Modernism never ceases to inspire. Architects of the first half of the twentieth century developed a formula that, although not without flaws, puts functionality on a pedestal, while operating with an aesthetic of minimalist forms distilled from the visual vocabulary of architecture. Subsequent reinterpretations of the modernist vision are being created on many scales - from large estates, through public edifices still drawing on this tradition, to realizations of the smallest size, i.e. single-family houses. An example of neomodernist thought, in which the creators did not stop at pure aesthetics, is the House in Katowice, designed by DD ARCHITEKCI.
The House in Katowice does not have a representative front elevation, because it doesn't need one. The plot on which it was built is extremely narrow and long. The architects decided to withdraw the body of the building to its rear, thus avoiding a formal "collision" with the surrounding buildings, which are dominated by objects covered with a gable roof, and avoiding the prying eyes of neighbors.
House in Katowice
Photo: Archifolio Tomasz Zakrzewski © DD Architekci
The plot is long, narrow and slopes toward the west, which posed a challenge for us in designing a form that would not only be appropriate to the terrain, but also make full use of the space. In response to these guidelines, we designed a rectangular plan shape, and the zero level of the building was raised in the form of a plinth. Such a measure not only allows us to improve the exposure of the house, but also protects against the risk of rainwater flooding, which was an important aspect in the context of local conditions.
- write the architects on their realization.
House in Katowice
Photo: Archifolio Tomasz Zakrzewski © DD Architekci
the complexity of simplicity
The house in Katowice, despite the fact that it was built on a rectangular plot, has a rather complex body. "Sculpting" the building,the architects started from the form of an elongated cuboid, set on a low plinth with a slightly larger area than the outline of the perimeter walls. Then the one-story block was enriched with an extension on the west side.
House in Katowice
Photo: Archifolio Tomasz Zakrzewski © DD Architekci
This was not the only modification of the originally uncomplicated form of the building. The longest sides of the house, north and south, were "carved out". On the north side, the elongated cuboid in the entrance area was "subtracted", creating a narrow porch. In order to give it a more intimate character and preserve the consistency of the facade, this space was obscured by a white mesh. A corner arcade appeared in the rear part of the facade, which visually relieved the superstructure above it. Here the wall was largely glazed, which added lightness to the whole structure. The lower and upper levels were tied together by a slanting volume of stairs, which appears beyond the main body.
House in Katowice
Photo: Archifolio Tomasz Zakrzewski © DD Architekci
cut here
The architects took a much bolder approach to the south side. Viewed from a bird's eye view, the house resembles a piece of cake from which several fragments were "cut out". In order to adequately illuminate the interiors and diversify the silhouette of the building, two blocks with a trapezoidal base were cut out of the long southern elevation.
The house in Katowice
Photo: Archifolio Tomasz Zakrzewski © DD Architekci
The cut-outs in the elongated, cuboidal block were intended to illuminate the interiors and generate terraces, especially on the south side, which became leisure spaces.
- The architects explain.
The house in Katowice
Photo: Archifolio Tomasz Zakrzewski © DD Architekci
The aforementioned terraces were not developed in the same way. The first one, closer to the front elevation, serves as a recreational space where one can relax, have a meal together and enjoy the sun. A triangular canopy protects residents from excessive sunlight.
The house in Katowice
Photo: Archifolio Tomasz Zakrzewski © DD Architekci
The second of the "carved out" fragments of the house became a small garden. Although the whole thing sits on a pedestal, the creation of a suitably permeable layer made it possible to plant a small tree and a few shrubs in this niche.
The house in Katowice
Photo: Archifolio Tomasz Zakrzewski © DD Architekci
form follows function
Such shaping of the body allowed to divide the first floor part of the house into three segments, organizing the space from a functional perspective.
House in Katowice
Photo: Archifolio Tomasz Zakrzewski © DD Architekci
A long corridor running along the south wall leads to all the first floor rooms. The sequence of rooms begins with the living space with a kitchen, illuminated by light coming in through a large glazing in the front elevation. Further on is the private area of the homeowners, while bathrooms, offices and technical rooms are located on the west side.
The house in Katowice
Photo: Archifolio Tomasz Zakrzewski © DD Architekci
There was also a single-run staircase leading to the superstructure in the eastern part of the building. The cuboidal body was designed entirely for children's rooms. The western elevation, facing the same direction as the front of the building, is almost entirely glazed and opens onto a roof terrace. The only pity is that it has not been developed in a similar way to the terraces on the first floor.
The house in Katowice
Photo: Archifolio Tomasz Zakrzewski © DD Architekci
a window for every time of day
The fanciful shaping of the building's body also influenced the characteristics of the interiors. Despite the fact that the house tightly fills the plot, with another building just beyond its border, the appropriate arrangement of glazing meant that the window in the homeowners' bedroom overlooks a small patch of greenery arranged inside a trapezoidal terrace. Windows set into the south side are tilted at different angles, so that the right amount of light enters the interiors and the long corridor regardless of the time of day.
The building was created as a response to the specific conditions of the plot, the investor's requirements and the urban context in which it was to be located. The characteristics of the site, as well as the need to be respectful of the surroundings, necessitated a design that combines functionality with aesthetics and ensures consistency with regional architectural traditions.
The house in Katowice, designed by DD Architects, demonstrates that the modernist paradigm is still relevant, and that contemporary neo-modernist reinterpretations are not just a minimalist guise, remaining true to the famous maxim of form follows function.
