studio de.materia clads twin apartment buildings in stone + wood in poland

studio de.materia has completed a set of twin apartment buildings in karpacz, a town in poland’s karkonosze mountains, whose design takes cues from examples of vernacular architecture. a solid stone plinth of hand-formed gneiss rocks forms the exterior of the two lower floors of the buildings, while a much lighter wooden frame wraps the upper levels. at the same time, strategically placed full-height glazing on all floors offers views of the surrounding landscape.all images by ONI studio

drawing from the area’s wooden mountain shelters and houses from the turn of the 19th and 20th century, studio de.materia has translated traditional elements in a contemporary way. characteristics such as solid stone plinth, exposed half-timbered construction, gable ends, and roofs covered with wooden shingles appear in the project in an updated manner. the concrete structure of the two lower floors is covered in hand-formed gneiss rock, creating a solid stone plinth that serves as the base for the much lighter wooden frame of the upper floors.

full-height glazing allows the internal wooden structure of the buildings to become visible from the outside, resembling a half-timbered type construction with its composition. additionally, wooden vertical fins above the glazing of the gable walls references typical regional wooden gables, while the upper floor façades and the roof are cladded in the same material. complemented by concrete and granite, wood is also the main material defining the apartments’ interiors.

the two buildings are located on a 3.670 sqm plot: the first one, which measures 446 sqm, houses eight independent apartments; while the second, measuring 565 sqm, contains seven apartments and an underground garage. each apartment consists of a kitchen and dining space, a living room and a separate bedroom. thanks to full-height glazing, the apartments benefit from views of the surrounding landscape, including the neighbouring forest on the east, and a panorama of the karkonosze mountain range on the south and west.