Once again, architects from the Insomia studio faced the realization of an unusual high-density residential development. On a small area they erected sixteen buildings with medium and large apartments. It is interesting, diverse and functional, although one feels the excess of ideas in a small space.
This is the second investment in Poznań by AREA Development according to the Insomia studio, which is an intermediate link between a single-family house and an apartment. we published the announcement of its construction two years ago. the first, much more extensive, was built in the last four years in the Strzeszyn district and - deservedly - collected many awards.
The enclave, called Nowy Strzeszyn, is a row of mostly non-basement buildings integrated into a preserved birch grove, which exemplifies architecture with human scale, refined details and material solutions. The development is dense, but allows for intimacy. Such a solution is reminiscent of similar developments in Western Europe in the 1970s. Szymon Januszewski, head of Insomia, spoke directly about the inspiration of these examples contained in the valuable book "Small Residential Complexes" published in Poland in the early 1980s. In terraced or multi-family houses, the architects designed medium-sized apartments (up to 69 sq m). All with good floor plans that make optimal use of the square meters. The kind that has been the hallmark of most Insomia-designed housing for years.
Murawa 2 residential complex in Poznań, designed by Insomia - view from the south from Winogrady Street, streetcar tracks in the foreground
photo: Jakub Głaz
next to offices and blocks
Now an investment called Murawa 2 based on a similar principle is coming to an end, only that on a much smaller plot and closer to downtown. A complex of sixteen detached houses with three overground floors has been built on the outskirts of the city's largest park, Cytadela, at the junction of Murawa and Winogrady streets. This is a very good location - a few streetcar stops from the center. The plot was previously occupied by a one-story commercial pavilion and trees, some of which were preserved during construction. Next door, along Murawa Street, stands a set of successful low-rise office buildings from 2011 by RKW Rhode Kellermann Wawrowsky studio .
Office buildings on Murawa Street, designed by RKW Rhode Kellerman Wawrowsky, construction: 2011
photo: Jakub Głaz
In the neighborhood there are also streets with uninteresting single-family buildings started before the war and continued during the communist years. On the other side of the intersection, meanwhile, stand multi-family houses in the postmodern but restrained spirit of the 1990s.
The new enclave matches the quality of the successful neighboring office buildings, but introduces a different type of development. It is dense, carefully thought out in terms of functionality, and at the same time very diverse. Essentially, it consists of two parts separated from each other by a sunken internal street serving garages and underground parking, which, although accessible from the "ground" level of this drive-through, are essentially an underground storey.
Murawa 2 residential complex in Poznań, designed by Insomia - buildings between Murawa Street and an internal street serving garages
photo: Jakub Głaz
On the west side of the drive stands a disciplined row of three similar buildings clad largely in wood, with a terraced floor plan. The distinctive beveled terrace covers and nearly windowless western elevations provide a counterpoint to the straight row of office buildings on Murawa Street. A semicircular cutout in one of the houses is subordinate to the tree growing here. A second identical arch in the corner building repeats this solution.
Murawa 2 residential complex in Poznań, design: Insomia - the form of the building was adjusted to the existing tree
photo: Jakub Głaz
interpreted complex
What happens on the eastern more spacious part of the plot? Thirteen other houses with very different masses and elevations covered with pent or flat roofs (the latter serving as terraces) are located here. They are organized loosely around a green courtyard and a pedestrian walkway cutting through this section on an east-west axis connecting Murawa and Gromadzka Streets.
Murawa 2 residential complex in Poznan, designed by Insomia - green courtyard with seating and a trellis acting as a lantern, view from the west; single-family houses on Gromadzka Street are visible in the clearances
Photo: Jakub Głaz
Narrow pedestrian walkways are also located between the buildings. In turn, private gardens of various sizes are adjacent to the courtyard. The facades here are finished with dark plaster and light and graphite perforated corrugated metal. Vines will grow on parts of the plastered walls. The openwork and curved covers of the external staircases are made of wood . You can also see the glazed shafts of elevators serving some of the higher-standard houses.
Murawa 2 residential complex in Poznań, proj.: Insomia - passage between buildings and entrance to external staircase
photo: Jakub Głaz
Indeed, most of the buildings consist of two units accessible from the outside; formally they are single-family houses. This is because the estate was built on an area provided in the local plan for single-family housing or service buildings "for basic services" - with a height of 10 meters (flat roofs) and 13 (steep roofs). Thus, this provision has been subjected to a far-reaching interpretation, which can be seen in the official name of the project defined as "a complex of 16 single-family (two-family) detached residential buildings."
Murawa 2 residential complex in Poznań, design: Insomia - some apartments are accessible by elevators
photo: Jakub Głaz
yuz cozy
What do the units look like? Larger than in Nowy Strzeszyn, they range in size from 53 to 115 sqm and are one- and two-story . The largest - combined with two-car garages in the underground floor. Most of the apartments feature two-story high living rooms with mezzanine floors. Apartment floor plans are satisfactory or very good. Special praise is due, as usual with Insomia, for reducing empty meters of corridors to a minimum. Only the almost complete abandonment of windows on the western elevations of the buildings on Murawa Street seems questionable. Neither the stairwells nor the few rooms adjacent to these walls have them here, although the view from them would have been interesting - of open bright space.
Murawa 2 residential complex in Poznan, design: Insomia - view of the corner building from the northwest from Murawa Street
photo: Jakub Głaz
The standard of finishes and amenities in the apartments is high: underfloor heating, electrically controlled awnings on terraces and loggias, high-quality energy-efficient wooden windows, and aluminum external blinds have been used. Prices are therefore also high here, which is also determined by the unique location; some apartments are still waiting for buyers.
Murawa 2 residential complex in Poznań, design: Insomia - view from the courtyard to the buildings on Gromadzka Street, visible fragments of lamp and seats
photo: Jakub Głaz
So what overall impression can Murawa 2 make? As in Nowy Strzeszyn, one can see the attention to quality, detail and proportions of this rather complicated residential puzzle. The whole thing already has an intimate and in its own way "cozy" character, and this despite the fact that the lush greenery shown in the visualizations is not yet visible. But, first of all, it's winter, secondly, there are still trees waiting to be planted in the spacious pots on the terraces, and thirdly, in the private gardens the residents are just beginning to arrange. In contrast, the perfect arrangement of greenery in Nowy Strzeszyn gives hope that it will be the same here. The already visible effect of a smooth transition from public, through public to private space will then become even more natural.
Murawa 2 residential complex in Poznań, design: Insomia, visualization.
© insomia
a little too much
However, it's tighter here than in Insomia's earlier housing complex, so the accumulation of so many different forms in a small area seems a bit problematic. The slightly over-stylized eastern section could use some restraint, which is evident in the row of three houses on the western side. It also wouldn't hurt to slim down the complex by two or three buildings to make a little more room for the passages running between them.
Murawa 2 residential complex in Poznań, design: Insomia - transition from an internal street towards a green courtyard
photo: Jakub Głaz
Finally, the automobile street between the two parts looks rather sad thanks to the recess and the entrance gates to individual and collective garages. Something for something. Thanks to it and the underground parking spaces, a lot of common spaces have been set aside in the remaining area. It should also be added that the alley and pedestrian passages are not paved and will absorb rainwater thanks to permeable surfaces.
Regardless of the objections indicated, the enclave on Murawa Street should therefore be considered a success. Uniqueness of form, attention to detail, greenery and diversity of the complex go hand in hand with functionality. This is another very good realization of Insomia in Poznań.
