Two guesthouses in Karpacz, in Wolf Clearing district, located near Śnieżka – the highest peak of Karkonosze and the most popular tourist destination in the area. Buildings are situated in direct neighbourhood of Karkonosze National Park. Twin structures are located on 3670 square meter plot. First one, 446 square meter building, houses eight independent apartments. Second one, 565 square meter building, contains seven apartments and additional underground garage. Each apartment consists of kitchen and a dining space, living room and a separate bedroom.

Guidelines provided by clients aimed at high quality aesthetic and material values. In addition; an important requirement was adapting the design to maintenance-free operation. Traditional reception was substituted with fully automated online booking and admittance system.

The origin of architectural concept, design and external finishing is historic architecture of Karkonosze wooden mountain shelters and houses from the turn of the 19th and 20th century. It was influenced by formal reasons as well as the desire to fit in the regional traditions with respect to heritage and homogeneity. Solid stone plinth, exposed half-timbered construction, gable ends covered with wooden boards, roofs covered with wooden shingles – all these elements are reflected in an updated form.

Concrete structure of two lower floors is covered with split gneiss. Hand-formed piece by piece, the stones were carefully composed according to the character defined in the project. Solid stone plinth creates a massive, logical base for much lighter wooden frame on upper floors. Large format glazing exposes internal wooden structure resembling half-timbered type construction with its composition. Spectacular glazing of gable walls is covered with wooden vertical fins in order to reference typical regional wooden gables. Upper floor facades and the roof are cladded with the same material – pine thermowood. Such expression, also appearing as a form of fifth elevation, relates visually to traditional wood shingles covering. Complemented by concrete and granite, wood is also the main material defining interiors of the apartments. Internal walls in basement and ground floor apartments are finished with concrete plaster. First floor and attic interiors are dominated with pine plywood following facades' division. Thanks to full height glazing the apartments are opening to the views of surrounding landscape. Guests of the apartments on the east side will enjoy the view of the neighbouring forest. South and west side windows provide a panorama of Karkonosze and visible Śnieżka peak with recognizable silhouette of the meteorological observatory located on its top.

Materials used: 

1. Facade cladding: Thermory
2. Doors: Wostol
3. Windows: Aluprof
4. Roofing: Thermory
5. Interior lighting: Aplomb Large, Foscarini, Labra
6. Interior furniture: sofa Dienne, chairs Fameg

Apartments in Wolf Clearing is a residential design in the Polish town of Karpacz, which is a popular destination for hiking and skiing the Karkonosze Mountains. The idea behind the building was to offer design-forward rental accommodation in the area, which is rich with accommodation and restaurants, for those who are looking for a unique travel experience.

The architecture comprises two, gabled buildings that mirror each other and are similar in size: each has four levels and contain several one-bedroom suites. The structures are nestled into a grassy hill in Wolf Clearing, and split gneiss rocks cover their bases while the rest of the exteriors and rooflines are clad in vertical pine boards by Thermory. The wood-covered roof design is rare and a modern interpretation of the shingle roofing that was once widely used. The result is a balanced look of contemporary and natural, of being rooted in the mountainous terrain and also relating to the surrounding trees.

The architecture firm behind the project, Studio De.materia in Poznan which is led by Adam Wysocki, selected Thermory’s panel cladding because of its wood technology that still resembles the natural pale timber he was after. The thermally treated pine has a significantly longer lifespan than conventional wood and is easier to maintain. Other benefits are that is especially resistant to bark beetles and fungi that are common in the region, and there was no need to coat or paint it after construction.

“Normal wood is often dimensionally unstable and prone to deformation under various weather conditions,” Wysocki said. “Because Thermory wood is treated to the process of thermal-modification, it loses these undesirable properties. It is very dimensionally stable and practically does not twist or deform.”It has been a year since the project was first built, and the cladding has taken on a weathered look that the architect loves: “To be honest, I like the appearance of the wood much more than the initial colour – the wood slowly turns into a silver patina which I personally love.”

The two rental buildings vary somewhat inside with the placement of kitchens and bedrooms. Each has two, one-bedroom apartments on the top three floors, while the site of the first building allowed for an outdoor parking lot, while there was no place for this with the second building so it contains a garage on the bottom level. The interiors are warm and cosy and feature large windows, dark floors, walls are covered in concrete plaster in a cream tone and minimal details like black cabinets, grey sofas and pale wood furniture.

Pine cladding by Thermory also features on a New Zealand residence by Ben Hudson Architects, while darker ash panels wrap around a private retreat in Estonia.

Design
studio de.materia

Distribution
Komplex Market

Photography 
ONI studio

Product Information
Benchmark by Thermory
Thermo-pine cladding and roofing