Thehotel, which is a digital rehab center, is a project by Konrad Lepak. The work, inspired by monastery assumptions and the painting "Black Square on White Background" by Kazimir Malevich, is a master's diploma done at the Cracow University of Technology under the supervision of Dr. Tomasz Kozlowski and Dr. Przemysław Bigaj.
The idea of the project is to create an enclave, a place of escape, tranquility, where you can catch your breath and get away from visual and sound stimuli, to which modern man is exposed all the time.
A hotel in the picturesque setting of Lake Solina
© Konrad Lepak
As Konrad Lepak says about the concept:
The aim of the project is to be able to free ourselves from the elements that overwhelm us, to slip away into a space free from the tribulations of the modern world. The center's design is modeled on monastic establishments, in which monks are cut off from the outside world. The architectural form was based on Kazimir Malevich 's painting "Black Square on White Background." In his texts, the author himself describes this work as a bottomless well, in which the surrounding space is lost. I conveyed this idea through the terraced form of the establishment, culminating in a plane of water located in the middle of the courtyard. The accompanying terraces collect water during rainfall, which is poured into the thermal baths, creating a cascade that gives the main hall a sacred overtone. This water, is filtered through technological systems located in the ceilings.
The facility is located on a plot of land with a steep slope
© Konrad Lepak
hotel cut off from digital technology
The facility was designed on a heavily wooded plot of land by the Solina Reservoir , on the site of a spa and resort establishment whose technical condition does not allow for renovation. The undulating and rising landscape created a design challenge - the slope here ranges from 17 to 25 meters. Heading along the access road, which at its peak elevation is 632 meters above sea level, we face a magnificent landscape foreground and build a poetic gate, which we cross when entering the resort.
The author envisioned a single entrance to the building, acting as a "gateway to another world." Facades devoid of openings form a wall separating the center from its surroundings. The building is divided into 6 basic zones, modeled on different aspects of monastic life. The lowest floors house the technical zone along with underground parking. A spacious restaurant has been placed on the first floor. Following the climbing green terraces, cells have been arranged peripherally, changing their character depending on the floor.
The terraced form of the establishment reflects the idea of Kazimierz Malewicz's painting
© Konrad Lepak
The terraces take two forms - the first one, through the construction of walls, creates a private space for a particular apartment. The second, divided into two, creates an open common space. These forms were developed based on the results of an MBTA study, which classifies people into two types: people who derive energy from being alone, and people who feel better when interacting with others.
All rooms in the building face the windows towards a green courtyard, the centerpiece of which is a glass footbridge that serves as a link between the living area and the library, created to resemble a monastery scriptorium.
thermae allowing for tranquility
On the site, beneath the surface of the ground there are thermal waters that feed the thermal baths, which are the main element of the whole project. The thermal baths are located in the underground level, illuminated by a system of skylights in the courtyard. Flashes of light coming from above, steam and lighting systems in the water tanks create a space for contemplation.
Light falling from above creates space for contemplation
© Konrad Lepak
Black and white as if from a Malevich painting
In order to emphasize the contrast with the surroundings and to refer to the painting by Kazimir Malevich, the architecture was designed using two materials. The thermal baths, along with the adjacent changing rooms, are made of architectural concrete stained black with visible boarding, giving the spaces a raw feel. Meanwhile, the rest of the building is finished in white, smooth architectural concrete, creating a welcoming space.
The four-story building is equipped with environmentally friendly technological solutions such as photovoltaic panels filling the entire external facade of the building, a geothermal system extending under the foundation slab, and reservoirs where rainwater is collected for later use during the use of the building in the residential, administrative and thermal zones.
The interiors of the thermal baths made of black stained concrete
© Konrad Lepak
The project made it to the finals of this year's Zbyszek Zawistowski "Diploma of the Year" Award, the results of which will be announced in October. In addition to Konrad Lepak, the nominees for the award include: Martyna Mazurek, Anna Kowalik with a project for a retreat center in Sulejów, Adriana Sowa author of Herbarium, Marta Stachurska, who created a project for the Museum of Culture in Matera, and Julia Zasada author of the Embassy of the Czech Republic in Ethiopia.
compiled by Dobrawa Bies
illustrations courtesy of Konrad Lepak
