Only one tree had to be cut down for an intimate yoga practice facility by the studio Mili Młodzi Ludzie. The small buildings fit very well into the wooded plot. A successful sculptural form was created at the same time partly from recycled materials. The mood of the interior and exterior perfectly harmonize with the function of the pavilions.
In the western suburbs of Poznań, in the bordering town of Przeźmierowo, a modest and successful realization was created—two small yoga practice facilities called Kundalini Yoga Center. They stood on an intensely wooded private plot next to the investors' house. Architects from the Mili Młodzi Ludzie studio (Lech Moczulski, Przemyslaw Nowak, cooperation: Anna Lipiec) designed the facility so that—in principle—none of the mature trees had to be cut down (only one was removed). In this way, the architecture subordinated itself to nature, and not the other way around, which was, by the way, the intention of the investors who attached great importance to nature.
Kundalini Yoga Center pavilion, view from the garden, Przeźmierowo near Poznań, designed by Mili Młodzi Ludzie
photo: © Pion STUDIO
crash in the trees
The pavilions, serving a service function, stood on the corner of the plot (the intersection of Leśna and Ogrodowa streets), in the southwestern part of the spacious garden—between the house and Ogrodowa street. The rest of the site is still a purely private zone. A larger and taller pavilion is used for yoga practice. The main body houses an exercise room, while the lower part has an entrance and vestibule that is also a kitchenette, checkroom and toilet with shower. The smaller structure houses a sauna, a massage room and a mezzanine accommodation. An outdoor shower is located in the clearance between the pavilions . The foreground of the whole is an intimate courtyard with an elevated irregular granite floor. A gate in a full corten fence leads to it.
Kundalini Yoga Center pavilion, front view (from Ogrodowa street), Przeźmierowo near Poznań, designed by Mili Młodzi Ludzie
photo: © Pion STUDIO
The objects mark their presence in the space discreetly: the upper parts of the dark wooden walls protrude only partially from behind the property's fence. At the same time, the dark wood of the facade blends perfectly with the trunks of the pine trees. Despite this discretion and small scale, the form of the pavilions is strongly differentiated. The disjointed projection is the result of fitting into the existing dense stand of trees. The preserved trees sometimes stand almost in contact with the walls of the buildings. However, the structures do not collide with the root system of the trees: they are fixed with ground screws.
Kundalini Yoga Center pavilion, view from the street corner, closed gate visible, Przeźmierowo k/Poznań, proj. Mili Młodzi Ludzie
photo: © Pion STUDIO
discreet sculpture
Noteworthy is the sculptural treatment of the entire composition. Both pavilions are covered with gabled roofs that are quadrants of a pyramid with a rectangular base. Thus, their arrangement creates attractive compositions „read” differently depending on the point of observation. Sometimes the eye focuses on the almost flat geometric arrangement of diagonally cut walls. At other times the eye is attracted by the sloping roofs falling towards the house, so as not to shade its southwestern facade.
Kundalini Yoga Center pavilion, view from the side of a residential house, Przeźmierowo near Poznań, designed by Mili Młodzi Ludzie
photo: © Pion STUDIO
The residential building found on the plot, by the way, has a distinct, characteristic form. The horizontal arrangement of the walls, brick finish of the facade and deep eaves are reminiscent of the architecture of Frank Lloyd Wright's houses. In such a formally concrete neighborhood, the mimicry of pavilions clad in dark boards is all the more understandable. They reveal their presence more strongly only in the sunlight, when the chiaroscuro on the plastic, alternating arrangement of boards becomes visible. At the same time, the architects emphasize that the wood is recycled; as they are keen to design in accordance with the principles of circular economy. The author's description reads that:
ThePIR panels used as the building's thermal insulation and the facade planks (leftover from the production of the laminate floorboard, fired on site) avoided the fate of industrial waste. A fragment of the trunk of the only felled pine tree serves as outdoor seating for visitors to the Center.
appreciated consistency
Contrasting the external form of the pavilions are the small interiors (the areas of the pavilions are 50.5 and 14.5 square meters, respectively). They are dominated by white walls, wooden accents and a small number of equipment. The mood is created mainly by irregular interior shapes and window frames in dark mahogany frames: overlooking the surrounding greenery.
Pavilion of the Kundalini Yoga Center, Przeźmierowo near Poznań, proj. Mili Młodzi Ludzie
photo: © Pion STUDIO
In both buildings, the tops of the roofs are closed with skylights, which not only shape the mood (light, framing the treetops), but also serve to provide good ventilation of the rooms.
Kundalini Yoga Center Pavilion, Przeźmierowo near Poznań, designed by Mili Młodzi Ludzie
photo: © Pion STUDIO
Practicing yoga is conducive to silence, concentration and contact with nature, so both the exterior and interior design of the pavilions seem optimal. In fact, this was appreciated last year by the chapter of the competition for the Architectural Award of the Wielkopolska Region (NAWW), awarding the realization an honorable mention in the „public building” category.
added value
By the way, the unusual object enriches the service offer of Przezmierowo. Formally, the locality is a village (Tarnowo Podgórne municipality), but it is rather an extensive district of single-family houses. Since the 1990s, wealthier Poznań residents dreaming of a house with a garden have settled here, avoiding the chaos typical of Polish suburbs. The regular street grid of Przeżmierowo was laid out back in the 1930s. After the parceling out of the former estate, a model garden city was to be created here. The war and changes in the political system derailed these plans, but an urban skeleton survived, first used by individual investors, and only recently supplemented by comprehensively thought-out service and public functions. In the past 10 years, the locality has been enriched by a distinct center with a market and multi-family housing, retail and services. Situated off to the side, the yoga pavilion is a sensible addition to these „downtown” functions.
