House by the Pond Is an Escape to Nature in South Bohemia, Czech Republic

A compact retreat in an area with countless ponds in South Bohemia, Czech Republic, offers a place to recharge and escape in nature when needing a break from city life. House by the pond was designed by boq architekti as a minimalist, mini house that keeps the focus on surrounding nature with a full side of the house being windows for endless views.

A cube branches out from the side of the main volume which is built with a gable roof that allows a small, open bedroom on the mezzanine overlooking the open living space.

The exterior stands out with the use of white plaster and contrasting anthracite galvanized sheet metal for the roof.

Inside, the main living area features a double-height ceiling that helps to capture the water views. A living room, dining space and kitchen make up most of the ground floor with the bathroom and sauna located in the cube. Upstairs there’s space for a bed and desk facing the wall of windows with a compact steel staircase with wood treads leading to it.

Photos by Tomas Dittrich, courtesy of BowerBird.