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Sumit Singhal
Sumit Singhal loves modern architecture. He comes from a family of builders who have built more than 20 projects in the last ten years near Delhi in India. He has recently started writing about the architectural projects that catch his imagination. Modular Cafeteria in Vizovice, Czech Republic by Chybik+Kristof Associated ArchitectsJuly 1st, 2015 by Sumit Singhal
Article source: Chybik+Kristof Associated Architects Few young architects under the age of 30 can boast of two completed commissions in their portfolios like Ondrej Chybik and Michal Kristof, the founders of Chybik+Kristof Associated Architects. Their first commission – a modular cafeteria for KOMA MODULAR in Vizovice – was completed in May 2014; the second – the Czech pavilion at EXPO 2015 in Milan – was inaugurated exactly a year later. Both designs draw on the simplicity of modernist architecture, creating dynamic spaces of high aesthetic value. Their buildings are innovative in terms of the introduction of new materials and their combinations into modular construction. While the Czech EXPO pavilion expectedly attracts media attention, it is rarely mentioned that it could never have been so successfully achieved without Chybik+Kristof AA’s previous experience with modular systems at Vizovice.  Image Courtesy © Simon Oberhofer
 Image Courtesy © Chybik+Kristof Associated Architects Following in the footsteps of the Czech shoe manufacturing tycoon Tomas Bata, KOMA MODULAR – the leading Czech company in the field of modular construction – are gradually remodeling their premises in Vizovice with respect to the needs of their employees. They identified two main requirements for the new cafeteria: firstly, to offer the employees a space for relaxation that would serve everyone equally, regardless of their position in the firm’s hierarchy, and secondly, to raise the culture of dining within the company.  Image Courtesy © Chybik+Kristof Associated Architects In addition, the architects were to take full advantage of the KOMA-manufactured modules, so that the cafeteria could be used as a sort of showroom of KOMA’s modular systems. Ondrej Chybik comments: “We perceive modular constructions as a promising branch of architecture thanks to its many benefits – time and cost-effectiveness, mobility and environmental-friendliness – so we felt excited about demonstrating the pioneering advantages of modular systems.”  Image Courtesy © Chybik+Kristof Associated Architects Chybik+Kristof AA responded to KOMA’s brief with a progressive two-story structure based on a bold contrast between the first and second floors. “From the beginning we wanted to provide more than a mere composition of prefab steel modules and glass walls. We sought to design real architecture out of the available components”, says Michal Kristof.  Image Courtesy © Chybik+Kristof Associated Architects The larger first floor, which houses employees’ changing rooms and washrooms, is clearly modular and allows the potential of KOMA’s prefabricated modules to come to the fore. The architects here even paid tribute to the material of the modules’ frames when they unconventionally used galvanized sheet metal facing for some of the inner walls.  Image Courtesy © Chybik+Kristof Associated Architects The actual cafeteria is located on the second floor, and in comparison to the first floor, evokes a feeling of lightness and spaciousness thanks to its glass walls on three sides. Despite its proximity to the KOMA factory, the cafeteria offers invigorating prospects of the surrounding landscape. Chybik+Kristof AA left its inner disposition as open and permeable as possible and made use of the extra roof-space of the first-floor modules by turning them into terraces.  Image Courtesy © Chybik+Kristof Associated Architects The new cafeteria has quickly become popular among KOMA’s employees and nearly all of them are now having their meals there. The architects are proud of this positive impact but do not take all the credit, adding that “the kitchen is pretty good there, too, not only the architecture”.  Image Courtesy © Chybik+Kristof Associated Architects NOTES TO EDITORS Chybik+Kristof Associated Architects were founded in Brno in 2010 by two graduates of the Brno University of Technology, Ondrej Chybik and Michal Kristof. In the course of their studies, they achieved numerous first prizes in student architecture competitions, one of which was commissioned by KOMA MODULAR. This very company then entrusted them with the design of their new cafeteria in Vizovice. Its successful implementation led to further collaboration between Chybik+Kristof AA and KOMA MODULAR on a design for the modular Czech pavilion at EXPO 2015 in Milan. Winning this prestigious commission alongside the architecture competition for urban revitalization of the Waltrovka district in Prague has brought Chybik+Kristof AA one step closer to their dream: transforming their studio into an international architecture firm. Just this year they opened two new offices in Prague and Milan. Ondrej Chybik studied architecture in Brno (CZ), Graz (AT) and at the ETH Zürich (CH), and was the winner of the Brno University of Technology Rector Award and the Bohuslav Fuchs Award for the best project of the Faculty of Architecture BUT. After his graduation he worked for the Viennese architecture studio PPAG. He has collaborated on architecture projects in the USA, Vietnam, Japan, Dubai, Finland, Germany, Norway, Slovakia and the Czech Republic. Michal Kristof studied architecture in Brno (CZ) and Brussels (BE) and was the recipient of the Brno University of Technology Rector Award and the South Moravian Region Award for his master plan of the Brno South-Center. After his graduation he worked at Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG) in Copenhagen (DK). He has collaborated on projects in the Czech Republic, Belgium, China, Denmark, Finland, France, Malaysia, Norway, Russia, Slovakia and Sweden.  Image Courtesy © Chybik+Kristof Associated Architects  Image Courtesy © Chybik+Kristof Associated Architects  Image Courtesy © Simon Oberhofer  Image Courtesy © Simon Oberhofer  Image Courtesy © Simon Oberhofer  Image Courtesy © Simon Oberhofer  Image Courtesy © Simon Oberhofer  Image Courtesy © Simon Oberhofer  Image Courtesy © Simon Oberhofer  Image Courtesy © Chybik+Kristof Associated Architects  Image Courtesy © Chybik+Kristof Associated Architects  Image Courtesy © Chybik+Kristof Associated Architects
Tags: Czech Republic, Vizovice Category: Cafeteria |
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