structure at the same time.
Source: contemporist.com
Frequently asked questions
Why did Archicraft use pinecone-style aluminum shingles on this Prague cottage?
The architects were struck by the tall conifers on the property and wanted the building to reflect that presence, so they turned the tree forms into a pinecone-inspired shingle pattern. The metal was also chosen for its durability and low maintenance, which suited the owners’ goal of a comfortable retreat away from the city.
What is the structure of the Prague cottage made from?
The cottage uses cross-laminated timber (CLT), a solid panel built from layers of wood. Specialist company 3AE designed and built the structural system using Czech wood, and the panels carry heavy loads while staying relatively thin.
Why is the kitchen combined with the living room in this cottage?
Space was tight, so Archicraft made the kitchen part of the living area, letting cooking, dining, and relaxing share one room. Green cabinets and a built-in bookcase rising toward the ceiling give the space a residential feel rather than a conventional kitchen look.
Why were the spruce panels left exposed inside the cottage?
Archicraft left the spruce panels exposed along the staircase and in the upstairs bedrooms. Skipping extra wall coverings in those areas saved finishing costs, and the wood itself became part of the interior design.
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