Architects: KWK PROMES
Area: 411 m²
Year: 2013
Photography: Jakub Certowicz, Olo Studio
Lead Arhitects: Robert Konieczny
Collaborators: Magdalena Adamczak, Katarzyna Furgalińska, Jakub Pstraś, Aleksandra Stolecka, Adam Radzimski
Construction: Jan Głuszyński, Kornel Szyndler
Installations: CEGROUP
City: Katowice
Country: Poland
Living-Garden House in Katowice, designed by KWK PROMES, blends traditional Silesian architecture with modern element. The house incorporates red masonry walls and a distinctive overhanging first floor that integrates with the garden. The project maximizes privacy by creating a dual-faced structure—closed on the street side and open towards the garden. Completed in 2013, the design allows indoor spaces to merge seamlessly with outdoor areas, enhancing the connection to nature.
The house, located in Katowice, Poland, was designed by KWK PROMES and reflects local architectural traditions, such as Silesian worker settlements with red masonry walls and asphalt-lined gable roofs. While adhering to local regulations that demanded traditional development, the design was adapted to ensure privacy. The ground floor runs parallel to the road, shielding the backyard garden, while the first floor is rotated 90 degrees to extend over and into the garden. This rotation gives the building two distinct faces: a closed, private side facing the street, and an open, glazed side that connects with the garden. Beneath the overhang, a living-garden space is creates, where the glass partitions can be removed on warm days, allowing the indoor area to blend seamlessly with the garden, with the flooring transitioning into grass.
The prominent overhang is supported by two reinforced concrete walls, clad in stainless steel to create a dematerializing effect. The interior space extends into the garden both physically and visually.
In the living area, wall sections meet the homeowners’ desire for a private space, transforming into a home cinema when the curtains are drawn.
The first floor serves as the night area, with bedrooms overlooking terraces on the flat roof of the ground floor.
The house employs monolithic construction, finished with clinker brick, covering not only the external walls but also the garage doors.
The roof features grey EPDM membranes and concealed gutters. The wooden cladding on the upper terraces and soffit panels is sourced from local suppliers, matching the material at the base of the stairs.
The interior of the brick-clad ground and first floors is kept in white, with polyurethane resin flooring, while walls and furnishings are finished with glossy lacquered MDF boards.
The living-garden space under the overhang is treated with materials that emphasize the connection with nature. The flooring mimics grass, and the external glass partitions, provided by Skyframe, can be fully retracted into wall niches.
The overhang is supported by reinforced concrete walls that create an intimate space for a home theater. Externally, these walls are clad in mirror-finished stainless steel, contributing to the sense of nature flowing beneath the building. Internally, the theater space is finished in dark colors, with carpeting, fabric-covered walls matching the sofa, and a ceiling of mirror-finished stainless steel. This space opens to the southern garden via Skyframe glazing and connects to the living-garden area, with curtains provided for privacy during screenings.
Project Gallery
Project Location
Address: Katowice, Poland
Location is for general reference and may represent a city or country, not necessarily a precise address.
