Dům House

Dům is one of the most basic human needs and is a construction designed primarily for housing. Although it may also serve various other purposes - from production and storage to administrative functions - its primary purpose remains to provide housing. Dům and the apartment strongly influence domestic life and reflect the customs and demands of a certain time and society.

The word house has deep roots in Indonesian languages. The Czech and Slavic word relates to the Greek domos, the Latin domus and the ancient Indian lady - all derived from the Indo-European root dem- which means to build. The development of houses throughout history was closely linked to climate, landscape and available materials. In warm climates, traditional dwellings were built from clay and often had a round plan, covered with leaves. On the other hand, rectangular or square buildings of wood, stone or brick were typical in colder regions. Many of these northern houses were deliberately embedded partly into the country - the so-called grounder or semi-grounder - which ensured better thermal insulation.

The building of the house traditionally consists of several basic elements. On the foundations are the perimeter walls and roof, which together protect the interior of the building. One of the most visible elements is the facade - the wall facing the street, which is decorated differently. Free-standing houses, especially in the countryside, often stand alone in the garden or form rows (row houses). The city houses come together and creatively long queues along the streets and squares, they have several floors separated by ceilings as well as cellars underground. The interior is divided into individual apartments and rooms for different purposes.

The selection of building materials depends on local conditions and climate. In the warm regions, dirt and bricks prevail, in the northern regions wood, stone or bricks are used. In a newer history, concrete and new matter have spread like poroconcrete. The materials are often combined - traditionally it was a wooden construction with a covered or brick filling, so-called paved houses; today is commonly used concrete or steel skeleton with brick lining. The roofs have traditionally been covered with straw, wood shingles, ceramic bags or stone shale; Metal was also used. Modern houses have flat roofs without a roof, made up of concrete prefabricates with a hydroinsulating layer. Home bases are concrete these days, and they have to reach deep into the ground that doesn't freeze. Bigger buildings are underground, while tower houses and skyscrapers have very deep foundations with steel or concrete pilots.

In modern times, building houses is governed by special laws and regulations aimed at ensuring safety, hygiene and privacy. The present house includes complex installations and wiring - electricity, water, gas, sewerage, central heating and air conditioning - which can account for a significant part of the total construction costs. The emphasis also increases on insulation, both against moisture at bases and in cellars, and on thermal insulation of perimeter walls, soils and roofs, which is essential for energy saving. Isolation properties also play an important role in windows and doors.

The type of house and its appearance vary strongly according to culture and its customs, according to climate and landscape as well as according to available building materials and technologies. In colder climate zones, the house is significantly more important for human comfort and survival than in warm regions, where it is mainly outdoors. Where people spend more time inside houses, their demands for quality and care of the building are significantly higher. Dům thus retains its fundamental purpose throughout history - to provide shelter and reflect what needs and values it admits to the times and society.