Holiday Cabins

Byro used the foundation from the hut that stood before to build the new pavilion. Floor-to-ceiling shelves provide a place to store books.

The front door in a natural wood contrasts the black façade and the surrounding greenery.

Byro Architects used yakisugi cladding for the facade to make the structure match other huts in the area, which have black or brown exteriors.

The operable porthole-style window is an additional source of light and ventilation.

Among Adam and Tereza asked for a loft they could sleep in. The original hut had one, but it was small and unusable.

Hinged coverings fold back to reveal a polycarbonate screen.

The garden pavilion’s charred-wood exterior matches traditional huts in the area.

The Czech Republic has a tradition of gardening huts, where people have small plots they can visit to escape the city. In Prague, biology professors Adam Petrusek and Tereza Petruskova commissioned local firm Byro Architects to replace their hut, building a circa 200-square-foot pavilion that joins a shed where the couple stores their tools.

Upstairs, the space is made cozy and comfortable using dark tones and cedar panels on the wall and ceiling. “Initially, we looked at adding a floor to our house. We didn’t start out by saying, ‘Let’s build a tower in our yard.’ But it’s perfect,” says Jess.