Zorro is the name given to a multifamily apartment building that was completed last year according to the idea of architects from the {tag:pracownie} studio. As they themselves say about the project, this building was supposed to be an architectural superhero. Maciej Franta's atelier consistently implements and designs more buildings according to its style and ideology.
That is, what kind of buildings? With view openings to the surroundings, eye-catching in form, but at the same time simple and inexpensive in construction. This is what Chorzow's Villa Reden is like, this is what Zorro is like, and this is what the Katowice apartment complex called Vidok promises to be like. All three examples also share a black facade. This particular one is controversial in the era of climate change. The authors defend their concept, arguing that with such deep and large terraces, the protruding dark elements protect the interiors of the apartments from overheating in the summer, while in winter the heated walls of the building give off heat, raising the ambient temperature. This is supposed to give residents the desired effect of shade and coolness in the apartment during hot days and feeling more comfortable on the balcony during colder seasons.
The residential block, which has a fairly simple shape, is surrounded by large balconies (so-called summer lounges), which are also a major asset of the facade and individual apartments
photo: Adam Then © Franta Group
There are shaded terraces in the building, but the largest ones, arranged in a cascade, are no longer covered by any canopy, and the sun nevertheless leans against the facade. Instead, the stepped terraces are separated by a vertical garden. Their surface area is impressive, the question remains how the plants will cope in these conditions. So-called summer lounges and summer gardens are specified in the design. Well, it may turn out that palm trees will do best in these gardens - time will tell. But I want to emphasize that the very idea of adding more than enough outdoor space to each apartment is commendable. And when I asked Maciej Franta about the reason for using black color on the facade, I heard the answer that it, among other things, matched the name taken from Zorro. What this character looks like, I don't need to explain.
situation
Illustrations courtesy of the Franta Group studio
In summer, the building is "bigger" by about 35 percent. This is an added value to the area of the apartments. Since we have more and more warm days a year, a terrace on the scale of another large room makes even more sense. Compared to the large slab blocks in the neighborhood, which have typical sized balconies, this is a huge bonus. It was even proposed to the developer to install infrared heating systems on the terraces to make this space essentially year-round. In the end, the idea was not implemented, but the square footage of the balconies is large enough for residents to set up a gas heater on their own, for example.
diagram of the shape of the building's body
Illustrations courtesy of the Franta Group studio
With a bit of luck and good visibility from Zorro, it is possible to see the Beskids. You can also have breakfast, drink coffee - the terraces can accommodate not only a folding chair, but also large pots or a hammock, and on some even a whole set of lounge furniture, and it is no exaggeration to call this space a summer living room. And a real living room is supposed to get a lot of light, but not sunshine - an inverted philosophy.
The terraces, or so-called summer gardens, are located in a cascading manner, which makes the building take on a more dynamic shape
photo: Adam Then © Franta Group
The architects wanted this "block" not to be a machine for survival, but for living and relaxing. The design was created in the spirit of living outside and returning to the natural needs of man: contact with the environment and access to air and greenery. The desire was to bring the quality of life in an apartment closer to the quality of life at home, because in principle a house from an apartment does not differ when you are inside. You only see the difference when you step out of it: it's a private (smaller or larger) garden.
projections
Illustrations courtesy of Franta Group studio
The building was meant to prove that interesting architecture is not reserved exclusively for metropolises. This has already been demonstrated several times in Zory. In this small city there is, among others, a very original building of the Museum of Fire (design: OVO Grąbczewscy Architekci) or a minimalist Transfer Center (design: Laboratory of Architecture). Zorro is commented on by residents and the architectural community mainly through the prism of appearance, while its facade was not at all a priority. According to the office's philosophy, the external appearance of a building does not enhance the quality of life in it, what matters is how it functions.
cross sections
Illustrations courtesy of the Franta Group studio
That's why expensive finishing materials were abandoned, and something cheap, easy to make and common was relied on. It's plaster - and the fact that it's black was enough to stir up controversy. There's also steel. On all sides, the building speaks the language of grid and scheme; it is surrounded by pillars that project a rhythm and support terraces. And between the columns, balustrades hold their rhythm. The residents are not separated from their neighbor's sight by any planned partition, they can separate themselves by themselves, but the architecture does not do it for them. I think it could be a good provocation to put up pots with a large evergreen tree, tall humming grass or a screen of vines. It can also be an opportunity to get to know the people who live next door and to establish neighborhood ties.
The columns and vertical elements of the railings give the facade a distinct and repetitive rhythm
photo: Adam Then © Franta Group
The first residents moved in last year, but it won't be until this summer that it will be possible to see how the tenants are arranging their spaces. An archived story from the Franta Group office reads: "It is very gratifying to see that the residents recognize the extraordinary potential of the summer lounges we designed and arrange them with greenery and hammocks, opening themselves to interact with the environment. Sometimes it is enough to create the right conditions, and life itself will fill them with values...".
balconies
Illustrations courtesy of Franta Group studios
You'll probably think that only premium clients could afford to buy an apartment in this building, and I'm not at all surprised, because while the location between a large market and average blocks and a (still) empty field is not prestigious, the quality of the architecture is. Confirmation that this is not just my opinion is the fact that Zorro won the top prize in the Housing Concept category of the 2022 World Design Awards. The block was under construction at the time, and the last apartments were still available. The price? From 6,800 to 7,500 zlotys per square meter. This is not a Kraków or Warsaw real estate market, but the rate was affordable for the prevailing realities, and such a development would not be ashamed of reputable locations in major European cities. A total of 51 apartments, ranging from 28.79 to 114.24 sq m, were delivered to the market.
A shaft of vertical communication separates the individual terraces and at the same time constitutes an independent vertical garden, which will change its appearance depending on the season
Photo: Adam Then © Franta Group
You don't have to be Sherlock to find apartments from this development on popular portals for finding apartments for long-term and short-term rentals. Some ads don't even specify the street and city, as if by implication the building's name alone should tell everyone enough. Rental prices above the average found in the area. This address is already a brand. Let it give more developers food for thought - quality architecture pays off. Some have known this for a long time.
temperature pattern - in the summer, the deep-deck balcony panels protect the building from overheating, and in the winter, the building walls give off heat, raising the ambient temperature
Illustrations courtesy of the Franta Group studio
The project was already drawing attention and gaining publicity during construction. As I mentioned, it was recognized in jury deliberations, industry publications, but also by passersby. Although not everyone likes it, it's hard to pass by it indifferently. The external appearance was not the starting point, but the result of the entire design process. The architects' goal was to create the best possible living conditions and focus on human needs. The final shape of the block is a reflection of, among other things, sunshine analyses. It is also a contemporary response to the monotonous cuboid architecture native to the People's Republic of Poland - it is basically a decomposition of a typical block of flats and giving the cube lightness by surrounding it with an openwork skeleton. On top of this, it has managed to give the typical exterior elements an interior feel.
Before criticizing the predictable and poor quality architecture of smaller cities, one should consider whether these cities and their residents are ready for a new level. In this case, developer Blockhaus has bet on quality, and it has certainly paid off. Much more creativity than financial outlay was used here. It has proven that non-trivial does not mean more expensive. Components that add originality to the building are not an additional cost. For example, columns are an element that allows you to easily and inexpensively install balustrades and make balconies without expensive brackets.
The elements surrounding the walls of the building add lightness to the whole mass; the most important role is played here by slanted lines, which emphasize the irregular shape of the upper part of the building and complete the facade
Photo: Adam Then © Franta Group
Now the ball is in the residents' court, and it's up to them to decide whether greenery will take over these large balconies and whether reality will match the lush vegetation from the developer's visuals. For the time being, air conditioners have appeared on many balconies in addition to pots. It's as if the residents don't believe that, probably thanks to the window shades, they won't be needed. It can be said that there are several winners in this situation. The design bureau has a satisfactory realization, the developer a profitable investment that is talked about, the urban space a distinctive dominant feature, and the residents comfortable apartments. If the goal of this superhero was to make someone happy, I think the mission succeeded.
Marta Kulawik
more: A&B 3/2025 - RESIDENCE,
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