树林中的房子丨波兰波兹南丨Wrzeszcz Architekci,mode:lina

Architects:Wrzeszcz Architekci,mode:lina

Area:475m²

Year:2024

Photographs:Przemysław Turlej,Patryk Lewiński

Category:Houses

Architecture:Borys i Mariusz Wrzeszcz, Maciej Jachowski

Interior Design:Anna Kazecka-Włodarczyk, Jerzy Woźniak, Paweł Garus,

Garden Design:Krzysztof Janik

City:Poznań

Country:Poland

Text description provided by the architects. House Among the Trees is the result of a collaboration between two studios: Wrzeszcz Architekci, responsible for the architectural design, and mode:lina™, which developed the interior concept and design. The shared ambition was to create a cohesive environment where architecture, interior space, and the surrounding landscape complement one another. The building was designed by Borys and Mariusz Wrzeszcz, while the interiors were developed by the mode:lina™ team with Anna Kazecka-Włodarczyk as lead designer and Jerzy Woźniak as co-author of the concept. The house was built on a plot densely filled with tall pine trees. From the outset, the project assumed that the building should not compete with its surroundings but instead become a natural extension of them. The architecture takes advantage of the site's potential, opening the house widely towards the landscape.

From the street, the building appears modest. Its multi-level form has a pavilion-like character, gradually revealing the scale of the interiors. The varying heights of the spaces are clearly expressed in the external form. Stepped rooflines introduce rhythm to the silhouette and emphasize the functions of individual areas - from the three-metre canopy above the entrance and the underground garage ramp, through the two-storey seven-metre hall with the staircase, to the four-metre dining room and the lower, more intimate kitchen connected with a terrace and outdoor kitchen.

"The house was designed to emphasize the potential of the site without competing with it. Its form gradually approaches the trees and turns towards them, taking advantage of their presence," say architects Borys and Mariusz Wrzeszcz

The ground floor forms the main living zone of the house. The hall, kitchen, dining room, living room, library, and an additional guest wing overlap and connect in varying degrees. The changing ceiling heights create a spatial hierarchy, moving from open, representative spaces to more intimate areas. Three terraces with different functions further strengthen the connection between the interior, the garden, and the surrounding forest. The upper floor contains the private sleeping area for five people - the parents' bedroom and the rooms of their three sons. The basement houses the technical zone with a garage. Tall pine trees naturally shade the building, allowing the use of large glazed openings. As a result, the interiors open widely towards the surrounding nature. The palette of façade materials was selected to harmonize with the landscape and echo the rhythm of the forest.

The interior design develops the architectural concept of a house among trees through clear material contrasts and a consistent spatial composition. The central element of the interior is the staircase located in the seven-metre-high hall. Its monolithic steel balustrade creates a bold geometric gesture cutting through the space. Set against a raw concrete wall, it forms a strong material contrast and becomes one of the most distinctive features of the house. "The staircase was meant to be a drawing in space - an element that organizes the entire ground floor and emphasizes the scale of the tall hall," says Jerzy Woźniak. The austerity of concrete and black surfaces is balanced by wooden slats appearing on walls and built-in elements. Their rhythmic structure warms the interior while also concealing doors and technical installations.

"We were interested in strong material contrasts - concrete, steel and black surfaces combined with the warmth of wood. In several places the interior introduces clear geometric volumes: the black kitchen cube, the slatted volume by the staircase and the built-in form in the bedroom. These elements refer to the architectural geometry of the house while organizing the space and concealing technical functions," says Anna Kazecka-Włodarczyk.

The ground floor layout is structured around a black cubic kitchen volume. From the outside, it resembles a monolithic object inserted into the interior. On the living room side, it incorporates wine refrigerators, forming a small bar serving the dining area with its several-metre-long table. Above the table hangs a light, graphic composition of Vibia Wireflow lamps that emphasizes the height and openness of this space. The main kitchen was designed and manufactured by Halupczok. A large island with an additional table serves everyday breakfasts, while the working kitchen area contains professional appliances, including a pizza oven. The kitchen reflects the owners' passion for cooking and forms an important social hub of the house. The living room opens through large glazing towards a private forest. The greenery becomes a natural extension of the interior, while light entering through tall windows shapes the concrete and wooden surfaces. One wall is occupied by an extensive shelving system accommodating books, albums, collections, and family memorabilia. Adjacent to the living room is the study - a workspace with a large desk, space for computers and DJ equipment, and extensive bookshelves. Wooden slats appear here as well, organizing the walls and improving acoustics.

The house is home to a family of five - a couple with three sons - which made a clear functional division essential. The ground floor serves as the shared living zone, while the upper level forms the private area with bedrooms and wardrobes. The master bedroom is calmer and more intimate, featuring a slatted wall that softens the atmosphere. The children's bathrooms are kept in a monochromatic palette, broken with strong accents of red and yellow. The guest part also includes a dark, atmospheric home gym. The materials used throughout the house - concrete, wood, steel, and glass - were chosen for their durability and timeless character. The interior also leaves space for art: some walls remain white to display paintings from the owners' private collection. House Among the Trees demonstrates a cohesive collaboration between architecture and interior design. Architecture defines the spatial structure and the relationship with the landscape, while the interior design develops these ideas through material, light, and detail. The result is a space closely connected with its natural surroundings while responding to the everyday life of a five-member family.

Project gallery