Work submitted to the Halina Skibniewskaya student competition - HEALTHY HOUSE
"Architecture consists of three principles: permanence, utility and beauty" - Vitruvius
The design premise was to create a living space that fits well with the needs of its owners, where they could feel confident, safe and at ease. The house was divided into three zones: living, private and utility. Each of them functions as a separate part, but together they intermingle and complement each other, creating an original semi-atrial form of the building.
The living part of the house is open to southern and western light. It is connected by a connector to the usable part, with technical and recreational rooms. On the western side, a swimming pool area has been inscribed between the disjointed building blocks, flowing smoothly into the garden. Above the first floor is a residential floor with eastern and western exposures. This layout prevents the rooms from overheating, while providing favorable lighting conditions at any time of the day.
Around the building there is a large garden, a swimming pool and a pond
© Bartosz Kuczynski
The designed house is part of a new estate - located on Edward Dembowskiego Street in Wroclaw. The area, currently housing allotment gardens, is naturally overgrown with low and high greenery. The aim of the project was to create a sheltered enclave from the street for residents, but also to avoid complete separation, so that the residential complex is part of the urban fabric, not a lonely, inaccessible island. The introduced terraced housing refers to the existing buildings on the other side of the street. In addition, being more affordable, it will attract residents of different financial status to the estate, diversifying the social structure.
The designed house is part of the estate
© Bartosz Kuczynski
Preserving the existing vegetation also became a priority. The result is a green common space accompanying the development. Placed between the development, it guarantees seclusion for its users, while providing direct access from private plots. This treatment also allowed residents an unobstructed view of the vegetation. In addition, this semi-private zone is connected to a pedestrian and bicycle route, which will provide access to neighboring streets and, a little further away, to the Oder River.
The house has been divided into three zones: living, private and utility
© Bartosz Kuczynski
The area next to the building has been landscaped with the users' privacy, the preservation of a large garden and usability in mind. Walking from the street, due to the lack of windows on the first floor of the east elevation, we are unable to see what is going on inside. Only when approaching the front door, through the glazed connector, can we see the greenery located on the other side of the house. Thus, the building ceases to be a spatial barrier, but a sort of walk-through zone, inviting us to enter. After passing through the arcade-covered entrance area and vestibule, we find ourselves in the open living area. Again, the observer's gaze is not restricted by any barrier, ending only in the greenery of the garden on the other side of the interior. Sunk in the midday sun, the living room with dining room can be opened up to the garden surrounding the house, enlarging the space available to the householders.
The first floor is an open-plan living area, utilitarian area and rest rooms
© Bartosz Kuczynski
The living area, via a connector, adjoins the utilitarian zone, housing a garage with a workshop, a boiler room, closets, and rest rooms - a sauna with a bathroom and a lounge with loungers. On the west side, the room is open to the adjacent large swimming pool. On the other hand, from the side, a glass door gives access to the heated pool, sheltered by the building blocks from wind, rain or snow, which allows it to be used at any time of the year and in any weather.
The first floor is a private area and a large green terrace
© Bartosz Kuczynski
Up the stairs we get to the first floor - the private space of the householders. The axis of communication of this part of the house is a long corridor, illuminated by windows with eastern exposure. It connects the children's sleeping quarters, a bathroom and a guest/office room with an individual area for the parents. From the first floor we can access a large green terrace, with places for growing plants and a view of the entire designed area.
open to the garden living area
© Bartosz Kuczynski
The load-bearing walls are made of ceramic hollow blocks, the ceiling structure is made of reinforced concrete slabs. A challenging element is the unusual shape of the roof, which is probably the most significant architectural element of the designed building. In order to preserve the individual form, the body of the roof was divided into sections one meter apart, and then wooden trusses were designed for the resulting sections. These, in turn, prefabricated, brought to the site and installed, only need to be covered with full boarding and finishing materials.
Bartosz Kuczynski
Illustrations: © Author
