Interior architects from Ukraine faced a challenge in Piaseczno, near Warsaw - the interior design of the school had to be created quickly, and at the same time had a rather limited budget. How did they cope with these two challenges?
In the case of this project, the time and budget tensions were problematic as much as the responsibility to create a comfortable, open space that would be conducive not only to learning, but also to students' recreation. The Ukrainian studio Zikzak Architects was responsible for the design of the school for Ukrainian students.
The most important space in this realization is an open, circle-focused room called the " eventroom." A column imitating a tree forms its core, around which the life of the school is to take place on a daily basis. Modular furniture was placed there to foster the integration of young students and encourage them to work and play together. Educational classrooms were based on simple, minimalist designs to prevent distractions.
Time and budget tensions were problematic
Photo: Ivan Avdeenko
Alesia Karnaukhova of Zikzak Architects talks about the design process, tight schedule, interior layout and the idea of a tree in the main lobby.
Viktor Bochenek: Thecreation of this arrangement was limited by budget and time constraints. What challenges did you encounter during the process?
Alesia Karnaukhova: We had to coordinate materials very quickly and speed up the furniture production process. The furniture was manufactured in Ukraine, delivered to Poland and assembled on site.
Minimalist solutions to prevent distractions
Photo: Ivan Avdeenko
Viktor: How was the interior layout of the school designed?
Alesia: The challenge was that the space was radial and we had to adjust it to optimally position the learning spaces for the students. Another extremely difficult task was that the number of students grew as the project progressed, so the layout changed in parallel, but the project completion date remained the same.
A challenge for the designers was that the space was irregular in nature
Photo: Ivan Avdeenko
Victor: Thecenter of the school was a significant attention-getter in this project. What was it that was most important?
Alesia: The event hall is the heart of the school. It is multifunctional, designed for performances, meetings, recreation and integration of children. Of course, it is bright and conceptual. The most distinctive element of the event room is a column reaching to the ceiling with layers of large circles placed on top of each other.
According to the concept, it is an abstract tree, and the poufs at the bottom are its fruits. The tree's crown has grown, and the lighting between its layers gives it a magical atmosphere. The tree embodies the powerful energy of knowledge, which leads to summits, symbolizing growth and renewal.
The educational space was meant to create a good environment not for learning, but also for integration and relaxation
Photo: Ivan Avdeenko
Victor: What should be paid attention to as a whole?
Alesia: Standards - children should be as safe and comfortable as possible. This is an educational space where each participant in the educational process has a place for learning, creativity and inspiration, an interactive process of acquiring knowledge and free time.
A column imitating a tree is its core, around which the life of the school is to take place on a daily basis.
Photo: Ivan Avdeenko
Viktor: What was the most challenging aspect of this project?
Alesia: The most challenging aspect of this project was the constant adaptation to changes in technical specifications during the heavily time-constrained design process, working in a constant revision mode. We are pleased with the result achieved despite the tight deadlines and the client's sincere gratitude for the work we did.
Victor: Thank you for the interview.
