Villa Granke on the border of Skolimów and Konstancin-Jeziorna (Mazowieckie Voivodeship) had been falling into disrepair for many years. The state of the building was downright catastrophic and everything seemed to indicate that its end had come. Fortunately, in 2019, the building fell into the hands of a new owner, who began its renovation. Today, more beautiful than ever, Villa Granke is a great ornament to the area and is once again bustling with life.
The villa was built around 1914. Little is known about its history or even the origin of the name itself. Adam Zyszczyk from the portal okolicekonstancina.pl considers several hypotheses: “The plot of land at the beginning of the 20th century belonged to Konstanty Muller, although it is not known whether it was he who built the house or a possible later owner. The villa bore the graceful name “Granke” (this is the description on the back of the only old photograph of the building I know, taken in 1944). Where did this name come from? Perhaps from Graniczna Street, where it is located? Or perhaps from the name of the eventual owner? My as yet unconfirmed clue is the figure of Aleksander Granke, the pre-war director and owner of Warsaw’s Jan Kerntopf Piano Factory. In 1910, Aleksander Granke built another boarding house, ‘Irena’, a street away, at 9 Kraszewskiego Street. Perhaps he was also the owner of this “Granke” villa – this would simply explain its name”.
Back in 2015, the villa looked as if it was about to collapse at any moment. The interiors had been destroyed by vandals and encroached upon by wild vegetation, with all kinds of rubbish strewn around. Despite this condition, a pet shop operated on the ground floor of the building on the street side, whose owners carried out major repairs to this part of the villa. After the shop moved out in 2016, the monument was left completely unattended and its fate seemed a foregone conclusion. Especially since the owner, who was living abroad, was not interested in renovating the building. Rescue came at the last minute. The building was bought by the owner of the nearby Villa La Fleur.
Villa Granke before and after the makeover
In 2019, a two-year renovation began. The tower was renovated, the cookers, floor tiles, verandas or woodwork were restored. A glass pavilion was added to the garden façade of the building, which increased the usable area of the building. The villa has regained its former chic and splendour. Its surroundings were also taken care of. The building became part of the private painting museum École de Paris, which is now housed in the two villas Granke and La Fleur, which are linked by a scenic avenue. Ebing & Partners Sp. z o.o. is responsible for the redevelopment project.
Photos: Villa La Fleur archives/Paweł Śmiela
Source: okolicekonstancina.pl, rekonstrukcjeiodbudowy.pl
Read also: Architecture | Renovation | City | Warsaw| Architecture in Poland | Villas and residences
