02/05/2020
Maj otworzył nam się bardzo przyjemnie.
When architects build houses, you expect something special, something unique, something one-of-a-kind. And the house of Agnieszka & Grzegorz Ziebik is certainly not the usual one.
Gliwice is a small town just outside Katowice. Agnieszka and Grzegorz Ziebik grew up here. Together. Both have always wanted to become architects. Agnieszka wanted to follow her father's example, who himself teaches this profession, and Grzegorz remembers that he grew up in a gloomy, somewhat desolate and unpleasant environment, which spurred him on to shape his surroundings and the world outside. Agnieszka Ziebik teaches architecture, Grzegorz Ziebik has worked for a large architectural office for a long time and mainly developed offices and industrial buildings. Together they have now opened a small architectural office and together they have built a house for themselves and their three children - in Gliwice.
Architecture always stands in context - sometimes as a contrast, sometimes following the context and sometimes indifferent, separated. The neighbourhood of the house of the Ziebik family offers few clues. Individual detached houses, different shapes, no uniform style or dominant colours. "There is nothing here that can be referenced," says Gregorz Ziebik. "Here you can neither fight something nor follow something". The house of Ziebiks stands out here. With its large, archetypal roof, the simple forms, the aluminium panels, which dominate the roof and the façade in different widths like stripes and shape the character of this house. The entrance area is made of wood, which is slowly changing colour. It stands in clear contrast to the aluminium, which does not change at all. There are no details, no balcony. "It is the model of a house," says Grzegorz.
Something else that fits the budget
The two young, friendly and committed architects spent two years working on their common house. There was hardly any dispute, both say. It connected them more the search for the perfect house, their house. The interior is dominated by a large room with high walls, lots of wood and large windows that allow the view outside. It may be reminiscent of Japanese architecture. "People are surprised when they see our house," says Agnieszka, adding: "We wanted to do something different. But it also had to fit the budget. Today it's exactly how we imagined it to be." Nevertheless: "It was an experiment," Grzegorz stresses.
No style & too much
The longevity of his designs is particularly important to Grzegorz. Houses should not follow a trend but be as durable as possible. Architects have always been concerned with the non-ageing of buildings. "There is no such thing as the little black dress," says Agnieszka, alluding to the timeless garment par excellence. This is something that has to be invented in architecture. Both take a very critical view of the development of architecture in their native Poland. "There is no Polish style and we build far too fast. Little attention is paid to quality. It's hard to be able to realize yourself as an artist here," they say, and yet, or precisely because of that, they pursue their profession with passion.
