An old outbuilding will regain its lustre. Konopacka investment in the heart of Warsaw’s Praga district

It is an example of the marriage of old architectural fabric with modern architecture. A complex of Konopacka residential buildings is under construction in Warsaw’s Praga Północ district. Their design was prepared by architects from the WXCA studio. It is a special place where the past mixes with the present, showing the rich history and culture of Praga. The investment is being carried out by PROFIT Development.

Nearly 150 flats will be builtaspart of theKonopacka project, with areas ranging from about 25 to 59 square metres. The trump card of the place is its location. This is the heart of Praga – now called Nowa Praga – and the future residents will have artisan shops, restaurants or cafes at their fingertips. It is close to Dworzec Wileński and the underground, and by bike to the new footbridge over the Vistula, which will make getting to the Vistula boulevards much easier. The investor anticipates that people who appreciate city life and its cultural offer will live here. Another asset is the historic fabric with which residents will interact. In addition to the construction of new architecture, the conservation work includes the historic annexe, which was built more than 150 years ago.

A new chapter in history

Thedevelopment history of the plot at 12 KonopackaStreet dates back to the late 19th century. Between 1877 and 1878, a sizable wooden villa-style building and accompanying outbuildings were constructed. Then, between 1897 and 1898, the buildings were supplemented by a wooden, two-storey front house. There were plans to extend the outbuildings as early as the beginning of the 20th century, but the outbreak of first the First and then the Second World War thwarted these plans. A new page in the history of the site is only now being written. The historic outbuilding will regain its splendour, and the conservation work involves preserving valuable architectural details. Some will be reconstructed according to the conservator’s guidelines.

– Ourinterest in this building was not accidental, the investor with whom we started the works loves Warsaw and this is his next project rescuing a historical building, which respects the history of the place and adapts it to the needs of contemporary users,’ says Marta Sękulska-Wrońska, architect. – The outbuilding was entered in the register of monuments during our design work. We marvelled at the few preserved balcony railings, wooden handrails and balusters in the staircases. When we began work on the project, we collaborated with the late Jarosław Zieliński, a varsavianist. He noticed the craftsmanship of the door carpentry. The few preserved elements will allow us to recreate the decoration of one of the staircases up to the height of the first floor. The façade, on the other hand, will fully reflect the original character of the building. Entering through the gate passage, everyone will be able to see a reminder of the 19th century buildings,” adds the architect.

The design of the Konopacka project assumes the preservation and renovation of old elements so that the residents can feel the spirit of the past. The flat designations and colour scheme will also be original. Each element of the project is carefully designed to best recreate its former character. Great arrangement possibilities in the historic outbuilding will be ensured by the height of the rooms, which will be up to 3.39 m, and the façade will be finished with renovation plaster,” emphasises the director of the Warsaw sales office of PROFIT Development.

The existing outbuilding was built on an L-plan. However, the architects designed the new part in the form of a mirror image of the old building. They enlarged the whole premise with another new building in the front part. The entire project was prepared in consultation with the Provincial Conservator of Monuments. The WXCA team consciously decided that the new development should not be historicising, but fully contemporary. In this way, they made reference to the diverse landscape of today’s Prague.

Zobacz

In the new building offered by PROFIT Development, 119 flats will be built, ranging in size from 25.17 to around 60 square metres. Some of them will have balconies and terraces. – Thenew building will be distinguished by its contemporary, simple and timeless architecture ,” notes the developer’s representative Agnieszka Pachulska.

Every detail matters

Contemporary residential developments are usually brand new buildings that are devoid of historical values. This time it is different. Residents will be able to interact with history on a daily basis. In addition, art is planned to be placed in the Konopacka space. The developer, in collaboration with architects, has planned a space for a modern sculpture. Its appearance is yet to be developed. The developer announces cooperation with local artists.

In accordance with the preservationist’s guidelines, the investment will soon be enriched by yet another element. One of the walls will be decorated with a large-format mural.

The contrasts of Prague attract artists, they resonate with creative activities. We assume that the architecture in this case provides a backdrop for filling it with an allegory of the present, both in the case of the niche in the courtyard and the gable walls of the building. We welcome the prospect of a mural that could depict, for example, an old map of Prague, or contemporary graphics combined with vertical greenery. Itseems that it is this synergy of art, architecture and neighbourhood life that creates the contemporary identity of this part of the capital, adds Marta Sękulska-Wrońska.

Construction work at 12 Konopacka Street is already underway and many of the future flats already have their owners. The planned delivery date for the flats is scheduled for May 2025. You can read more about the investment on the official website: profitdevelopment.com.pl/inwestycje/konopacka.

source: PROFIT Development, WXCA

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