ORA Transforms Four-Generation Family Ruin in UNESCO Žatec into Hybrid Living and Taproom
After eight years of renovation, ORA, a studio based in Prague, has revitalized Oblouková 171, a townhouse in Žatec, Czech Republic, recognized as a UNESCO site. The architect-owners transformed the building into holiday apartments, a family getaway, and a craft beer taproom featuring the master brewer from FALKON Flying Brewery. The renovation included structural enhancements with steel tie rods and a restored attic for hop drying. Reclaimed materials such as red marble tiles, beams from Vrbovec, and Šatov tiles were utilized. The facade was redesigned based on an archival photograph, while interiors showcase lime plaster and linseed oil paint. The project encountered funding issues, a shortage of skilled labor, and interruptions due to COVID-19. Žatec was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2023.
Key facts
- ORA renovated Oblouková 171 in Žatec over eight years.
- The building was inherited by the architect-owners, whose family has lived there for four generations.
- The project includes holiday apartments, a private family retreat, and a craft beer taproom.
- The taproom is operated with the master brewer of FALKON Flying Brewery.
- Structural repairs included steel tie rods, a rebuilt collapsed vault, and a restored hop-drying attic.
- Materials were salvaged: red marble tiles from a demolition container, beams from Vrbovec, and century-old Šatov tiles.
- The facade was reinterpreted from a single archival photograph fragment.
- Žatec was UNESCO-listed in 2023 for hop landscapes and brewing heritage.
Entities
Artists
- ORA
Institutions
- ORA
- FALKON Flying Brewery
- UNESCO
Locations
- Žatec
- Czech Republic
- Vrbovec
- Prague