Framed by sleek white fencing, this Krakow house designed by Polish architecture studio UCEES is a minimalist villa that nods to the layered form of an iceberg. Titled 'The House in White’, the structure is cubic and sculptural, designed to impress the viewer, but not compete with the surrounding architecture.
Discover this Krakow house
‘The House in White’ is located in Wola Justowska, known for being one of the most popular residential districts of Krakow. Playfully known as the city’s Beverly Hills, the neighbourhood balances the urban with green space and a woodland park.
The architects wanted to combine a modern form with environmentally friendly solutions. They looked at the form of the region's typical urban villa as the foundation of their design, adopting a flat roof and a uniform white volume. The building evolved from there, the architects playing with shape and texture, and adding dynamism to the façade.
The primary material used was concrete. The white cement's forms were shaped by 'chiselling away' the archetypal cube's layers. Further concrete details found in sills, overhangs, and cornices bring visual intrigue to the building.
The residence comprises an upper floor featuring a carefully composed, 'concave lens-shaped form', say the architects, and recessed ground-floor terraces. Throughout the whole building, the attention to detail is evident, from the carved concrete surfaces to the façade lines and the flooring of the terraces.
The architects were equally conscious of environmental concerns. When planning the design, UCEES made sure that all existing trees on the plot were preserved. The team also emphasised sustainability through material use, for example, going for TioCem cement, which removes nitrogen oxides from polluted air.
The resulting single-family house is a captivating case study of what happens when brutalist materialities meet contemporary concerns, resulting in an urban villa full of visual intrigue.
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