Karolina Trocinska, Kacper Kulas and Paulina Kapica were among the finalists in the international Meditation Roofs competition, which aimed to create a meditation space on the roof of a building in an urban environment.
The project was created as part of the Interior Design course under the direction of Dr. Anna Jaglarz during the fifth semester of the first degree program in Architecture at the Faculty of Architecture, Wroclaw University of Technology. The project was also submitted by students to the international Medidation Roofs competition organized by the Non Architecture platform, where it made it to the final list. The competition proposals were evaluated by a jury consisting of Iwo Borkowicz (JEJU.studio), Szymon Rozwałka (RO_aR architects), Neda Kakhsaz and Zabie Mustafa (Studio MUKA) and Olav Bruin (Atelier Nomadic).
The starting point of the project was to choose where the new space would be located. The student team chose the roof of the Katowice Hotel, built in Katowice in the 1960s (designed by Tadeusz Lobos). An important element was the reference to a period in the history of design called the Space Age trend - a time when the space race and rapid development of technology caused a fascination with extraterrestrial space.
cross-section, floor plan and ceiling plan
© Karolina Trocinska, Kacper Kulas, Paulina Kapica
The complex was divided into three distinctive zones, which was dictated by the theme of the competition - the creation of a space for meditation on the roof of the building in an urban environment. Accessibility to the premise is to be provided by an independent elevator - accessible not only to hotel guests, but also to residents of Katowice. The sequence of zones is to first allow users of the facility to relax, and then gradually return to everyday life.
bubble tea zone - bar
© Karolina Trocińska, Kacper Kulas, Paulina Kapica
The first zone has been named bubble tea - a bar with lemon balm-based drinks has been located in it, allowing to enter the stage of tranquility. The color scheme of the interior is meant to refer to the sky during sunsets.
In the second zone, a floating capsule pool was located - a place of relaxation where water and acoustic calming play an important role. The pool has been adapted for people with disabilities. It is a zone that limits incoming stimuli, and thus allows for greater concentration.
hologram in the floating pool area
© Karolina Trocinska, Kacper Kulas, Paulina Kapica
The last zone includes saunas of different nature - Finnish sauna, salt grotto or biosauna. Their effect is to be enhanced by special devices that analyze users and suggest which facility is worth choosing in terms of one's health. In addition, comfortable and cozy rooms provide guests with a place to relax and meditate.
biosauna
© Karolina Trocinska, Kacper Kulas, Paulina Kapica
The journey in the facility ends in the return section. As the authors point out, this part of the complex is equally important, because in creating a building with a regenerative function, the return to everyday life must be gradual and peaceful.
relaxation zone
© Karolina Trocinska, Kacper Kulas, Paulina Kapica
