In the heart of Warsaw, a historical 19th-century building was left poorly reconstructed after World War II. The seven-storey structure had been reduced to four storeys, with many of the monumental decorations of the building destroyed. The building remained in a pseudo-modern condition, until the young Polish designers Maciej Kurkowski and Maciej Sutula were assigned to revamp the building.

The design duo managed to preserve and enhance the raw, industrial atmosphere of the interior. By dividing the spaces into working and living areas, they reinterpreted it in a warmer and cosier variation, making the interior reflect its history as a tenement house.

Throughout the interior a monochromatic colour scheme is used. Different shades of grey create a neutral background – bearing in mind the area could function as a gallery or exhibition space. Contrasting the smooth plastered walls, cubical elements have been added in the corner of the conference room. The birch plywood panels have been digitally designed and produced, and therefore complement the atmosphere rather than contrast it. The triangular cut panels reappear throughout the interior, creating harmony and balance for both spaces. By reviving  the 216-sq-m building, Kurkowski and Sutula mend the broken essence of the centuries-old architecture right back together.

Photos courtesy of Paulina Sasinowska, Maciej Kurkowski and Maciej Sutuła.