NArchitekTURA

CONTINUUM . Southern Poland

NArchitekTURA

There is a small house in a large garden filled with numerous plants brought from different parts of the world. It was designed, built and cultivated by my father. Over several years the place was an oasis, retreat and meeting space for our family. We all witnessed how it changes and evolves with seasons and years, learning about and from nature.

Continuing my father's work and taking care of our „paradise garden” was always quite obvious for me. Some time ago I have started planning new discreet interventions which could enrich the place. I concentrated on the old holiday and weekend house, leaving the wild greenery around almost untouched.
The existing building was renovated, painted white and covered with a „cocoon” dissolving light, shade and physical boarders of architecture. The new layer made out of dozens of movable elements allows opening or closing the structure depending on external conditions. It protects against heat, wind, rain and snow, it also creates specific microclimate for sensitive plants growing in the intermediate zone between old and new walls. I have found dense, translucent material by an accident - it usually serves as a hidden insulation layer in pitched roofs. I guess in CONTINUUM project was used as an elevation fabric for the first time.
The material changes its colour and opacity depending on light and weather conditions, ranging from pure white to different shades of gray. It seems like a background for large grasses, bushes or trees and their shadows. During the night it acts as a screen reflecting and blurring the light from large windows in existing structure. It changes the house into a ghost-like lantern illuminating the nearest surrounding.
The interior design is limited to minimum, basing on easily adaptable white cube and natural, mostly recycled materials. The functions will probably change in time, following my family's passions and hobbies. I can imagine furniture workshop here, exhibition space for paintings or photographs, small library, tea room or florist laboratory, ocassionaly even meditation space.
The garden will also change with constantly growing and expanding old and new plants. I'm sure that its „fruits” will be used and reused in many ways: selected plants for floral may form ikebana-like compositions, while fresh vegetables may serve as a basis for my mother's eco-kitchen.
The existing state of the place is just another step in its history. The new interventions are supposed to form frames for future events, meetings and activities. They should create specific CONTINUUM linking past, present and future.
Bartosz Haduch

CONTINUUM
AUTHORS:
Bartosz Haduch / NArchitekTURA
Zbigniew Haduch (existing building)
COLLABORATION:
Łukasz Marjański
LOCATION: Southern Poland
DESIGN: 2011-
REALIZATION: 2012-