For his graduation research and design project, Šimon Semerák chose the petrol station located next to the General Pension Institute in Žižkov. His project focused on the form of craftsmanship in today’s city center and on how to design a new building on a parcel of land left over from the modernist urban development of the 1930s and 1970s. The result is Dirixka, a hybrid urban project that combines workshops, studios, and a petrol station. In its sensitive sculptural form, the building responds to the challenging terrain of Žižkov and the distinctive landmark that is the General Pension Institute, with which it engaged in a dignified dialogue.

The Dirixka House reflects Semerák’s signature style and is another example of his focus on distinctive buildings characterized by a distinctive form, materiality, and range of colors that sensitively communicate with the surrounding historical context. The result is a confident and homogeneous set of buildings that combine urban contrasts with a variety of different functions.