A building has appeared in the city centre of Bolesławiec which, although only 3.8 metres wide, is an important addition to the street’s architecture. The new tenement house, designed by architects from Rewizja Grupa Projektowa, has filled a gap in the frontage, but has done so in a way that is far from a literal recreation of the historical form.
In archival photographs from ten years ago, a gap can be seen in the buildings on Łokietka Street in Bolesławiec. It was a shortcut between buildings and a place through which installations were carried out. Now this gap has been filled.
The new building was constructed on a plot with exceptionally unusual proportions. On one side, it borders a historic tenement house listed in the register, and on the other, newer multi-family buildings. The entire area is under conservation protection, which required special sensitivity from the designers.
The most important assumption was to preserve the flow of the place. Therefore, both the north and south façades are almost identical and equipped with large doors on the ground floor. When opened by the owners of the building, it is possible to walk through the building, just as if it were not there.
Restrictions became a challenge
The width of the plot required maximum precision in terms of construction and space. The interior develops vertically, and its proportions are emphasised by high glazing on both sides. The light coming in from the north and south shapes the space, bringing out the rawness of the materials: brick, concrete and white. Openwork details filter the rays, creating a subtle play of light and shadow, while the symmetrical composition gives the whole a calm, orderly character.
This is what the gap looked like over ten years ago:
The result is an architecture that does not attempt to dominate its historic surroundings. Instead, it fills a void – restoring continuity to the street and transforming a former emptiness into an urban structure.
A new chapter in the history of the street
Today, the building houses the Po Uszy w Mące bistro, which takes advantage of the space’s strengths: natural light, openness and intimate scale. The venue has become not only a gastronomic landmark on the city map, but also a place that activates the ground floor of the building and strengthens the relationship between architecture and street life.
The new tenement house in Bolesławiec is an example of how contemporary architecture can respond to difficult spatial and conservation conditions without sacrificing its own identity. The architects have managed to create one of the narrowest buildings in Poland, which may attract architecture and food lovers to the city!
design: Rewizja GrupaProjektowa
photos: Maciej Lulko
Read also: Tenement house | Restaurant| Bar | Facade | Brick | whiteMAD on Instagram
