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Architects: JEMS
- Year: 2018
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Photographs:Maria Kot, Juliusz Sokołowski, Marcin Sadowski, Tomasz Napieralski
Text description provided by the architects. The luxurious Perfumiarnia Estate has been created in the center of Poznań, one of the oldest cities in Poland. It stands out with its “wavy” facade and subtly arched loggias with silvery blinds. Its dynamic architecture was designed by the Warsaw JEMS Architects studio and distinguishes the estate from standard residential buildings.
Six cozy houses, aligned in three pairs, are located at the site of a former perfume factory – hence the name of the investment. The buildings neighbor the historic tenement houses from the turn of the 19th century and the Wilson Park.
The architecture of the estate follows in the footsteps of old architects who designed the surroundings, where the free but orderly geometry of the houses with varied tectonics, subtle facade ledges, and meticulously finished details correspond to the exclusive Johow district situated on the opposite side of the park. Here is where more than a hundred years ago some of the most precious tenement houses in the city were built, inspired by the Berlin secession. Magnificent frontages would hide simple, austere yards.
Nearby ancient trees bestow a special aura on the place. Modern tenement houses have become an extension of the city garden. Their facade seems to be waving, with recessed and protruding elements growing into park vegetation. The buildings stand proudly, however they do not present a uniform front. Vegetation seems to be squeezing through the walls, and yet it remains in symbiosis with architecture. During the summer, tree canopies hide the buildings, while in autumn and winter, light facades become an etheric backdrop for branches.
A characteristic feature of the estate is the sophisticated balconies – loggias with very large glass paneling. Graceful arching handrails invite the hand to journey to the other side, to change the perspective. Silvery curtains open and shut, framing the panoramic view of the historic park seen from the interiors. – This is an unusual solution, which provides the residents with unique, even mystical sensations – architects explain while adding that this is how they perceive luxury in architecture.
Openwork shutters become a neutral backdrop for the park’s vegetation. Wavy curtains, made of a semi-transparent steel net, are remote-controlled, which is a rather complex invention. Its prototype was created by the architects themselves, who drafted the design documentation from scratch. JEMS architects say that it was their greatest challenge, just next to the complicated geometry of the building outline. This also posed a considerable challenge for construction engineers.
Noticeably, staircases and common areas of the buildings have been granted a meticulous finish. Wooden paneling, Italian stone, and intrinsically crafted stair handrails reflect the highest standards and give interiors an air of distinguished elegance.
The complex offers 140 spacious, bright apartments with surface areas between 46 and 153 square meters.
