Near Krakow, surrounded by the beautiful landscape of the Krakow Valleys, an unusual house by the Adrian Kasperski Architekt office, hidden in the hilly terrain, is under construction. The building, made of local materials, is an attempt to create a shelter for living, with as little interference with nature as possible.
The unusual house was inscribed in the hilly landscape of the Krakow Valleys, part of the Krakow-Czestochwska Jurassic Highland. The valleys, located northwest of the city, have the status of a landscape park, covering some 20,000 hectares. Reserves have been established on its territory to protect rare vegetation, as well as particularly interesting rocks and caves.
The facade uses local materials - wood and broken limestone rocks
© Adrian Kasperski Architect
In the words of architect Adrian Kasperski:
The basic assumptions of the project were to fit into the context, to be close to nature and to maintain the privacy of future residents. The building from the west and south is completely invisible. We adjusted the green roof to the natural slope without spoiling the surrounding nature. The space between the existing slopes and the walls was backfilled and profiled with soil obtained during foundation work. With the patio being an extension of the living area, the building opens up to natural light and an impressive view. The use of local materials including broken limestone from a limestone quarry 10 kilometers away not only emphasizes the attachment to the context, but also has an ecological and economic dimension - significantly reducing the carbon footprint and cost of the entire project.
the building from the west and south is completely invisible
© Adrian Kasperski Architect
natural materials and lots of light
The house has been divided into two zones - a living area and a private area. The living space is completely open to the patio, which connects to the interior through high glazing. All rooms, including walls and ceilings, will be finished with natural wood, and floors with polished concrete. The house also has a studio planned, where investors will be able to create and exhibit art. Incoming daylight adds natural warmth, and large glazings allow a complete opening to the wooded inner courtyard. The bedroom is located on a separate floor, which provides adequate intimacy. Its area includes a dressing room, a sleeping area and an open bathroom. Sliding glazing makes it possible to expand this area to include an outdoor terrace.
The living space is completely open to the patio
© Adrian Kasperski Architect
Adrian Kasperski's project is an attempt to transform and make the most of the surrounding landscape and nature - to create a shelter for living, while interfering as little as possible with nature. As the author explains - the house near Krakow is part of the little-known trend of hidden architecture, which appeared in the world already in the 1970s. Among the first buildings designed in this way are: Bernard Zehrfuss ' 1972 Gallo-Roman Museum in Lyon-Fourvière and the 1975 Dune House in Atlantic Beach, Florida, whose architect is William Morgan.
The space between the existing slopes and walls was backfilled and profiled with earth
© Adrian Kasperski Architect
Dobrawa Bies: Who are the investors and what design requirements did they set?
Adrian Kasperski: We are fortunate that from the beginning we get very conscious investors. Aware of what we can offer them as architects, but also aware of the world around us. Very important in this cooperation is the mutual desire for sustainable solutions and the sensitivity of our clients to good design, natural materials and the context in which they want to live. The House in the Landscape project would never have happened if all these values had not been matched and a kind of design consensus built .
The interior walls and ceilings will be covered with natural wood
© Adrian Kasperski Architect
Dobrawa: What materials were used and how did their selection influence the form of the house?
Adrian: Our approach to design has been holistic from the beginning - in terms of the architecture, interiors and the area surrounding the building. At the second meeting we already saw that the facade of the house would be covered with local stone, the interior walls and ceilings with natural wood, and the roof would grow grass. These assumptions defined all subsequent design decisions, the form is only a result of them.
Grass and local plants will grow on the roof
© Adrian Kasperski Architect
Dobrawa: Do you think these types of solutions (ecological materials, green roof) are the future of architecture?
Adrian: I would very much like to. We often forget, but this kind of architecture has been emerging since at least the middle of the last century. The work of Emilio Ambasz or Marek Budzynski is a prime example. Singapore, which boldly, can be called a city of the future, correctly draws conclusions and implies them on a much larger scale. I hope that such projects, some time from now, will not be seen as the architecture of the future, but will become (to the benefit of us all) a boring normality.
Dobrawa: Thank you for the interview!
