The skill and talent of our students is acknowledged even in New Zealand

Even though Johana Reinosová did not win, being among the finalists can be considered a great success. "It is proof that our students are not losing themselves in the world," said Vladimír Sitta, the head of the studio, about the award. According to the jury, her design is well thought out and easy to implement. Its appearance is reminiscent of a yurt. "We admit that [the comparison of this cabin to a yurt] is a superficial similarity evoked by the outside silhouette from some perspectives. One could say that it is an archetypal form of pavilion, which appears in various incarnations in different countries and continents," the jury's assessment read.

According to the author, three words characterize the meditation cabin: relaxation, connection and meditation. It is a place where it is possible to relax one's overloaded body, muscles and tired mind. A place to relax after a hard day, week, month. A place to let go of stress and all your worries. A place to meditate to help you calm down and focus on yourself. Not to think about anything. A place where man and nature are one. A connection, because it is not two worlds facing each other, but belonging together.

Johana Reinosová designed the meditation cabin as her studio project in the summer semester of 2021. The house allows visitors to be in touch with nature while sheltered from the weather. They can perceive with all their senses the materials used, based on the surrounding landscape. The building sensitively complements its surroundings and becomes an unintrusive observer.

The cabin is like an onion, it has several layers that can be gradually discovered and the space can be darkened, divided or, on the contrary, connected with the surroundings. The meditating person first encounters the first layer – the horizontally oriented blinds, which can let in light at will, or the blinds can be pulled up to get a view of the landscape. The second layer is the vertical blinds, which form a ring of central space. When they are open, the space interacts with its surroundings; when they are closed, privacy is created for meditation. The main material used is wood, the supporting structure and cladding are wooden. The floor consists of wooden slats, crushed stone and fine sand in the central space. The light reaches the centre of the cabin through a skylight.

More information about the competition can be found at this webiste.