The concept of a contemporary tenement house for Łódź, designed by the Raczko Kokoszkiewicz Architekci studio, is a competition project that has not yet been implemented. The work won first prize in the first edition of the Contemporary Łódź Tenement House competition in 2016 and received a distinction for the apartment design.
Łódź tenement house – analysis
The layout proposed by architects Marcin Kokoszkiewicz and Joanna Raczko-Kokoszkiewicz was based on their in-depth study of 19th-century tenement houses in Łódź. At that time, the form of this type of building was closely linked to the social order and clearly reflected the differences in the status of its residents. The front part was intended for wealthier tenants, while the outbuildings at the back of the plot served auxiliary functions and were inhabited by the poorer population. The premises in the outbuildings offered low comfort, lack of privacy and limited ventilation, and the courtyards were used by many groups of users at the same time. Flats on the upper floors also enjoyed less prestige.
The old model of a tenement house
According to the authors of the project, this established spatial pattern does not meet the current expectations of city dwellers. The biggest barrier remains the strong hierarchy embedded in the architecture of the tenement house, which influences the perception of the building regardless of social changes. Such a spatial order evokes negative associations and discourages people from living there, even in the context of a contemporary, more equal model of city life. For this reason, one of the key design challenges was to move away from established divisions and give the entire plot a comparable quality of use.
New building layout by Raczko Kokoszkiewicz Architects
Raczko Kokoszkiewicz Architekci based their design on the idea of a space that is homogeneous in perception, without any clear gradations in value. The authors sought to increase the attractiveness of the flats located in the depths of the plot and to ensure a similar standard of premises on all floors. The basis was a modified H-shaped layout with one central outbuilding, adapted to the lighting conditions. This scheme made it possible to reduce the division into privileged and subordinate zones, increase the privacy of the flats and change the role of the courtyard, which was given a quieter, semi-private dimension. Social functions were moved closer to the street, which was treated as a common space.
Contemporary Łódź Tenement House
In terms of architecture, the design assumed a high degree of individualisation of the flats through terraces, loggias, balconies and bay windows, while at the same time standardising the hygiene standards of the entire building. Most of the premises were designed with the possibility of ventilation from two sides. Instead of one large courtyard, several intimate, green courtyards were planned, and the roofs were designated as gardens accessible to residents. Another important element was the control of access to the interior of the complex. The façade was designed as a symmetrical, sculpted composition of brick and stone, with more pronounced outer sections topped with tower forms and a calmer centre of the façade.
Source: Raczko KokoszkiewiczArchitekci
See also:Architecture in Poland|Łódź|Metamorphosis|Tenement house | Architecture in Poland|City
