Going into the design, the architects of {tag:Studio} asked themselves one fundamental question: "What qualities should an intimate residential building of the 21st century have?"
In the era of mass-produced apartments, when developers strive to use as much space as possible for development, without greenery and recreation zones, a model estate comes to the rescue. A Wroclaw architectural experiment from almost a century ago continues to inspire - the New Żerniki estate, the so-called WUW-a 2, is growing steadily.
WuWa 1929
In 1929, when Breslau was still called Breslau, an insertion entitled "Wohnung und Werkraum" (WuWa) was organized, one of eight similar initiatives created in Europe at the time. It consisted of a large exposition located in the Centennial Hall, the pavilions surrounding it and a model housing development located in the area of Zlote Oaks Street. The best architects of Breslau at the time, headed by Heinrich Lauterbach, were invited to join the project.
WUW-a 2 is an initiative inspired by this project. A school, a kindergarten, a senior citizen's home, a community center and even a church are to be built in the New Żerniki neighborhood. The main streets have been conceived as green avenues, around which retail and service outlets will be built. There will also be sports fields, courts, playgrounds - the full infrastructure of a small city within a city. New Żerniki will consist of multi-family buildings, as well as urban villas.
drawer villa
The building already under construction, designed by Q2Studio studio, is a contemporary urban villa intended to fit in with the idea of the estate. Simple in form, intended to be timeless, created primarily with the residents in mind. Comfort will be ensured by, among other things, huge windows, allowing plenty of light into the apartments, private gardens, which will be accessible from both the living room and the bedroom, and spacious terraces. The gardens will be located not only on the first floor, but also on the second floor on the inner side of the building, which provides, in the architects' own words, "pulling apart the drawers" of which the building is composed.
As important to the architects as the functionality of the apartment space was the dense arrangement of greenery. Their goal was not just to design a "place to live," but to expand the local community - to create friendly, neighborly places.
The building consists of three basic blocks - each built with two floors. All floors house two apartments with east-west exposure on both sides. The apartments will be arranged alternately, providing privacy for residents and preserving the structure of the block.
Sounds like a beautiful view of the future!
