Designing at the intersection of different orders is never easy. In the case of the complex in Poznań's Jeżyce district, however, architecture from the Insomia studio has lived up to expectations. There is, however, a spoonful of ointment: the ambitious plans to civilize the surroundings could not be realized.
We showed the project of a small residential complex at 7 Słowackiego Street in Poznań less than two years ago, and today the building and the adjacent green recreational area are ready. The location of the house designed by the Insomia studio from Poznań was a challenge. The narrow long plot is located between Art Nouveau villa houses from the early 20th century and the contemporary Globis office building, which two decades ago filled the empty space left by tenements destroyed in 1945. Also standing next door is the 1964 modernist Mercure Hotel, and across Slowackiego Street, also a modernist, though much more massive, simple health center building from the late 1940s.
Residential complex, 7 Słowackiego St., Poznań, designed by Insomia - view from under the Mercure hotel; in the foreground: the renovated but deserted hotel courtyard; on the right: the Globis office building
photo: Jakub Głaz
tight, but with a nod
In such an environment, Insomia's architects designed a block broken into three residential segments of different sizes, united by a "foot" of the first floor intended for services. Such a division, by the way, resulted from the development conditions, which the designers "inherited" when accepting the order from the investor - the Proxin company. Within such an imposed framework, they did as much as possible to make the building and its neighbors disturb each other as little as possible on a tight plot .
Residential complex, 7 Słowackiego St., Poznań, design: Insomia - juxtaposition of new form and villa-like tenement on the corner of Słowackiego and Mickiewicza Streets
Photo: Jakub Głaz
Hence the sloping walls of the top floors on both sides (more light for neighboring houses) and the diagonal undercutting of the first floor zone (more space on the developed plot). The latter is also diversified by extensive arches, whose form, unusual in today's architecture, can be interpreted as an aesthetic nod to the equally unobvious Art Nouveau forms.
In addition, the masses have been enlivened by an irregular arrangement of windows, deep coffered loggias and balconies of various shapes. What is almost uniform, however, is the finishing of the facade - from the first floor to the roof (with the exception of the under-window panels) clad with light flexible m oldings imitating the originally planned ceramic cladding.
Inside, there were 58 apartments, mostly two-bedroom, with acceptable, sometimes resultant floor plans - worse than the usual Insomia, whose trademark is extremely accurately and efficiently laid out apartments. Here we are dealing with a rather average standard, in which the so-called kitchen annexes lacking their assigned window are mostly unavoidable. The zoning of functions is also limping at times.
Residential complex, 7 Słowackiego St., Poznań, designed by Insomia - first floor plan.
© Insomia
still visible
Nevertheless, the massing, workmanship and relationship with the neighborhood should be assessed very positively. The building has settled well in the complex surroundings and is a graceful link between the old and the modern. Slopes and undercuts fulfill their role. They give the rear elevations of neighboring townhouses a little more breath. They also work well as an aesthetic link to the traditional steep roofs of this part of Jeżyce. At the moment, the building is still well visible from Roosevelt Street and the Theater Bridge, through a still undeveloped plot with a substandard parking lot. When the long-planned volume will stand there instead of cars, the new complex will be exposed only from the other side - from the spacious courtyard of the Mercure Hotel.
Residential complex, 7 Słowackiego St., Poznań, design: Insomia - view of the new building from the area of the Theater Bridge; from the left: Bałtyk office building, Mercure hotel, Globis, building at 7 Słowackiego St., health center; in the foreground: sub-standard parking lot in the development site at the intersection of Słowackiego and Roosevelta streets
Photo: Jakub Głaz
It's time for the promised spoonful of ointment: unfortunately, despite the efforts of the studio led by Szymon Januszewski, it has not been possible to functionally and visually combine the investment area, the aforementioned hotel square (without a patch of greenery!), the urban plot between tenement houses on Mickiewicza Street and the attractively developed area around the Globis office building a year ago (also by Insomia).
Residential complex, 7 Słowackiego St., Poznań, designed by Insomia - view from the recreational space next to the Globis office building also designed by Insomia studio (2022); on the left - a fragment of the hotel's courtyard
Photo: Jakub Głaz
Yes, next door - on the south side of the new building, as a coherent part of the new development, an interestingly landscaped green area was created, integrated into a mature old-growth forest. Unfortunately, the investor - contrary to the intentions of the designers - fenced his property with a shoddy fence (fortunately, he did not put barriers on the side of Slowackiego street). Also fenced in now is a neighboring small plot of land, sown in grass, where, by the way, the previously planned new trees are not visible. The mix of municipal and private property creates an unfriendly patchwork.
Residential complex, 7 Słowackiego St., Poznań, design: Insomia - green square on the project site - view from the south.
photo: Jakub Głaz
phantom walkway
Thus, Insomia's ambitious and very sensible plan to create a green walkway along the new building, on a north-south axis, connecting Slowackiego, Zwierzyniecka, Mickiewicza and Roosevelt streets, failed. This happened, among other things, due to the inertia of the City, which was to take over the green part of the new development and connect it to the land it owns on Mickiewicza Street.
Residential complex, 7 Słowackiego Street, Poznań, proj.: Insomia - the situation and the planned green connection of the project site with neighboring plots. This would create an attractive walkway connecting Zwierzyniecka Street (left) with Slowackiego Street (right), Mickiewicza Street (top) and - through the hotel courtyard (in the lower left corner of the illustration) - with Roosevelt Street (bottom). In the lower right corner - Globis office building. At the top - freestanding villa houses along Mickiewicza Street.
© Insomia
Is a return to this sensible scenario possible? Hopes are fading, as the investor has sold the premises and the area will be managed by a housing community. Knowing Polish customs and the tendency to fence off everything that falls by the wayside, the community will not care about opening the area more to the city.
Residential complex, 7 Słowackiego St., Poznań, proj.: Insomia - view from the south toward Słowackiego St.; on the left - a tenement house on Słowackiego St.; on the right - Globis office building and Mercure hotel courtyard; an open passage common to all adjacent properties was to run through this area
photo: Jakub Glaz
The only hope is in the pressure from first floor tenants, who - instead of a relatively spacious forecourt - now have a sparse space overlooking the fence. If the commercial premises are taken over by caterers, they will surely care about better accessibility to their services and - perhaps - the fence and other obstacles will be removed.
