Located in the Western Sudeten Mountains, Karpacz is an excellent base for mountain hikes, including to the top of Śnieżka - the highest mountain in the Karkonosze Mountains topped by a futuristic observatory block designed by Witold Lipiński. In this picturesque area, on Wilcza Poreba, Adam Wysocki, an architect from the de.materia studio, designed a complex of guesthouses - two modern buildings, though drawing on traditional and local patterns, housing a total of fifteen apartments.
cross-section of the area
© Studio de.materia
Underlying the architectural concept, design and finishes of the guesthouses is the historic architecture of wooden mountain chalets and Karkonosze houses from the turn of the 20th century. This was dictated by both formal considerations and a desire to fit into the traditions of the region with respect for its legacy and homogeneity. The solid stone pedestal, visible half-timbered construction, boarded gables of the building, roofs covered with wooden shingles - these elements are reflected here in an updated form, writes Adam Wysocki, author of the project.
Photo: ONI Studio | Justyna Kuska, Maciek Jeżyk
Two twin, four-story buildings were built on a plot located near the forests of the Karkonosze National Park. The first houses eight independent apartments, two on each floor, while the second houses seven apartments and an underground parking lot. Each of the apartments designed for guests of the guesthouse is equipped with a kitchen with dining area, bedroom and living room. In addition to high-quality aesthetics and materials, the investors' goal was to create a place suitable for maintenance-free operation - the traditional reception desk was abandoned in favor of a reservation system and online service.
1st floor plans of the first and second buildings
© Studio de.materia
Both buildings with a regular rectangular plan, covered with a traditional gable roof, have a clear division of the facade, which is visually heavier in the lower part and lighter at the height of the upper floors. The reinforced concrete structure of the two lower floors on the outside has been faced with split gneiss.
Hand-formed, piece by piece, the stones were carefully composed according to the character defined in the design. The solid stone pedestal creates a massive, logical base for the lighter wooden framework of the upper floors, the architect adds.
Photo: ONI Studio | Justyna Kuska, Maciek Jeżyk
On subsequent levels, large-format glazing reveals the internal structure, which, through its characteristic arrangement of beams, is associated with traditional half-timbered construction. The gable walls, though also glazed, alluding to the gable boarding typical in the region, are obscured by wooden laths that make the upper part of the building appear lighter than the rest. Both the elevations of the top floors and the roofing have been finished with pine thermo-wood, which, according to the project's author, is intended to evoke an association with traditional shingle roofing.
Photo: ONI Studio | Justyna Kuska, Maciek Jeżyk
Wood, granite and concrete have their continuation in the interiors of the guesthouse. In the rooms located in the lowest floors, in the first floor and on the first floor, the walls are finished with concrete plaster. Higher up, following the line of the facade, on the first floor and attic, light spruce plywood dominates.
