Housing Complex / medusagroup

Architects: medusagroup
Location: Katowice, Poland
Principals: Przemo Lukasik, Lukasz Zagała
Project Team: Dawid Beil, Rafał Dziedzic, Kuba Pudo, Tomasz Majewski, Dominik Jaksik, Maria Jaksik, Justyna Siwińska, Agnieszka Szewera, Dominika Marek
Structural Engineering: Statyk
Investor: Millenium Inwestycje sp. z o.o.
Site Area: 8,914 sqm
Project Year: 2006-2009
Photographs: Miłosz Jaksik

Two buildings of the complex were designed as gallery-type buildings placed parallelly to each other with wide boulevard between them. The third one is an apartment building. The authors’ ambition was to break pejorative reception of buildings of this type in Poland: infamous legacy of realizations in 70′. The humanized space of mini park between the buildings and galleries protected with glass against weather conditions are to create an attractive neighborhood space which usually does not exist in typical block of flats with staircase.

Northern building

Northern building is a five storey one with underground parking (shared with the apartment building). Communication with 3 galleries – a solid with staircase and elevator adheres on the east side. Building form is simple with galleries on the north side and a series of balconies on the south. The whole building was plastered in graphite colour while only the last storey has wooden siding. Additionally balconies are separated from each other with wooden openwork screens. Windows were designed in woodwork as porte fenetres. On the outside each window is closed by glass barrier. The galleries are screened by glass plates and their walls are covered with fibre-plasterboards in intensive yellow colour. Services functions are located on the ground level – these were glazed on the level’s circumference with big shop windows.

Southern building

Southern building is of gallery typology created as a result of superposition of terraced housing. Building form is simple and designed in contemporary stylistics. Elevations are finished with graphite coloured plaster and partially with wooden siding.

The building has two level dwellings. The lower part with independent entrances on the passage side and garden on the south side is covered by two-level apartments accessible from the gallery located on the last storey (on the north side). Daytime part was designed on the entrance level whereas bedrooms are one level lower.

On both sides of the gallery there are external staircases of which the east one has elevator. Staircases were made of architectural concrete.

Apartment building

Because of its location (the central part of the housing estate) and high standard this building is to be the main dominant of the estate. It was designed as six-storey building with underground parking in “cage” arrangement. There are 10 luxury apartments – 2 on each floor. The residential part of the building lies on the socle withdrawn to the inside. The socle holds entrance hall with elevator and staircase and room meant for services. The elevations: northern, eastern and western are designed as a facade with porte fenetres. On the southern elevation there are terraces covered with openwork screens made of wooden planks. All elevations are finished with graphite coloured plaster.

Boulevard

Between the buildings there is internal and wide public boulevard. Recreational space is located in the central part of the boulevard and is surrounded by hardened pavement on both sides. Children’s playground is situated on the south-western part and is surrounded by urbanized green.