In Warsaw’s Mokotów district, surrounded by Fort Czerniaków, stands a unique building with a long and complicated history, which has been restored to its original character thanks to a recently completed renovation. The Icarus House, designed before World War II as part of an officers’ housing estate, is an example of modernist architecture in the Esprit Nouveau style, which has regained its original features after years of changes.
Originally built as a two-storey block with an orthogonal shape, the Icarus House was distinguished by its multi-pitched roof with an elevated finial, which gave it an elegant and modern character. Unfortunately, the building was destroyed during the Second World War. In 1947, architect Bogdan Hammer undertook its reconstruction, trying to recreate the original design as closely as possible.
In the 1990s, the house underwent a major reconstruction, which significantly obliterated its original appearance and style. A high attic was added and covered by a gabled roof with large eaves. The step above the entrance was built up, and the form of the garden terrace and the balcony on the first floor were extensively modified. Changes were also made to the layout of the windows, which received new joinery that differed significantly from the original proportions and divisions.
The house on Ikara Street before and after reconstruction. Photo: Google Maps and Bui-Pędowska Architekci
The latest redevelopment project aimed to restore the building to its pre-war form and character. The house, which now measures 302sqm, was demolished and built anew, with a restoration of its original modernist style. The original massing of the building has been restored, retaining the multi-pitched roof and orthogonal spatial arrangement. The building also has a window layout reminiscent of the former design and a characteristic crowning cornice. Thanks to this, the Icarus House once again serves not only a residential function, but also constitutes a valuable urban element, testifying to the historical development of the area around Fort Czerniaków. The restoration of the modernist features of the building makes it possible to maintain the coherence and aesthetics of the officer’s estate to which it once belonged.
Location: Ikara Street, Warsaw-Mokotów
Usable area: 302 sqm.
Investor: private
Year of construction: 2021
Designers: Mai Bui Ngoc, Marta Pędowska – Bui-Pędowska Architekcioffice
Read also: Single-family house | Metamorphosis | Warsaw | Elevation | Modernism| whiteMAD on Instagram
