Architecture students of the Silesian University of Technology Ksenia Makala and Kasia Zaremba decided to restore the memory of the mysterious Khrushchev Villa located in Katowice's Ligota forest. The building, built in the 1950s, has been standing empty and deteriorating for years. The young architects' proposal is to use the building for an intimate Nikita casino.
Over the years the villa has had many owners and has been rebuilt several times
© Ksenia Makala, Kasia Zaremba
forgotten villa
Few Katowice residents know that in Katowice's Ligota forest there is a huge, empty building - Khrushchev 's Villa, built on a circular plan with lots of glazing. The building was designed by architect Augustyn Boron in the 1950s, specifically for the stay of Nikita Khrushchev. Khrushchev was the first secretary of the Communist Party of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics from 1953 to 1964. However, his visit to Katowice never materialized, due to information about a planned assassination attempt. Since then, the villa has had many owners, been remodeled several times and slowly deteriorated. After Khrushchev's would-be visit, it was used for party raves and meetings. In later years, one of the clinics of the Silesian Medical University also operated here; currently it is not in use and is increasingly degrading with its untapped potential.
The first floor is a space accessible to all
© Ksenia Makala, Kasia Zaremba
casino in the woods
The project of students Kseniya Makala and Kasia Zaremba involves restoring the villa's splendor, creating anew a space teeming with life and light and even glitz - the Nikita Casino.
The idea of a casino in this district of Katowice would be a completely new attraction for the city and its residents. The location of the Khrushchev Villa at the entrance to the Ligocki forest is its great advantage - a few minutes from Katowice's city center, yet fulfilling privacy. Other functions that were previously proposed, for example, the use of the building as a children's sanatorium or a teahouse, could not work out because of the villa's location and poor public transportation, the authors say.
electric roulette under the main skylight
© Ksenia Makala, Kasia Zaremba
Electric roulette, blackjack, poker....
The entire villa, consisting of two levels: first floor, first floor and terrace space, was included in the project. The first floor was designated as a place for collective games, widely available to any player. There is no zoning or separate areas - the space is open and accessible to everyone. One enters the building through a wide vestibule - on the left side one can go to the checkroom, and on the right one can pass by the coin exchange station. The authors placed it close to the entrance so that it is clearly visible to every person entering.
The interiors are kept in a classic style
© Ksenia Makala, Kasia Zaremba
Under the main skylight, in the center, there is an electric roulette machine. The wide bypass space around it also allows spectators to gather. To the left of the roulette, slot machines and a pit stand have been placed - from here, an employee can observe what is happening throughout the room. Next, you can go to the blackjack games section, as evidenced by the special tables designed for the game. From this room it is possible to move freely to the poker game section, and in turn to the bar area with traditional roulette. The right part of the first floor is occupied by a sanitary, communication and technical area - the video room, or video recording rooms.
The facility consists of two levels
© Ksenia Makala, Kasia Zaremba
floor with VIP zone
The first floor of the building has been designated for the VIP zone - this is a more intimate space, for smaller groups. Here there are four rooms for small teams of players - a room with blackjack and poker games. The bar area was located in the same riser as on the first floor, but has been expanded to include some additional seating.
The bar part on the first floor
© Ksenia Makala, Kasia Zaremba
The first floor also features a wide corridor with comfortable chairs that face windows with a sweeping panorama of the Ligota forest. This is a unique space, as in any other place in the casino the windows are covered so that players don't get a sense of the passage of time (a procedure often used in this type of facility).
A corridor with comfortable seating
© Ksenia Makala, Kasia Zaremba
The corridor leads to the last part of the villa, which is a smoking room connected to an outdoor bar. A light wooden structure with awnings, protects guests from unfriendly weather conditions, while providing a view of the surrounding nature.
One of the intimate rooms in the VIP area
© Ksenia Makala, Kasia Zaremba
opulent interiors
The levels of the building were separated by an appropriate color scheme - the first floor is dominated by malachite green, and the first floor by a blue shade - classic blue.
We wanted to keep the whole project in a classic style, with elements of contemporary furniture. For this type of interior we chose opulent style, which perfectly complements the concept. We wanted the interior not to give the impression of "heaviness" and not to be associated exclusively with the "masculine style", which we can most often observe in such places. We wanted the interior to be interesting also for women, which is why we focused on slightly lighter materials and accessories in its arrangement," the authors conclude.
