What does a Y-shaped house look like? 81.WAW.PL project

Wiktor Bochenek

11 of April '22

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In the latest project of the 81.WAW.PL studio, the architects undertook a unique task - to design a Y-shaped house. What was the result of this shape? The most important thing was the maximum opening to the green space.

view of the house's terrace

TheY-shaped house designed by 81.WAW.PL was a technical and aesthetic challenge. The body of the building, due to its unusual shape, is adjacent to the street parallel and perpendicular.

The entrance to the house was located where the shoulders join. This is the only glazing on the entrance side, which allows full privacy. The Y-shape also dictated the division of functions. A bedroom and utility areas were located in the shorter arms. The longer part of the Y House contains a living area with a swimming pool.

The terrace is a space invisible from the street perspective

Anna Paszkowska-Grudziąż of the 81.WAW.PL studio talks about what was most important during the design, functionality and what stands out in the body of Dom Y .

Wiktor Bochenek: You emphasize above all the close connection between the garden and the house. How was this resolved? What is most important in this connection?

Anna Paszkowska-Grudziąż: The combination of house and garden was a priority for the investor. The large plot of land forced a different approach to the massing, gave more freedom in design. The living area was placed in the center of the plot. On both sides of it, on the longer edge, we located long panoramic glazing. In addition, on the south side the glazing is for two stories, which further unites the interior with the exterior. As a result, staying inside, we feel as if we are surrounded by a garden.

view of one of the shorter sides

Wiktor Bochenek: What is unique about the Y house is the massing - how was it designed? What was the result of such a way of shaping

Anna Paszkowska-Grudziąż: A typical location of the building along the road would not integrate the living area with the garden. We bent the body of the living part by 90 degrees and located it in the depth of the plot. As a result, the living part of the house clearly divides the plot into two parts and takes full advantage of the world directions. This shape of the building allows the garden to become part of the living area of the house. In this way, a form was created that in plan resembles the letter Y.

The Y shape is visible in the layout

Wiktor Bochenek: Did the characteristic curve cause design and construction problems?

Anna Paszkowska-Grudziąż: Any unusual element in a building beyond the standard rectangular layout requires more from the contractor. In the beginning, it was important to determine the radii of the curves on site and the rest was already a formality. Design-wise, it wasn't a challenge because paper will accept anything and it wasn't a problem. All the important rooms are rectangular, the technical rooms on the first floor and the two-story lobby were inscribed in the curve. The curves and arches proved to be more challenging when finishing the white facade, as a lot of care was needed to make the walls come out smooth.

The part visible from the street was glazed the least

Wiktor Bochenek: How was the living area of the Y house designed?

Anna Paszkowska-Grudziąż: The living area was designed in an unusual way, as its interior opens to two sides of the world (north and south). The living part stands practically in the middle of the plot, dividing it in half. Thanks to the opening in both directions, from the living part we have a view of the entire plot. The living part is two-story.

The southern part has been glazed to the height of two stories, thus taking full advantage of the interior light. The northern part is horizontal glazing along its entire length, but already to the height of one story, so as to minimize heat loss.

The terrace is an essential part of the whole complex

Wiktor Bochenek: What was the most difficult, and what are you most proud of?

Anna Paszkowska-Grudziąż: We are proud of the fact that by designing a distinct form, it was not necessary to use sophisticated materials on the facade (white plaster) for the project to stand on its own. The white mass of the building became a large-scale sculpture that did not need additional embellishments to convey its qualities.

With such a simple form, it is important to keep the lines, which is not so obvious as one looks at the building, but poses design and execution difficulties.

Wiktor Bochenek: Thank you for the interview!