This project by students at the Sopot Academy of Applied Sciences was inspired by the work of Hanna Żuławska. Mikołaj Hewelt and Iga Dettlaff have created a contemporary interpretation of a Gdańsk tenement block, in which the mosaic is not merely a decorative element but formsthe foundation of the architectural concept. It is a story of how the artist’s language can be translated onto the scale of a building, rather than merely a single detail.
The project was developed as part of a conservation design course at the Faculty of Architecture, Engineering and Art, under the supervision of Dr Ilona Dardzińska, Eng. Arch. The students drew on the local artistic heritage, treating it as a source of inspiration rather than a set of patterns to be replicated. The tenement house was conceived as a contemporary interpretation – architecture that might have been created had Hanna Żuławska been given complete creative freedom and been able to tell her story not through a single mosaic, but through the entire building.
Mosaic as a language of architecture
In the design, the mosaic becomes a tool for building the identity of the place. It permeates the façade, channels light, shapes divisions and accents, creating a structure that does not refer to historicising stylisation. It is a contemporary interpretation in which the material, chiaroscuro and detail form a coherent narrative. The tenement house is not a reconstruction – it is an attempt to answer the question of what architecture inspired by Żuławska’s work might look like, were her mosaics to become not an accessory but the main building block of the concept.
Six encounters with art
Behind the façade lies another layer of the project. The students have designed six residences, each of which is an interpretation of a single artist’s work. The residence inspired by Tamara Łempicka is based on elegance and modernity. Geometric light, fine materials and striking contrasts create a cinematic atmosphere. In the interpretation of Stanisław Wyspiański, the interior takes on an organic quality – wood, stained-glass windows and soft lines shape a space that responds to light and changes throughout the day. Józef Mehoffer brings a wealth of ornamentation: cobalt, gold and botanical motifs create an interior reminiscent of a work of craftsmanship.
In the residence inspired by Olga Boznańska, a sense of tranquillity prevails. Diffused light, subtle colours and soft textures create an atmosphere of intimacy, as if the space were built from thin layers of colour. In Władysław Strzemiński’s interpretation, architecture becomes a composition – organic lines, calm surfaces and a limited colour palette organise the interior. Kazimierz Malewicz, on the other hand, steers the design towards an idea: pure forms, the tension between colour and emptiness, and bold geometry reduce the space to its essence.
Architecture as a narrative of heritage
Although each residence speaks a different language, they all form a coherent narrative. This is a project in which architecture and art go hand in hand. The students treated artistic heritage as a source of imagination. As a result, the tenement house becomes a contemporary interpretation of local tradition, whilst also serving as a proposal that could function within the real urban fabric.
‘Mosaic of Memory’ is a project that demonstrates how history can be creatively interpreted. Mikołaj Hewelt and Iga Dettlaff do not attempt to recreate the past – they propose architecture that draws inspiration from it and transforms it into a new narrative. It is a vision of a tenement block that might have been built had Hanna Żuławska been able to translate her artistic language onto the scale of a building. The result is a concept that combines local heritage with a contemporary design sensibility.
Authors: Mikołaj Hewelt, Iga Dettlaff
See also: Education | Tenement block | Gdańsk | History | whiteMAD on Instagram
