We present an interesting project, extremely frugal in color and form, but rich in thoughtful details, for the redesign of a four-story segment from the 1960s in Warsaw's Saska Kepa. Designer Agnieszka Kossowska is interviewed by Anna Popiel-Moszyńska.
Anna Popiel-Moszyńska: Was such great consistency and stylistic coherence, characteristic of your studio, easy to reconcile with the Investors' vision?
Agnieszka Kossowska: We had the opportunity to work with the Investors twice before, so they very consciously chose us for the third time. They are people interested in design, culture and art. The priority was to create a very functional interior, adapted to the needs of the Investors, surprising and creative, but at the same time inscribed in the character of the district - without unnecessary ornaments, fashionable solutions or excess of luxury. In accordance with the philosophy of our projects, we tried to preserve as many existing elements as possible, while heavily interfering with the layout of the building. We turned cramped corridors, small rooms and small windows into open, well-lit space, while in the private sphere we turned large rooms that meet modern requirements.
ground and first floor plans
designed by Agnieszka Kossowska, Katarzyna Baumiller, www.baumillerkossowska.pl
There was also room for a couple of design icons, a very large collection of books or travel souvenirs.
To hide the toilet and closet near the entrance and kitchen, we placed them in a block completely covered with a mirror, which also gave the effect of enlarging and brightening the space.
Anna Popiel-Moszyńska: Cubic post-communist buildings can be striking, or perhaps fascinating. What was its greatest, even noteworthy, asset for you, and what bothered you most in the process of modern adaptation?
Agnieszka Kossowska: We preserved what we were able to preserve or referred to the aesthetics of those years, so as not to lose the spirit of the place. The oak mosaic on the floor remained (painted white), the terrazzo winding staircase - we supplemented its balustrade with an openwork wall made of steel bars. Terrazzo also appears in the window sills, while mosaic in the form of scattered, different-sized squares of tiles on the base of the house and on the walls of the bathroom.
A mirror in the living room, behind which the toilet and dressing room are hidden, optically widens and illuminates the space
photo by Martyna Rudnicka
We turned small rooms and narrow corridors into an open space of the first floor, small windows into large ones, so that from the entrance you can admire the old trees in the garden. Elongated in form, the projection was emphasized by the parallel layout of the following functions.
Anna Popiel-Moszyńska: Lighting plays a big role in your project. Could you say something more about it?
Agnieszka Kossowska: As far as natural lighting is concerned, opening up the space and replacing the divided, small windows with two large sliding panels both in the living room and upstairs, in the bedroom, became a huge advantage. The living room has access to the terrace and garden, the bedroom to the balcony. Artificial illumination of the first floor is provided by the decorative Salago lamp by Moooi over the kitchen table and a huge wall lamp, the Ultralight brand's flagship design, stretched on the wall, over the living room table. Other technical lamps, fulfill a functional task, but already as a "background".
The lighting of the other floors is more intimate, according to the function of the rooms.
Anna Popiel-Moszyńska: Thank you very much for the interview.
- Ultralitght lamp
- Turbine George Nelson Vitra wall clock
- Walk-in shower enclosure
- Vitra Panton chair
- Pure B&W Chess bathroom ceramics
- String System wall rack
- Contact Glass Nest
