The Mazovian Provincial Conservator of Monuments has announced that the wooden villa ‘Leśniczówka’ located in Konstancin-Jeziorna has gained legal protection. The historic building is located at 26 Wojewódzka Street and boasts a sizable garden.
Villa ‘Leśniczówka’ is located in the picturesque quarter delimited by Bolesława Prusa, Wojewódzka, Potulickich and Rycerska Streets, and is an exemplary realisation of holiday architecture from the interwar period. It is thanks to such places that we can explore the architectural heritage that bears witness to the beginning of the 20th century.
The villa was built around 1937 on a property known as Willa Zdzisławówka, located in Dobra Skolimów A. The history of the place dates back to 1919, when Jakobina-Zofia Zarańska, wife of Jan Zarański – a lawyer, mining engineer and co-founder of the Mining Academy in Krakow – acquired the entire estate. In the 1930s, a wooden house was built on it, which, despite the turbulent events of the war, has almost all survived. Today, the villa remains private property, but its historical and cultural value has been recognised by state institutions, resulting in legal protection.
Regional inspiration
The ‘Leśniczówka’ villa is an exceptional example of wooden summerhouse architecture. The inter-war period was dominated by brick buildings whose architecture combined historicist elements with modernist tendencies. Nevertheless, the selection of materials and construction techniques used in the construction of this villa makes it unique, and the authentic functional and spatial layout and original window and door joinery impress with their precision. The interiors, full of original furnishings, can today serve as a valuable source of information about the ways in which summer timber houses were built, revealing both the practical and aesthetic aspects of the architecture there.
An important element of the building’s character is its form, inspired by the regional architecture of southern Poland. The influences of the tradition with which Jan Zarański was associated for so long reflect the preferences of the original owners and the desire to preserve local building traditions. Such solutions give the villa a unique character, combining modern functionalist ideals with the historical heritage of the region.
The heritage of Jan Zarański
The figure of Jan Zaranski, whose contribution to the development of the national industry and the creation of the sector’s legal foundations is well known to historians, gives the building an extra dimension. His involvement, both as a lawyer and an engineer, and his role in shaping the Mining Academy in Krakow, make the villa not just an example of summer architecture, but also a testimony to the important socio-economic changes of the inter-war period.
Entry in the register of historical monuments is not only a formal recognition of the artistic and historical value of the building, but also a guarantee of its protection for future generations. Thanks to this solution, the Wooden Villa ‘Leśniczówka’ has a chance to survive for decades to come, preserving the unique features of yesteryear and inspiring contemporary architects and history lovers.
photos: WUOZ in Warsaw
source: Mazovian Voivodeship Historic Preservation Officer(https://mwkz.pl)
Read also: Wood | Villas and residences | Single-family house | Monument | Featured | whiteMAD on Instagram
