reconstruction, extension and addition of a cube-shaped old house
The existing building is a classic example of a “cube-shaped house” with additions and terraces on the south and north sides. The object was built in the 1980s and has undergone a series of reconstructions, extensions, and modifications, making its form and color scheme random, and its functional layout unclear. The goal of the proposed changes is to improve the aesthetic value of the building by adding a habitable attic covered by a gable roof with dormers. The original facade composition on the north and south sides will be continued, while the western facade will be reorganized by removing the platform, external stairs, and vestibule extension.
As a result, the house, enriched with subtle colors matched in intensity and hue to the neighboring houses’ color scheme, creating a composition that includes graphite (tiles, bricks), ash (window profiles, powder-coated sheet metal, architectural concrete), delicately broken white (decorative plaster), and natural wood color (window profiles, entrance doors to flats), will constitute a compositional whole. The previous color scheme dominated by yellowish-sand-colored plaster heavily soiled and with visible traces of greenery will be replaced by a less aggressive, more subtle shade, fitting into the intimate urban layout of the street. The existing finish of the basement walls will be continued with a concrete color (along with the newly designed stairwell). The ashen color will also appear on the roof in the form of powder-coated sheet metal. The color of the windows will also be reflected in the new joinery. However, the faded palisander color will be replaced by the natural wood color, which better matches the broken white and ash of the facade. The gable roof with dormers and calm color scheme aims to better fit the building into the diverse environment.
The block-like treatment of the facade can evoke associations with stacked “Tetris” blocks or, looking further into references to the maritime character of Gdynia, stacked containers.
The project of reconstruction, extension, and addition of the house aimed to serve the same function, namely, a single-family residential one. The Investor’s intention, besides enhancing the house’s aesthetic value, was to divide the interior into two independent residential units. One flat would occupy the ground floor of the house, while the other would occupy the first floor and attic.
Project : 2022-2023;
Status : under construction;
Usable house surface: approx. 210m2;
Location: Gdynia, Poland;
Designed by: Andrzej Niegrzybowski
