Forge Loft Interieurontwerp Appartement by Jan Sikora

Forge Loft Interieurontwerp Appartement by Jan Sikora is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2021 A' Design Award in Zilver in Interieur en Tentoonstellingsontwerp Competition Category.

ZilverInterieur· 2021

Forge Loft Interieurontwerp Appartement

by Jan Sikora

Client: ICC Real Estate

A' Design Award in Zilver Winner in Interieur Category

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Verified Award Winner

Verify Award Status for #115347

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Colors

The Design

About Forge Loft Interieurontwerp Appartement

Forge Loft is een loftappartement gecreëerd in een oude smederij in Leszno, Polen. De smederij maakt deel uit van een 19e-eeuwse pompenfabriek die wordt omgebouwd tot een wooncomplex. Het interieur is gebaseerd op contrast. Originele bakstenen muren, betonnen vloeren en latei worden behouden als ruwe getuigen van het verleden. Nieuwe elementen zijn neutraal en elegant en vormen een kader voor de historische structuur. Zwarte oppervlakken, geperforeerd staal, een stalen reling en een wenteltrap vormen de achtergrond, terwijl warme accessoires en zachte textiel het industriële karakter verzachten. Het appartement beslaat 120 vierkante meter.

The Recognition

About the A' Design Award in Zilver

Forge Loft Interieurontwerp Appartement is winnaar van de A' Design Award in Zilver, een buitengewoon prestigieuze erkenning die wordt toegekend aan topontwerpen die prachtig en indrukwekkend zijn. Winnaars in Zilver zijn enorm briljante en uiterst creatieve werken die de uitmuntende expertise, het talent en de scherpzinnigheid van hun ontwerpers illustreren. Forge Loft Interieurontwerp Appartement wordt verwacht een prachtig paradepaardje te zijn dat opmerkelijk professioneel en diepgaand innovatief is. Dit ontwerp dat de A' Design Award in Zilver heeft gewonnen, is een hoogst opmerkelijke, bewonderde uitvinding die baat en de grenzen van kunst, wetenschap, ontwerp en technologie verlegt. Forge Loft Interieurontwerp Appartement is een zeer benijde creatie die verlangens oproept, positieve gevoelens brengt en verbazing en verwondering doet ontvlammen.

Behind the Design

Press Kit

Credits, team members and technical details provided by the designer.

Unique Properties: Adaptation of an old forge located in Leszno, Poland into an apartment. The Forge is part of a 19th-century factory of pumps, which ICC Real Estate is turning into a living space. Its vast courtyard is built up on all sides with ceramic brick buildings formed into a technological sequence. In this interior, contrast is the key: what is found is dirty and has broken colors (brick, concrete). What is new is neutral but elegant - it created an ideal compositional "frame" for the historical tissue.
Dimensions & Packaging: 120 square metres, size: 13x7m (ground floor), 7x4m (mezzanine - added)
Tags: interior, loft, factory, forge, revitalization, Poland, apartment, residential
Production Technology: The loft space has its original brick walls, a concrete floor, lintels and other raw elements. Black (in many variants and versions) creates the background with fenix matte in kitchen cabinets, perforated steel, the rhythm of a steel railing, and a soft line of spiral stairs. Accessories in warm shades and soft textures break the postindustrial character. A painting of New York made by the designer was the final touch.
Design Challenge: The key to the success of the project was full control of its implementation. The designer had to be very direct, sharp in opinions and determined - it was easy to destroy this place with a few weak decisions. An additional problem was the implementation of the project during the pandemic. A smaller budget, variable work schedule and disorganized process were some of the difficulties that had to be faced.
Research: Pragmatic aproach to research was implemented, along with case study research. Objectives of the research were to understand the space of the factory and keep the existing character of the forge. Case study methodology was used with focus groups data collection. The effect of the revitalisation is yet to be known, but it can bring the area to live again, while celebrating its history.
Inspiration: The space of the old forge was an amazing inspiration, just like the industrial feel of the pump factory surrounding it. It had the perfection of old dirty walls and a unique atmosphere and smell of a forge. The concept emarged in designer's head moments after experiencing the place for the first time. Raw elements, left as a witness of the history, contrasted with softness of fabrics and greenery.
Project Duration: The project started in February 2020 and finished in November 2020.
Operation Flow: The cities we live in are the museums of our ancestors. Walking the streets (in atmosphere, smell, scale or image of the city) we get to know its history. The pump factory has been unused for almost 30 years. Now it gets to live again with a new function, providing its residents with a space that appratiates its history, instead of hiding it.
Patents: Copyrights belong to Jan Sikora, 2020
Image Credits: Image #1: Photographer Tom Kurek, Forge Loft, 2020.
Image #2: Photographer Tom Kurek, Forge Loft, 2020.
Image #3: Photographer Tom Kurek, Forge Loft, 2020.
Image #4: Photographer Tom Kurek, Forge Loft, 2020.
Image #5: Photographer Tom Kurek, Forge Loft, 2020.