Maxim Velčovský: Shirts and Tablecloths

(jiří macek) The Městské zásahy exhibition at the Dox gallery in Prague includes several interesting projects that solve the neglected situations of many public spaces in Prague. One of them is the new visual concept of prefabs designed by Maxim Velčovský, who decided to dress this type of residential house in a project entitled Fasádor.

Instead of color façades in every possible shade of pink, which Velčovský aptly calls an explosion of joviality, he chose a very fashionable checkered pattern, playing with it in a way Vivien Westwood would be proud of. “Lobbying from construction companies currently results in a non-conceptual approach to prefab façades and violation of architectural fundamentals. There is no arbiter to supervise the specific solutions for a given location and make use of “prefab” aesthetics and principles,” explains Velčovský.

“Thus, kitsch and nonsensically colorful compositions that do not respect the context of a specific location replace the original grey zones. The Fasádor project deals with the design of prefab façades by means of the anatomy of construction, applying the aesthetics of the building’s internal features and structures. In this case, it resembles the shirt and tablecloth patterns of the residents. Grids and textures are printed onto the façade. Thus, the inside of the house is reflected upon the outside. Function and form blend into a harmonious authentic whole. The house becomes a billboard that reflects its inhabitants,” says Maxim Velčovský from the Qubus design studio and adds, “And everybody is warm!” Prefab façades are frequently reconstructed because of insufficient warmth.

If you are interested in this technical solution, the designer has made it easy to examine: The photos of the textiles are printed on a sandwich of alucobond and polystyrene on a slab attached to the façade.

For more info on the Městské zásahy exhibition, with Adam Gebrian as the curator, see www.mestskezasahy.cz

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