staruń wanik architects combines three blocks clad in wood and stone into polish residence
‘house in a meadow’ by Staruń wanik architects
Staruń Wanik Architects has combined three building blocks into ‘House in a Meadow’, a residential building that seeks to redefine homes in the countryside. Set in a meadow in Opole, Poland, the project is located outside of the historic fabric of post-German buildings which are common in the Silesian village. Therefore, the proposed form and aesthetic solutions of the building are a modern reflection of the historic and cultural background of the area. Local wood and limestone facades with minimal treatments have been used to identify the three structures from one another, while also giving a raw and natural appearance.
‘House in the Meadow’ is composed of three solid structures
all images courtesy of Nate Cook
Elevation ensures the correspondence of the two solids
The house by Staruń Wanik Architects consists of a one-story pavilion with a flat roof located parallel to the street and a two-story section tucked into the lot. The division of the building into two basic blocks reflects the interior zoning of functions. The structures are connected by a one-story connector that serves as the main entrance to the building. The pavilion provides cover for the inner garden space from the street. Additionally a two-story block covered with a gable roof closes the composition on the eastern side. By breaking the building into two elements, the architects aimed to transform the house into a spatial premise rather than one dominant block.
The withdrawal of the higher element into the plot ensures the correspondence of the two solids without the risk of the higher part dominating the lower one. Over the upper section of the building, the Polish architecture studio designed the geometry of gabled roof with the ridge placed diagonally across the projection of the base, allowing different levels of elevation height to be achieved in different areas. This way, the height of the building was adapted to the human scale. Despite the considerable height of the facade, users staying near the building do not feel overwhelmed by the dimensions of the block.
natural stone subjected to minimal treatment was used to finish the facade
local limestone-inspired masonry composes the building’s facade
the blocks are varied in height and staggered in relation to each other
vertical timber, a common element found in the surviving historic buildings of Silesian villages
the open space in front of the entrance to the building is open to the street and neighboring lots
vertical wood facade with no finishing creates a raw natural appearance
