On a picturesque plot of land right next to one of Warmia's lakes, architects from the GAB studio designed a yoga center, a place that will give guests space to calm down and relax, while allowing them to feel at ease, as if they were at home.
The plot's location is undoubtedly a great asset, but it also poses some challenges - the architects had to take into account the slope of the land in the design, ensure access to scenic views, fit the building into the surrounding landscape, and plan a space that would accommodate a large number of guests, yet remain cozy and intimate.
The project consists of two, perpendicularly located buildings on a rectangular plan. The part located parallel to the lake houses common spaces - a kitchen, a large dining room and a spacious living room. The second block, located perpendicularly, is tailored to the unevenness of the slope. The lowest part features a room and terrace open to the lake for exercise, while the upper floors house the center's guest bedrooms. The masses are united by a glazed connector.
first floor plan
© GAB
The center's modest buildings will be made of cross-laminated timber, using CLT technology, which not only allows for faster construction of the building, but also ensures the comfort of the interior. Narrow, vertical timber laths that will completely cover both blocks (the same material will be used on both facades and gabled roofs) will add lightness to the buildings, and at the same time will diffuse the light entering the interior, creating a unique atmosphere.
Pro-ecological solutions, the desire to fully draw from nature and interact with it are one of the main requirements of the Investor, so the use of natural, possibly local materials in the design is one of the most important assumptions of the project. The two archetypal blocks of the house, sticking into the plot descending towards the lake, reflect the character of the place, do not impose themselves visually and do not overwhelm the scale," add the architects from GAB studio.
The buildings 
solids are inscribed in the slope
vision: GID Studio © GAB
Ola: What is the priority for Investors?
Piotr Grabowski: The priority of the Investors is to create a space that coherently interacts with the unique surroundings. The conceptual stage of the project was quite complex, and after several different attempts, we were able to find the right architectural language that matched the premises. The key was to find solutions that, despite the rather large scale of the house, would make guests who come to the yoga center feel at home. By choosing the right scale of individual rooms, they will be able to form relationships with each other, while at the same time enjoying multiple spaces for meditation and isolation from other people. We wanted to find as many solutions as possible in which the spaces of the house could be multifunctional, so that every guest could find a place for themselves in the house. The selection of natural materials is also an insanely important element. Together with the Investors, we decided on a cross-laminated timber house construction technology that is not very popular (yet) in Poland, thanks to which the implementation process is shorter, and the effect and comfort of staying in such a building are very high.
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solids scala glazed connector
image: GID Studio © GAB
Ola: What was the biggest challenge in this project?
Piotr: As we mentioned earlier, the house is intended to be used by more than a dozen people at a time, who come to it to disconnect from their surroundings, to find inner peace and rest. At the same time, we wanted to create a space that would allow a relationship between guests and hosts by cooking and eating together. The living area of the house is divided into two zones, an open one - organized around a hearth made as a monolithic concrete element of varying textures, and a more closed one on the mezzanine floor - intended for individual activities.
The foundation of the building is also a challenge. The house is located on a plot with a slope of about ten degrees, which makes earthwork quite difficult. We also wanted to erect the building in such a way that we could make the most of the biggest asset - the location, so that the magnificent view of the lake, accessible from the rooms of the living area, would accompany guests both during the day and while exercising.
common area for center guests
image: GID Studio © GAB
Ola: What surfaced in your decision to choose a traditional block with a gabled roof, so characteristic of single-family homes?
Piotr: In our work we face the issue of the gable roof every day. The form of a house with a gable roof, I would not even call traditional , but simply archetypal, rational and resultant It is quite strongly conditioned by the climate, it is an adequate solution in the category of thinking about relating to the environment, finding a dialogue with it. Practically with every house project we face this question and look for arguments for and against. We try not to look for arguments by force, we only try to understand the spatial conditions, the expected use of the buildings and the desire to find appropriate answers to the questions.
exercise room with lake view
image: GID Studio © GAB
The house shown is located in Warmia, in a very distinctive lakeside location. We feel that it would be very inappropriate, even presumptuous, to not conform to such a context, where all houses have gabled roofs. Looking for the right language, we decided on a rather common, but we feel appropriate solution. We decided to use the archetype, but diversify it by using a uniform finishing material. Thanks to the use of wood planks - both on the facades and on the roofs, the building will blend in with the surroundings from afar, and will not be overwhelming up close. Thanks to the variation of details, the building will show its next face with each step towards it and add to the whole story.
Ola: Thank you for the interview.
