Adrian
The Wawel Castle defines a new quality of the Vistula boulevards in Krakow
August 19, 2022
Krakow tenement house near Wawel Hill
"In a Krakow tenement house near Wawel Hill, the profusion of diverse aesthetic contexts is a conscious goal. BXB Studio has created a design that, through a modern architectural language, reverently refers to the city's past development. It's also hard to resist the impression that we're dealing with something unprecedented. Personally, I believe that the modern structure, which largely utilizes the latest wood technologies, even emphasizes to some extent the connection with the Sigismund Chapel, which, at the time of its construction, had a truly innovative and very futuristic character in the aesthetic landscape of the city. Bogusław Barnaś's concept is a structure that, due to its innovative character, but also due to the technologies used, perspective, and deep awareness of the continued development of the city's substance, can boldly follow in the footsteps of the famous burial chapel and become a new architectural pearl of the city. Furthermore, it can shift the thinking about the revitalization of old tenement houses to a completely different track." – Filip Maciejowski, art and architecture critic, Oslo
"The Krakow Tenement House beneath the Wawel Royal Castle defines a completely new quality for the Vistula boulevards. It is an exceptionally innovative and at the same time very Krakow-esque building. Its dynamic and changing style, depending on the observer's position, directly relates to the context of the site – Wawel Royal Castle and the architecture of the Old Town. It utilizes the technological potential of our times, yet is also durable and timeless because it is rooted in tradition. At BXB studio, we believe that this makes it more than just a modern building." – architect Bogusław Barnaś
The revitalization of the historic tenement house at 10 Powiśle Street in Krakow, directly adjacent to the Royal Castle, offers a unique opportunity to redefine the Vistula Riverfront in the heart of the Old Town. This seemingly unattractive building had its heyday. Built around 1900, it was the first tenement house on the current Powiśle Street frontage. It boasted high aesthetic value and numerous decorative features. It was finished with beautiful red brick and contrasting brightly colored elements.
In 1930, the building was expanded with a lower story, likely intended for local fishermen or workers. As a result of this reconstruction, it lost all its luster, its ornaments disappeared, the brickwork was covered with plaster, and its proportions were visibly distorted. The building lost the beauty painstakingly achieved by its original creators. In subsequent years, townhouses in distinct architectural styles and on a completely different scale were built along the Powiśle Street frontage.
We decided to restore the original splendour and beautiful proportions of the proposed building, using design techniques appropriate to the current times, the context of the site, and the capabilities of modern technology. The revitalization involves restoring the original brickwork and historical ornamentation, and removing the carelessly added top floor in later years, thus restoring the building's proportions and character from 1900.
However, after being restored to its original state, the historic tenement house no longer fits so well into the current frontage of Powiśle Street. Neighboring tenement houses overwhelm it, creating unattractive, disproportionate, massive gables. Therefore, we propose an innovative extension. We can also clearly see that in its current state, the ground floor of Powiśle Street is an unattractive and neglected space. It lacks a city-forming factor, a magnet for passersby, and a so-called active ground floor. This is precisely the role we intend to give the tenement house at 10 Powiśle Street, suggesting the fullest possible opening of the historic interiors to the adjacent urban space. The designed fully glazed ground floor façade will also become a museum exhibition, showcasing the exposed historic walls and ceilings. By exposing the ground floor façade, we create a new urban living room that will connect the street space with the commercial interior of the tenement house.
The building's superstructure involves defining an innovative structure rooted in the historic DNA of the site. We seek out typically Krakow themes, inspired by local architecture – Wawel Royal Castle, a multitude of styles, Gothic, Krakow domes, Renaissance cloisters, and modernism. We maintain the historical divisions of the façade so that the designed superstructure follows the historical divisions of the façade. We design using state-of-the-art and eco-friendly technology – CLT laminated timber construction, which minimizes structural loads on the historic structure and allows for a significant portion of the work to be transferred from the construction site to the factory, where precise prefabricated elements will be manufactured.
A new, thoroughly modern form is emerging, rooted in history and tradition. The superstructure's divisions originate from the lower floors, and the window lines flow smoothly into the coffered wooden ceiling. A soft, slightly sloped line, reminiscent of Gothic and Krakow dome structures, beautifully conceals the gable walls of neighboring tenement houses, while simultaneously minimizing the scale and height of the building viewed from Powiśle Street. Furthermore, the structure of our superstructure gains an innovative, extraordinary dynamic. Viewed from a distance, the building has a distinctly Gothic character, with its soaring lines. From a close-up, it resembles Renaissance arcades, and even closer, it transforms into soft forms reminiscent of Baroque ornamentation. Thus, we have achieved a new, dynamic form for the superstructure of a Krakow tenement house, which the human eye perceives differently, depending on the perspective.
The front elevation of the superstructure creates the interiors of Krakow's contemporary rooms – arguably the most attractive hotel rooms in the city, due to their location, scenic views, interior character, and the unique and pioneering style of the design. This superstructure seamlessly transitions from the façade to the coffered wooden ceiling that adorns the hotel rooms. These beautiful wooden ceilings continue the character of Krakow's historic interiors.
The roof of our superstructure becomes a usable terrace, another urban living room, a viewing point for tourists, or a place to spend time outdoors. The architecture of the so-called fifth façade, the roof, possesses high aesthetic value and is consistent with the superstructure's structure.
Through a creative interpretation of local historical patterns, the design of the Krakow Tenement House under Wawel Castle was created, restored to its original beauty, detail, and proportions. It not only intrigues and evokes emotions, but above all, it will gain the social value of a museum by showcasing the historic ground floor interiors, making them, in a way, the property of every passerby and participant in city life. We have created a tenement house that creates a new architectural quality in this crucial location for Krakow, fitting seamlessly into the contemporary Krakow waterfront.
"A distinctive feature of the BXB studio project, which fully demonstrates its inspiration from the most characteristic elements of Krakow's architecture, but also reveals their stylistic symbiosis, is the building's crowning achievement. The project involves the construction of 5-meter-high apartments. An open observation deck will be located on their roof. The window profiles and the slightly recessed, curved connection between the ceiling and the top of the roof superstructure are a truly unique element. This optically refined concept expresses the author's main intention – stylish multiplicity in unity. Thanks to the uniform, yet very heterogeneous structure, we are dealing with a smooth and dynamic transition between one element and another and between different eras. The effect achieved is a kind of panoptic view into the historical fabric of the city. From a distance, the windows and the decorative coffered ceiling, visible from the street, evoke Gothic architecture. A closer perspective reveals the Renaissance cloisters of the Castle, the shape of the Sigismund's Chapel, and the optical The transitions and dynamism may be associated with Baroque expression." – Filip Maciejowski, art and architecture critic, Oslo
Motto:
"I believe that architecture must harmonize with humanity and nature in relation to place, history, and tradition. A vision of the future, as architectural design always is, rooted in tradition makes the work not only more valuable and enduring, but also opens up incredible creative richness for the designer himself. I believe that architecture devoid of this relationship is anonymous, devoid of soul." – Bogusław Barnaś
INVESTOR:
The revitalization of the tenement house at 10 Powiśle Street in Krakow is a special project for EPOL HOLDING. It's not strictly a business investment, and we've been successfully implementing such projects for many years, to the highest standard of quality, as evidenced by numerous architectural awards. Powiśle 10 is an exceptionally demanding, challenging, and time-consuming project, which we view as a mission, or even the fulfillment of the company's dream, to contribute to the process of shaping the city we live in. As connoisseurs of art and fine architecture, we are ready to devote all necessary financial and intellectual resources to this investment, ensuring that this Krakow tenement house becomes a unique asset within the Old Town and Wawel Royal Castle.
Design: BXB studio Bogusław Barnaś
Team: Bogusław Barnaś, Bartłomiej Mierczak, Monika Kalinowska, Aleksandra Gawron, Wojciech Buchta, Urszula Furmanik, Katarzyna Trzepałka, Magdalena Fuchs
Film and visualizations: Unique Vision Studio Rafał Barnaś
Graphic design: BXB studio Bogusław Barnaś
Function: Hotel
Area: 1400 m2
Location: Krakow, Powiśle Street 10
