Warsaw’s Plac Zbawiciela attracts lovers of pre-war architecture and atmospheric streets. In its vicinity stands a modernist tenement block from 1938, designed by Helena and Szymon Syrkus, built on Jaworzyńska Street. Architect Ewa Lewandowska designed one of the 100-metre flats there, transforming it into an elegant and understated interior where traces of history coexist with bold design and a rich collection of art and antiques. The flat in this tenement building draws heavily on the atmosphere of old Warsaw.
A modernist tenement block dating from 1938
The area around Plac Zbawiciela has been undergoing gradual regeneration for many years. Historic tenement blocks are regaining their former splendour, and the streets are filled with cafés, restaurants and cultural venues. It was here, on Jaworzyńska Street, that a building designed by the renowned architectural duo Helena and Szymon Syrkus was constructed in 1938. Its form follows the curve of the street, whilst the façade was designed in a minimalist, modernist style. Many original features have been preserved in the communal areas. The walls are finished with black marble slabs featuring subtle light-grey veining, the floors are laid with fine-grained anthracite terrazzo, whilst the staircases are adorned with balustrades featuring brass fittings. It was the atmosphere of pre-war Warsaw that convinced Ms Anna to buy a flat in this very building.
A flat in a tenement house: respect for history
The owner entrusted the design and supervision of the project to Ewa Lewandowska, an architect specialising in managing projects in historic buildings under the ‘substitute investment’ model. The women’s starting point was to preserve the most valuable, original features of the flat, whilst adapting the interior to the owner’s lifestyle. Among other things, the brass door handles and ventilation grilles were retained, as was the oak parquet flooring laid in a classic herringbone pattern. The flat features antique books displayed in a period glass-fronted bookcase, porcelain and historical tableware arranged in a sideboard. Meanwhile, the removal of some of the partition walls has created a spacious living area and a comfortable master suite with a walk-in wardrobe and a private bathroom. The study has been designed so that it can serve as an additional bedroom when guests visit.
A designer flat in a 1930s tenement
Upon entering the flat and passing through a small hallway, the living area opens up, comprising a dining room, lounge and study. The kitchen here makes quite an impression, with cashmere-coloured cabinet fronts paired with a granite worktop. The elegant furniture is set off by ‘Rendezvous Tokyo Blue’ wallpaper from the Belgian brand ARTE, created in collaboration with the Moooi studio. The floor is laid with a classic black-and-white pattern of Warsaw ‘gorseciki’, whilst an anthracite Multi-Lite lamp, designed by Louis Weisdorf in 1972, hangs above the round table. Furthermore, the interior is adorned with tasteful period furniture, which has been restored and finished with a traditional shellac polish. It has regained its former appearance and fits perfectly into the new interior design.
Bold colours in a pre-war tenement
The owner’s bedroom has been furnished with comfort and a touch of edge in mind. The centrepiece of the room is a Hästens bed set against a wall painted in a stormy sky shade. Tall doors with a transom window lead through a walk-in wardrobe finished in stained oak veneer to the en-suite bathroom. There, the main highlight is the freestanding Shropshire bath by Victoria Albert, featuring decorative legs. The walls, in turn, are adorned with Maison C wallpaper featuring watercolour silhouettes of dancers against an anthracite background. The vanity unit beneath the washbasin is finished in a raspberry-and-chilli lacquer, whilst its top is made of quartzite. In the smaller bathroom, meanwhile, there is a mosaic of natural Calacatta Gold marble, the elegance of which is emphasised by subtle linear lighting concealed within the mouldings. The collaboration between architect Ewa Lewandowska and client Anna has resulted in a very elegant, classic and historic interior, seasoned with a touch of femininity. Here, one can sense the spirit of magnificent pre-war Warsaw alongside the contemporary comforts of living in the heart of a European metropolis.
About the author:
Ewa Lewandowska is an architect and interior designer, a graduate of the Faculty of Architecture at the Warsaw University of Technology. For over a dozen years, she has been designing interiors, houses and flats, as well as supervising the implementation of projects, and since 2018 she has been running her own practice. She specialises in providing a comprehensive service for projects, often carried out on a ‘turnkey’ basis, enabling her to manage a project from concept through to completion. She has gained particular experience in projects involving historic buildings, where she is also responsible for liaising with conservation authorities.
design: Ewa Lewandowska
photographs:Piotr Gesicki
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