Attic Reconstruction in Gliwice

The apartment was designed for a couple without children who decided to move from a single-family housing estate to a historic tenement house in the very center of the city. An unquestionable distinguishing feature of the previously unused attic is the wooden roof truss. Numerous posts, beams, struts, and braces create an effective structural system, which is the main inspiration for the project.

A sculptural shaft was inserted into the existing thicket of wooden elements. In a two-level block, there are auxiliary rooms: a bathroom - downstairs and a dressing room - at the top, a complex of three existing chimneys, and an extensive system of technical installations hidden, as well as furniture. The designed structure does not interfere with the existing arrangement of the roof truss. It distances itself from it, which emphasizes its superior value for the designed interior. The inner core with the roof truss is also a large playground for several cat household members.

The apartment has an open plan. The only exception is the utility room, which is placed in a characteristic corner. The arrangement and geometry of the designed core together with the existing arrangement of wooden elements lead to the creation of an ambiguous, fluid space around which was used for basic residential functions. A new element is a glazed terrace that resembles the existing oriel window. The interior will be complemented by movable elements added over time by the owners.

The materials, colors, and textures used are to constitute the background for the existing roof structure. The apartment is dominated by whites and grays, which contrast with the natural color of the wood of the roof truss. The inner core is distinguished by a darker color and porous texture. The rest of the apartment has lighter colors and smooth surfaces. The exception is the bathroom, the interior of which surprises with more intense color.

Marta Dyrda and Radek Fikus