Elementary School near Warsaw / Grupa 5 Architekci

Architects: Grupa 5 Architekci (Dziedziejko, Kadłubowski, Leszczyński, Mycielski, Zelent)
Location: Podkowa Leśna, Poland
Architect In Charge: Marcin Zatoński
Project Year: 2011
Project Area: 3500.0 sqm
Photographs: Marcin Czechowicz

An elementary school in a picturesque and tranquil suburbian town near Warsaw.

The building is embedded in a unique setting in the center of the town – surrounded by freestanding family houses, intimate gardens and an old church. In order to tie in to the existing context, the relatively large object was divided into several smaller ones, with the largest part – the gym hidden at the back. A further breakdown in its scale was achieved by the composition of the elevations and use of three different materials – white plaster, wooden panels and concrete bricks.

The building is divided into two parts, each with independent access: for sport and for teaching. The class with the youngest pupils on the ground floor has direct access to a green courtyard. The basement comprises a multimedia room designed for projecting films, holding lectures and staging performances. The school is to be immersed in a copious greenery.