Katarzyna Starzyk · CLIENT: A.P.A. Katarzyna Starzyk
Double Barn is a contemporary house located in the suburbs of Warsaw, designed for a family of four. The challenge was to create a modern, yet timeless house design, referring to the traditional architecture of Mazovia and adapting to the context of nature. In order not to overwhelm the surrounding single-family housing with its size, the house was divided into two interconnected blocks. From the inside of the house, mainly bright elements of HPL boards are visible, which makes it feel cozy. At the same time, the dark façades made of graphite tiles blend the house into the surroundings.
Press Kit
- Unique Properties
- The functional layout of the building has been divided into two interconnected blocks so that the size of the building does not disturb the landscape of small single-family houses. From the outside, both parts give the impression of two separate buildings. The graphite facade made of hand-formed brick refers to the dark pine trunks that grow in the area. The impression of the massiveness of the dark body is minimized by recesses finished with light wood-like boards.
- Dimensions & Packaging
- Total floor: 351,61m2, Foot print: 272,82m2, Site area: 1373m2
- Tags
- Home, barn-house, modern barn, residence, detached house, Polish architecture
- Production Technology
- The facades were finished with graphite hand-formed tiles, while the recesses and arcades were covered with HPL boards in a shade of light wood. Thanks to such a procedure, mainly bright elements are visible from the inside of the house, which contributes to the impression of coziness. At the same time, the dark facades blend the house into the surroundings, giving priority to nature. To expose the rafters inside the house, the roof was insulated with PIR boards laid on the rafters. Gutters and downpipes have been discreetly hidden in the roof and inside the exterior walls.
- Design Challenge
- The challenge was to shape the architecture in such a way that it would not overwhelm the surrounding small single-family housing with its size. Hence the idea of dividing the house into two blocks and referring to the traditional buildings of Mazovia. It is a modern approach to a traditional design.
- Project Duration
- Design work lasted from 2018 to 2019. Construction work began in 2019 and was completed in 2022. The house was built in the Polish village of Komorow Wies, surrounded by forests, meadows and a river.
- Operation Flow
- From the street, the building has few windows, thanks to which it provides intimacy to the residents. The main entrance leads through a glass hall overlooking the garden to a two-story living room. Large windows are oriented to the south-west side of the plot. Stairs lead to the parents' area with a hobby room and a master bedroom. Then, through the passage, to the second block containing the children's zone (rooms, bathroom, hobby room), which has been clearly separated from the parents' zone.
- Research
- Double Barn is a designer house, but at the same time durable and timeless, because it is firmly rooted in local tradition and adapted to the context of nature.
- Inspiration
- The house for a family of four is located on the suburbs of Warsaw, surrounded by scattered single-family housing. The area is sparsely urbanized and the neighboring buildings are very diverse without a predominant style. A question arose, what is the regional architecture of Mazovia and how to find it in this environment? The aim was to settle the project in the context of the region, respecting its tradition, but in a modern version.
- Image Credits
- Photo credit: Piotr Krajewski
- Patents
- A.P.A. Katarzyna Starzyk
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