House Curtain
Trzop Architects
Project description
This house was designed to be a place for the owners to connect with nature during the spring and summer months, and a retreat in the winter, offering a contrast to the grey city and depressing views outside. The concept focused on abundant natural light and the seamless blending of the interior with the exterior – in some areas, this boundary was meant to fade away.
Location: Otulina Puszczy Kampinoskiej
Area:
Lead Designer:
Bartosz Trzop
Lead Architect:
Konrad Rakowski
Design Team:
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Interiors:
Bartosz Trzop
Małgorzata Szlązek
Photos:
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Visualizations:
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House Curtain
The layout is simple: four rectangular volumes, two arranged in an "L" shape, the third is the swimming pool, and the fourth forms the first floor above the longer arm. The exterior of the house has minimal glazing, which helps protect the owners' privacy. In contrast, the facades facing the intimate garden-courtyard, formed by the two arms of the "L," are fully glazed. These spaces are inaccessible to prying eyes. A standout feature of the design is the concrete façade, which is a key architectural element highlighting the building's mass and form, resembling a curtain. The soft shape of the concrete walls flows smoothly like a ribbon throughout the building and connects with the flowing curtains on the windows of the ground floor.
House Curtain
Generally, this material is associated with a heavy form, with exposed structural elements. However, in this case, we used it paradoxically to add lightness to the building's mass. The concrete band is 350 cm high. Initially, it was planned to be a single slab, but unfortunately, the technology did not allow for that. The slab was divided into two smaller sections, each 175 cm high.
House Curtain
The entire house is a kind of art gallery. The living area, especially the large living room with a ceiling height of 370 cm, deserves special attention. It serves as the main space for art exhibitions. The house also features a swimming pool hall, which is directly accessible from the living room near the stairs. It was important for nearly all spaces on the ground floor to blend or connect in interesting ways. From the living room, we can catch a glimpse of the pool through large glazing beneath the stairs.
AWARDS
The project was awarded in the following competitions:
