Location and neighbourhood
Each Prague district has its own atmosphere, its own style. There are somewhat different streets, buildings, different parks. Prague 6 consists of several quarters. The Hanspaulka residential complex is situated within the territory of Dejvice, in the location bordered by the Na Míčánce, Na Klimentce, Na Kotlářce and Šárecká streets. The original name of Dejvice is Dehnice and the first reference to the quarter dates back to 1088, when it was mentioned as a property of the St. Vitus’ Provostry. In the Medieval Age, vineyards were situated on the slopes of the quarter and after the cultivation of vine stopped in Prague, they were replaced with yards and gardens. An original map from 1890 shows a completely empty area with only a few open-pit mines, brickworks, military bakeries and training fields. Shortly after the formation of Greater Prague, it was decided that Dejvice would become a new Prague center featuring residential development. The new quarter was built according to plans drafted by Professor Antonín Engel. Since 1924, this municipal district was fully in the hands of the Regulatory Office of the Capital City of Prague, which drafted the regulation plans for the whole area, affecting the locations of Fišerka, Kotlářka, Hanspaulka, Baba, Šťáhlavka and Paťanka as well. The concept of step-by-step development was subject to a composition policy respecting in particular the rich relief structure of the terrain. Compact development featuring apartment blocks in the center was combined with open-ended garden suburbs within the territory delimited by these streets. In addition, individual development consisted of detached family houses or villas, situated in separate gardens, double or triple houses and row development featuring economical houses.
The project of attractive villas and family houses, meeting all demands on specific, contemporary housing, is situated in one of the most requested residential quarters of Prague named Hanspaulka. In 1773, Hans Paul Hippman had a baroque manor built at the place of the old vineyard farmhouse, which later gave a name to the whole district. The zoning plan of Prague and a vertical survey, together with the utilization of a fairly rugged topography, predetermined the future development of this location. The area is open to west winds and, therefore, it is the cleanest and most suitable place for living.
The proximity of the Baba settlement, the purest comprehensive implementation of functionalistic housing in Europe, is an incentive for the overall urban development and architectural concept. The basic expressive components include the composed intersection of cubistic spaces and colorful surfaces, thus completing the expression of the residential complex. The architectural expression of the buildings is inspired by the morphology and colors of the Czech Modern Style of the third decade of the last century and by the Dutch de-stijl movement. The mass balance and urban development concept is based on the current structure of Hanspaulka.
There are 29 buildings designed within an area of 3 hectares, of which 13 are detached villas and 16 double houses. The area is bordered by the Na Míčánce, Na Klimentce, Na Kotlářce and Šárecká streets. There are two new roads routed into the relevant location from the Na Klimentce street, allowing access to the houses located on plots with an area ranging from 289 m2 to 855 m2. An incentive for the preservation of a unique nature of the complex was the installation of gabion walls as street fencing for the houses, unified street lighting and the planting of full-grown trees into the pavements. The complex fully utilizes the rugged topography of the sloping ground with a view of the Prague Castle.
All the villas and family houses express a unique individuality, while preserving the refinement of the environment corresponding to the nature of this district.
The project had, has and will have its fans as well as critics. Many compromises were necessary to make; however, we believe that this development will become a part of the city enclave and will join the considerable number of projects implemented by our company in Prague to become an outstanding building project.