Work submitted to the Halina Skibniewskaya student competition - HEALTHY HOUSE
Paulina Otto designed the Dom na Dębińskiej in Poznań - a multi-family building consisting of comfortable apartments with different areas and layouts adapted to the residents and their needs.
context
The plot of land for the designed building is located on Dębińska Road in Poznań. It is a place full of contrasts: in the center of the city, but surrounded by greenery, located behind an urban villa, but between two modern housing estates.
The designed multifamily building is located in Poznan
© Paulina Otto
solid
The design of the building began with the use of the archetype of the house. The multiplication of the archetype, as it were, symbolizes the fact that the designed object is a multi-family house. The sloping roof itself was imposed in advance by the local development plan, but its overall form was not, so it was decided on a multi-pitch roof, whose slopes are inclined at the same angles, but alternate.
The building consists of three floors
© Paulina Otto
As a result, the gables of the front and rear elevations do not overlap, while the roof when seen from the front resembles a characteristic crown. The modest carving of the massing does not allow for excessive energy losses, and the location with respect to the world sides ensures good access to sunlight in the apartments.
first floor plan
© Paulina Otto
ground floor 0
When creating the first floor, it was decided to be inspired by the works of Alvaro Aalto. That's why there was a place for both mind and body hygiene. The eastern part was occupied by a well-lit library with a remote work zone. The western side of the first floor was dedicated to a small swimming pool and sauna. This pool was designed as a scaled-down version of a sports pool, so it is not suitable for swimming training. Its purpose is mainly for recreation and gathering of the community living in the facility.
cross-section A-A
© Paulina Otto
floors 1, 2 and 3
Each floor contained five completely different types of apartments, ranging from studios to four-room apartments. It was important that each apartment be the "living machine" mentioned at the beginning, so the design process involved a thorough rethinking of the universal pattern of a person's day in a pandemic. Why in a pandemic? Well, because if the premises will meet the requirements of the residents during almost 24/7 use, it will meet the needs in post-pandemic times all the more.
1st floor plan
© Paulina Otto
The living areas consist of kitchens with dining rooms and living rooms. Although none of the three is a separate room, they are clearly separated from each other. Enlarged dining rooms allow for communal meals. In studio apartments, the kitchen directly connected to the dining room, and the kitchen table can also serve as a work surface. As for the sleeping area, bedrooms are designed to have a sizable storage area, some have separate studies, and others have desks in the same room as the bed. Pandemic made us realize that it's worth having an ergonomic place to work at home.
Balconies resemble pull-out drawers
© Paulina Otto
Efforts were made to locate the living areas to the south, while the night areas were lit mainly from the east or west. Care was taken to ensure that kitchens remained bright, and sanitary facilities were placed so that they rested on the interior walls of the building. It's worth noting that two apartments on each floor are adapted for a wheelchair user. This can be seen mainly in the bathrooms and toilets, where movable handrails have been installed.
3-story floor plan
© Paulina Otto
In addition, each apartment has designated space for a washing machine in the bathroom and for a bathtub and/or shower. This is to meet both the needs of elderly people who have trouble getting into a bathtub and parents of small children, who find it easier to bathe a toddler in a bathtub than bending down in a shower. Each apartment is equipped with a sizable balcony and/or loggia surrounded by opaque balustrades, which stand out in color from the facade and give the effect of alternately overhanging and retracting drawers.
roof visualization
© Paulina Otto
elevations
Despite the use of the same materials (Siberian larch - main covering, burnt wood - balustrades, architectural concrete - recesses), each elevation looks different.
Paulina Otto
Illustrations: © Author
