A Plugged-In Home Rises in Prague

Jestico + Whiles, an architecture and interior-design firm with offices in London and Prague, designed this five-bedroom, 6,030-square-foot family villa in a village outside the Czech capital, making use of some of the latest advances in smart-home technology.

The thrust of the design was to marry a relatively simple architectural aesthetic with a landscaped garden. A south-facing glass facade draws sunlight into the living area while offering generous views of the deck and the lush lawn beyond. A second-floor balcony shades the windows and keeps the interior from overheating in the summer.

Upstairs, a large skylight divides the floor into master's and children’s wings. The skylight also draws sunlight deep into the core of the ground floor. A signature feature is the natural oak stair, whose treads appear to be suspended between the wall and a transparent railing.

From the outset, the firm worked with the clients to outfit the house with some of the latest smart-tech features. For example, the residents can control the lighting, security system, and audio/visual elements from anywhere with a few swipes of a smartphone or tablet. The climate-control system uses real-time data from a built-in weather station to minimize energy use. The European Union conferred an A-class energy rating on the project, according to the architects.