Old tenements, often those that have been left to deteriorate slowly, retain much of their original decoration. When the architects first entered an apartment in the Wilda district of Poznań, their eyes saw a very dilapidated interior, but one in which the ceiling was decorated with magnificent old stucco.
The bright, spacious apartment is located in an Art Nouveau building in the Wilda district of Poznań, a neighborhood that has long been infamous. Thanks to successive restorations, renovation works, but also the emergence of many cafes and bars, it is slowly waking up to a new life. Architects from the {tag:pracownie} studio immediately saw the potential in the interior of the apartment. Despite the dilapidation and non-functional partitioning, there was much promise in the already mentioned stucco, but also in the wooden floors and paneled doors - elements characteristic of buildings of that period.
To their eyes appeared a very dilapidated interior, in which, however, the ceiling was decorated with magnificent old stuccowork
photo: PION Studio
before and after - the fate of a pre-war tenement house
Originally, the apartment in the turn-of-the-century tenement was divided into two parts - a representative one on the street side and a more private one on the courtyard side. The former housed spacious rooms in an amphilad arrangement, while the latter housed bedrooms and smaller rooms with ancillary functions - a bathroom, a small kitchen and so-called servants' quarters. Both parts were connected by a long interior corridor. After World War II, the layout changed and the apartment was divided into two separate units on the side of the annex. The main task of the architects was to restore the original plan of the apartment, while adapting it to the needs of the new owners. The essential part was to become the kitchen - the heart of the apartment, so to speak.
The focal point here is an island with natural wood fronts, surrounded by chairs
photo: PION Studio
new functional division
The new living space consists of a dining room with a library and a living room in an amphitheatre connection on the west side and a kitchen on the east side. The new kitchen was created by combining several smaller rooms. The focal point here is an island with natural wood fronts, surrounded by chairs. There is also a modern suspended sideboard with a simple form. Two portals lined with white marble inside lead from the kitchen to the living room and dining room.
The architects cleverly hid what disturbs the aesthetics of the interior. A small bathroom in the hallway houses a hidden utility space, which includes a washing machine and a central heating boiler.
Connectedto the bedroom is a bathroom separated by a sheet of transparent glass
Photo: PION Studio
In the private area located on the side of the courtyard, the architects separated a dressing room, the character of which they adjusted to both the original style of the interior and the current one. It was finished with a mirror and simple white panels. Connected to the bedroom is a bathroom separated by a sheet of transparent glass.
The entire interior of the apartment is complemented by simple furniture, some of which has been individually designed, while others are classics of Danish and Polish design. Along with original wall ornaments and contemporary design examples, together they create a coherent, albeit eclectic space.
