格丁尼亚历史银行建筑内公寓丨波兰格丁尼亚

An apartment in a historic bank building in Gdynia, Poland.

The project is an apartment of nearly 100 m², located in a pre-war residential building in Gdynia (its history is described in the book "Historie Gdyńskich Kamienic"  / "The Stories of Gdynia’s Historic Tenements" by Arkadiusz Brzęczek).

Below you will find a brief overview:

A historic bank building

In 1933, a monumental building of the State Agricultural Bank (Państwowy Bank Rolny) was completed on Wójta Radtkego Street in Gdynia. Designed by Marian Lalewicz, it represents late historicism with classical references, characteristic of Polish public architecture of the interwar period. The solid, monumental massing-articulated by an arcaded ground floor and a corner tower-was intended to convey the prestige and authority of the state institution. The upper floors housed high-standard residential apartments for bank employees and officials.

During the German occupation, the building was taken over by a German banking institution. One of the apartments also served as a clandestine liaison point of the Polish Home Army (Armia Krajowa); among those who stayed there was Jan Nowak-Jeziorański, later a prominent courier and chronicler of the Polish resistance.

Nearly ninety years later, the building continues to house a bank, while its residential interiors retain many of the characteristic features of the 1930s, including generous ceiling heights, large windows and original architectural detailing, preserving the atmosphere and elegance of the interwar period.

The 100 m² apartment, with a ceiling height of 320 cm, was designed to highlight both the modernist heritage of Gdynia and the character of the building itself. The layout includes a vestibule and entrance corridor leading to an open-plan living area comprising the kitchen, dining space and lounge. Adjacent to this are a small bathroom with a shower, a pantry, and a study that also functions as a guest room. The private zone consists of a spacious bedroom with a semi-open walk-in wardrobe and a large en-suite bathroom.

The interior is a harmonious combination of simple forms, classic materials - wood, metal, glass and ceramics, and a variety of textures, such as ornamental glass, linen curtains and wool rugs. In addition to bespoke built-in furniture, I also designed smaller pieces, from the media cabinets and shelving in the living room to dark-finished side tables. It was important to me that the interior be rich in art, including functional art: graphics by favourite artists, my own paintings, beautifully crafted wooden figurines by Ludism, minimalist wheel-thrown ceramics, and products from the Yuma collection designed by Ola Hyz.

The apartment also features lighting of my own design, created for the KASPA brand - the ceramic lamp collection Kylix. The name and form of the lamps reference the classical Greek kylix, a wide, shallow bowl. The shades, handcrafted from grey and natural clay by master potter Andrzej Plizga from Medynia Głogowska, give the project a distinctive character. Each lamp is a unique piece.

The interior arrangement is based on a combination of classic forms, contemporary design and vintage elements, some of which were restored especially for this apartment, including:– medical desks with preserved original frames and handles,– “Delta Chair” office chair by Wilkhahn, 1970,– Soft Pad Chair EA 216 designed by Ray and Charles Eames for Herman Miller (1969),– Chrome Reading Basket designed by Willi Glaeser for Thomas Merlo & Partner, 1980s,– Chrome IKEA Ry, a vintage bedside table designed by Tord Björklund, 1980s.

Stained glass made of ornamental glass, soft curves inspired by Gdynia’s modernism, and the minimalist lines of the furniture and details make the apartment a contemporary interpretation of 1930s architecture - one in which the history of Gdynia meets a modern lifestyle.