Partero is a creative band of international landscape architects and architects. Located in the alternative city of Brno, the atelier was established in 2006 by Mirka Svorova and Jakub Finger, with their freshly graduated mindset aiming to raise the standards of designed landscapes in CZ. Now ran by Jakub, Partero works on various projects from public to private spaces of different scales. Although small studio, it delivers big, pushing the level of quality and creativity with every new project.
Distilling the Complicated – our work strategy
Daily tasks of landscape architects are never easy. The challenges of creating functional spaces and aesthetically inspiring designs create a synergy of relationships both within the studio and with the clients themselves. We like to think of ourselves more than just dreamers, but as problem solvers. We constantly try to elevate our expertise in adaptation to emerging challenges, ranging from on-the-site construction issues to satisfying the visions of stakeholders. We manage projects from design to implementation, showcasing our ability to both visualize and construct.
Our biggest asset is our diversity. We are 50:50 women/men and 50:50 architects/landscape architects. We recognize the richness and excitement of collaborative work in every stage of a project. Our approach to every site is comprehensive, meticulous and open minded. Whether it’s a lighting element, customized paving or a covering for utility plugs, we’re constantly questioning the possibility of adding another layer of practicality and aesthetics into these secondary details.
We believe in delivering both a quality space and climate-resilient environment, by using sustainable materials and strategies. We believe it is and have always been the only way to work as honest architects. That is also why our gardens have received recognition on different architectural platforms, most importantly the Garden of the Year awards.
Working Inside Out – our internal work life
We understand the importance of creating a strong sense of community within the atelier. We work as a team that recognizes each other’s unique strengths and different talents, ranging from strategic/conceptual thinking to architectural detailing and planting schemes. Life in the studio is never static, debates are often heated and emotional. Everyday temper is calmed with the sensational every-day cooking that bonds us through appreciation of tastes and shared time together.
Working With What We Got – the strength of our context
We are constantly reflecting and learning from our experiences and projects. Over the years, we’ve honed our skills and built our work on the foundations of creating quality space with challenge of somehow limited resources and budget. We’re constantly exploring innovative thinking, techniques, materials, equipments to improve our overall work flow and designed spaces.
We find important to interact with the academic world as well. From giving lectures to attending jury and organizing small workshops, we attempt to pass the knowledge and provoke conversations with the young students of our disciplines. We try to communicate that the principles of good quality lies in delivering clear and strong concepts that extend beyond the spatial design of space but that also adapt to the unpredictable influences of social, cultural and environmental forces.
The garden in Lhota is large and very rich in content and theme. Each of its many elements could actually be a separate piece. In the design, it was very important to work carefully with this diversity so that the result could naturally and harmoniously blend with surrounding landscape.
The garden serves the needs of one family, which represents a very rare phenomenon in the Czech Republic and that is the status of donors. It was not built with the desire to represent, nor to hide its members in complete privacyI. It serves the family, all its members, friends, children and also locals The owner is passionate sportsman and he is more than happy to share his land with others.
The inner garden is a more intimate part of the whole, it is partially connected to the house and its inner layout. From it are important views of the central part with a pond. Another part is the guest house, combined with a modern greenhouse. This building is connected to the production garden with herb and vegetable beds.
The outer garden is a more extensive part. It is conceived in a landscape and similar principles are applied to its design as to the indoor garden – terrain modeling, groups of trees, meadows and lawns. It contains other sports facilities – a tennis court, a football field, golf course and pony meadow.
Location: Lhota, Czech Republic / Client: Private / Planning: 2006 / Completion: 2010 / 1st prize in Czech competition “garden of the year 2010” / Size 45,000 m2
The story of this garden begins with a small adventure – bike trip with discovery of very unremarkable house on very special spot – the last house in a row in the immediate vicinity of nature – just across the road stretches a field and the mysterious path behind the gate leads directly to the forest.
The house looked comical, as if a pastry chef had placed a ‘cake’ on a boulder. The owners did not notice these poor quality at first glance, but this was already a job for architects.
Soon it was time for a landscaping solution, because it was not enough to design a refit of the house, but it was necessary to work with the terrain especially with consideration of height. With the help of wall, raising the level of the garden and leveling the land, everything finally snapped into place and house acquired the desired character of a village home.
From the very start you step in, you feel very familiar sense of intimacy and joy. Presence of contemporary house and nonchalant vegatation really works together here. Thanks to the fact that from the first sketches we emphasized the setting of the house in the surroundings, the place looks natural, as if it has worked this way since ancient times.
Location: Hrusice, Czech Republic / Client: Private / Planning: 2017 / Completion: 2018 / Size 850 m2
This project is about regeneration of 70‘ housing estate public plaza. Space sprawls in not easily defined area between road, Shopping centre and Culture house.
The proposal is based on the necessity to solve the entire territory in a comprehensive way, taking into account also the wider urban and landscape links of Bohnice estate and Prague’s Northern Town, as well as the original idea of housing surrounded by nature.
The entire territory is divided into three main parts, marked by the predominant functions such as “square”, “urban park” and “park”. These three spaces are not physically separated from each other, but they interfere freely. All three parts of the area are interconnected by circular “islands” with green or reinforced surfaces and tree planting. Part of the project is also the involvement of a cultural house from the 1970s into the public space using new access lanes and wooden stair steps.
The design emphasises promotion of new social interactions, accesibility, low maintenance and elevated biodiversity. Working with water collection and storm water management should be the standard now.
The unusually high level of cooperation with architects channeled to well designed and resilient work, which is more important in the light of usual habit of public undermaintenance
Location: Prag, Czech Republic / Client: Municipality(Prag 8) / Landscape architects: Partero / Collaboration: Rusina Frei architects, STA-CON, COLMO / Planning: 2016 / Completion: 2018 / Size 21.000 m2
Courtyard in inner block situated wihin the Vinohrady quarter was for the long time forgotten. Overgrown vegetation and lack of space permitted any use. As the house was reconstructed, new possibilites emerged. The task was to create variable semi public garden to accomodate yet not known functions – from solely private yard to café garden
The result had to be visually compelling from the bottom of the courtyard to the top views from apartments. We developed concept of clear structure and straigforward approach. Preserve the trees, wrap them in ellipse beds, frame everything with grey brick wall, make manintenance free walkable surface and complete everything with subtle colored shady plants – Hydrangeas, Grasses, Lily flowers and Hostas. Details are simple but use quality materials
The simple ornament of trees beds and lines is beautifully legible even from the individual floors of the house. Place has a quiet atmosphere. There is lingering feeling of lazy morning of 1920.. The backyard is so clean, starched and ironed – like a grandmothers tablecloth.
Location: Prag, Czech Republic / Client: Private / Landscape architects: Partero / Collaboration: Jarousek-Rochova architects / Planning: 2016 / Completion: 2017 / Size 250 m2
