A conversation with Magdalena Mehrwald and Aleksandra Mytenia of B1 Architekci studio about Allcon's latest investment - the Linea estate in Gdansk. The Linea estate is distinguished from others by its location - it is located on the border of Morena and Jasień, and combines rich infrastructure and a developed transportation network with picturesque surroundings. Natural Stream Valley, with an area of over 7 thousand square meters, is a green space with places to relax and a playground. In addition, residents of the estate will have gardens and glass balconies to enjoy the surrounding space. The estate will consist of 6 multi-family buildings and 27 houses.
What inspired you to design the estate in terms of urban layout?
Starting from the beginning. Where did the name come from? Linea? Linea was the first association that came to mind when we visited the plot. The layout of the estate was basically inspired by the shape of the plot. The skeleton of the premise is an internal road running from south to north, parallel to the newly created Adamowicz Avenue in Gdansk. The road divides the plot into two zones, with terraced houses located in the western zone and multi-family houses in the eastern zone. The whole composition of the estate is complemented by greenery, which is strongly emphasized in the courtyards created by each of the blocks of multi-family buildings, intertwined in the form of hydrophytic plantings along the road, creates forms of small green gardens. A strong accent is the extensive green area located in the northern part of the plot, with numerous plantings and equipment for play and recreation. One of the assumptions was also to separate car traffic from the green areas next to the buildings. We wanted to create spaces, urban interiors, with an urban character, allowing close contact with nature and active outdoor recreation.
terraced houses
© Allcon
Is Linea designed in the spirit of modernist assumptions?
To be honest, when designing Linea, we didn't consider whether it was a modernist premise. Of course, it draws a lot from the landmark assumptions created in the last century. What is clear is that architecture follows function and follows directly from it. However, our task was to create something, to the extent possible, unique. Linea's architecture is based on minimalism, drawing on simple means of expression such as contrast, rhythm and chiaroscuro. The line-inspired ribbon that wraps around the building, passing around each facade, was the main idea for building a clean and harmonious block. The idea of linearity was also introduced in the landscaping elements, in the floors of the common spaces and in the small architecture. To emphasize the idea, some details were highlighted in red.
What distinguishes this development from other developments in the area?
A very important element of the premise is the center of the estate - the plazas centered around the service establishments. It is here that with the eyes of the imagination we see the life of residents using cafes, stores and all kinds of services. In this place - the heart of the estate, there is also the entrance and the entrance to the entire complex, this is the place that welcomes the newcomers.
Another advantage of Linea is the numerous recreational areas planned within the development, distinguishing it from other development assumptions. Often children's play areas are treated perfunctorily. In the case of our estate it is different. The northern part of the premise, due to height differences, could not be used for development. The natural boundary of the plot on this side is the Siedlicki stream. We decided to take advantage of these conditions to create a two-level relaxation zone for residents. The natural features of the terrain inspired us to create a playground and rest areas bathed in greenery in this area.
A big advantage from an urban planning point of view is the lack of a fence, so the space around the buildings becomes more accessible, does not exclude outside users and can lead to positive social behavior. In part, this is due to the Landscape Law established by the Gdansk authorities. This document also regulates the appearance and location of advertisements, which as designers we are very pleased with.
© Allcon
What was the design process like in cooperation with Allcon?
The investor was very involved in the design processes from the very beginning. Cooperation is based on the principles of mutual assistance in pursuit of the goal of realizing our vision. Often on the basis of compromise. We were able to easily come to an agreement on issues related to the image of the buildings, thanks, in large part, to a certain flexibility and the Investor's sense of aesthetics comparable to ours. We can say with a clear conscience that we are doing everything together to satisfy the future users of the estate.
What was the biggest design challenge?
It might have seemed that a long and heavily carved plot of land located in the vicinity of a busy street would give us trouble in realizing all the necessary functions. Despite the height differences, we managed to create a housing estate without architectural barriers. The proximity of the road and streetcar line has only become an asset for the estate in terms of location. Traffic noise does not affect the quality of the estate's recreational spaces thanks to their favorable location in relation to the roadway. For example, the established infrastructure in the form of a palisade in the southern part of the plot, provides a kind of acoustic barrier for the buildings and their immediate surroundings.
When designing Linea, we were very keen to maintain consistency and reflect our inspiration in both the architecture of the buildings and the landscaping. Thanks to a comprehensive approach to the subject, we were able to successfully complete all challenges and achieve a satisfactory, consistent result.
© Allcon
What do you think customers should pay attention to?
Linea is a well-communicated estate, in the vicinity of the investment there is a streetcar line, a bicycle path and a road system solved in accordance with the needs of modern communication needs. In the modern realities of the development of urban structures, where suburbanization is developing in an uncontrolled way, a very important aspect is to provide residents with decent transportation conditions. I think that the layouts of apartments, in which the loss of space for communication was avoided, also deserve attention. In our opinion, the given square meters consist of very functional rooms well lit by large glazing - here it is worth noting that gable apartments have two windows in each corner in the living rooms. This gives a great visual effect in the interior of the room.
What are you most proud of?
We are pleased that the project has a line as its theme. The name of the estate, the design of the greenery and the architecture are all based on this idea, and we think that this holistic treatment of the theme is an incredible advantage. We tried to create a coherent concept based on our inspiration and are looking forward to the final result.
For more information, visit the company's ALLCON page on the A&B portal.
