Is it possible to break the standard of cutting everything around during the construction process and its later stage, manifested in evenly trimmed lawns and planted thuyas from the dash? The studio TEŻ ARCHITEKCI designed a house in a unique environment, while showing how to relate to the existing state.
The birch trees surrounding the house are an important factor in the environment
© TEŻ ARCHITEKCI
respecting the space
An interesting building has been constructed in the village of Wojnówkowo near Poznań. The project of the studio TEŻ ARCHITEKCI tries to inscribe the surroundings dominated by tall, perennial birch trees. Insertion into the space between them was the most difficult challenge, as it could not affect the reduction of sun exposure.
TEŻ... between the birches was designed by the TEŻ ARCHITEKCI studio. The concept was created by Małgorzata Siekanko and Marta Sękowska. Paulina Wielgosz-Konewka and Maciej Kaleta were responsible for the technical design. The house is located on the edge of the village near a lake, in the vicinity of a forest that forms the buffer zone of the Zielonka Forest. The main dominant feature of the plot space were tall birch trees shimmering with white and black bark colors. There was no question of removing them, so the basic design assumption was to inscribe the house between the birches. It was also necessary to aim for maximum sun exposure.
in the house draws attention to the detail
© ALSO ARCHITECTS
unique space
The shape of the building and its wooden cladding are meant to refer to the typography of the Polish countryside. The facade, along with the gabled roof, have been finished in dark wood. The building is designed partly as one-story and partly as two-story. Its height depends on its function and location on the plot, which allows it to better correspond with the forest surroundings.
What draws attention in the project is the division into two, differentiated blocks
© ALSO ARCHITEKCI
layout of the house
The part of the house, which is located on the eastern side, is higher. Its height is six and a half meters. It was possible to raise this part of the building so that it does not shade the usable part of the plot. On the first floor there was an entrance to the house, places for utility rooms, a toilet and a living area, which included a dining room and a living room.
plan of the house taking into account the surroundings
© TEŻ ARCHITEKCI
The part of the house located on the west side is lower. Its height is four meters and eighty centimeters. This is mainly due to the proximity of the forest and fields. In this part there is room for a bedroom, a bathroom, a private study, a pantry and an open kitchen, which eventually connects to the higher part of the house through dining rooms.
In the attic, a loggia was designed, allowing one to enjoy beautiful views of the wilderness surroundings. An important element was the large glazing and terraces, open to the south side of the plot - exposing the view of the trees.
The facade was finished with boards of dark shade
© TEŻ ARCHITEKCI
The most important advantage of the house ALSO... between the birches is the respect for the existing condition. A common process of building in Poland is to raze the surrounding space, cutting down all the age-old trees, shrubs and vegetation, and replacing them with an evenly trimmed lawn and a row of clumsy emerald-type tules planted under the dash. Replacing a hard intrusion with a gentle addition shows how a home can be designed without having to raze everything around it.
ALSO. between the birches
© ALSO ARCHITEKCI
