A house resembling a periscope has been built on the shores of Lake Żywieckie. This unusual design was created to restore the view of the water, which is virtually invisible from the plot. MUS Architects’ solution was a three-storey structure inspired precisely by the function of a periscope. The design utilised the building’s height to ‘look out’ over the earthen embankment surrounding the lake and open up the interiors to the Beskid landscape.
Periscope – a house by the lake
The designers’ starting point was not a striking form or a desire to create a sculptural object. It all began with a specific problem with the plot. The property is situated right by the lake, yet the beautiful views are completely obscured by an earth embankment. Furthermore, the plot itself is situated below the water level. For this reason, all the advantages of the surroundings ceased to matter. Architects Adam Zwierzyński and Anna Porębska treated this inconvenience as the main theme of the project. Instead of fighting the terrain, they used it to create a building that functions like an optical periscope. Thus was born the idea of a house that ‘looks’ over the obstacle, allowing the residents to admire the views of the lake and the opposite slopes of the Beskid Żywiecki.
The inverted layout of the house
The most unusual aspect of the entire project is the way the various functions are arranged. The classic layout has been reversed here. The living area has been placed at the highest point, giving the living room, dining room and kitchen a panoramic view of the surroundings. The ground floor features an entrance, a hall, a double garage and a spa area with access to the garden. The first floor is designated as the private area, comprising bedrooms and a bathroom. It is only at the very top that the house’s most impressive space appears. The entire façade facing the lake is filled with glazing stretching across the width of the building.
A periscope over the Beskids
The top floor serves as an architectural ‘periscope eye’. It is here that the residents can observe the lake above the line of the earthen embankment, though the designers have also ensured the possibility of engaging with the landscape at various heights. Private terraces adjoining the rooms allow the surroundings to be viewed from a more intimate perspective. The house thus functions as a device for observing the surroundings, except that instead of lenses, it utilises architecture and strategically positioned storeys.
A simple form for functionality
The building’s form is understated yet highly distinctive. On the north side, there is a separate staircase connecting all levels. The garage also houses a goods lift, allowing shopping to be transported directly to the kitchen on the top floor.
The entire design is geared towards ease of use and the enjoyment of the beautiful view. Here, architecture has become a tool for observation, allowing one to see far more than the plot itself offers.
About the studio:
MUS Architects is a Katowice-based studio led by Anna Porębska and Adam Zwierzyński, graduates of the Faculty of Architecture at the Silesian University of Technology. The studio has been operating since 2010, and the name MUS stands for ‘made up space’, which refers to the idea of creating and composing space. The architects focus mainly on designs for detached houses, interiors and public buildings. The studio has won awards in national and international competitions.
Project: MUS Architects
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