Issue 4(76)/2023

DOI: 10.5277/ARCHITECTUS

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Articles

Bogna Ludwig - Halfhip and hip roof with an attic in Lower Silesian towns at the beginning of the Prussian rule. Systematization of fire regulations and the form of roof”

doi:10.37190/arc230401

In Silesian towns, especially those in the Sudeten foothills and the Sudeten valleys, the use of hip and half hip roofs became common in the 2nd half of the 18th century. Along with them, late Baroque crownings of townhouses appeared. They combined the decoration of a low half hip gable, sometimes called a half gable, or dormers with a wall, obscuring the roof of the entire building. As a whole, this structure formed an elaborate attic. The author’s aim was to show that both the spread of roofs of such shapes and the forms of attics resulted from the adaptation of the tastes and needs of city dwellers to the ordinances in force. Municipal and then state regulations for the construction of houses, especially their canopies, resulted primarily from fire regulations. The research presents the process of formulating ordinances relating to the shape of roofs, roofing materials and surrounding fire walls. The analysis of preserved monuments and iconographic records depicting the roofs and crowning of tenement houses erected after the introduction of successive regulations made it possible to trace the ways in which they were implemented. The prescription to lower gables, in addition to erecting low roofs, resulted in a compromise in the form of constructing mansard roofs and shortening the height of gables by introducing pediments. The regulations on the method of erection and the height of fire walls influenced the way in which the gables of townhouses were designed and thus the form of attics became widespread.

Keywords:

    lower silesia

    baroque

    attic

    half hipped roof

    firewalls

Katarzyna Woszczenko, Adam Musiuk - Synergy of architecture and theology on the example of wooden Orthodox churches in the Podlaskie Voivodeship with blue façades

doi:10.37190/arc230402

The article presents research results regarding the importance of the synergy of theology and aesthetics of the architecture of blue Orthodoxchurches in the Podlaskie Voivodeship. The research was conducted using manuscript sources, subject literature, private communications and Internetsources. Photographic inventories of the sacred buildings under study were also carried out.The Podlaskie Voivodeship has the largest number of Orthodox churches in Poland. Due to the good availability of wood, these areas are associated with wooden construction. A characteristic feature of wooden Orthodox churches located in the analysed area is the colourful finish of theirfaçades. Colours have rich theological symbolism, especially visible in icons. Blue is often associated with the Theotokos, but also universally withdivinity. The study covered 17 parish churches that currently have blue façades in the following towns: Augustowo, Bielsk Podlaski, Dubicze Cerkiewne, Koterka, Kożany, Narew, Pasynki, Ploski, Puchły, Podbiele, Rajsk, Rogacze, Saki, Stary Kornin, Suwałki, Szczyty-Dzięciołowo, Werstokand 4 facilities with blue façades in the past – in Kuraszewo, Malesze, Milejczyce and Orzeszkowo. The churches were described in terms of the dateof construction and the colour of the façade finish. The majority of the buildings are oriented, have a tripartite interior visible from the outside andwere built in a log construction. Exceptions to these rules are included in the text.Our research has shown a connection between the blue colour of the façade and the Mother of God and theological symbolism. When designingnew churches, the use of blue should be taken into account in accordance with the symbolism adopted in the Orthodox Church and the traditionprevailing in a given area.

Keywords:

     architecture

    orthodox church

    blue

    theology

    symbols

Katarzyna Woszczenko, Adam Musiuk - The Modern Movement in the sacred architecture of Wrocław between 1912 and 1933

doi:10.37190/arc230403

The topic of the article is the modern movement in the sacred architecture of Wrocław between 1912–1933. Text, which is a contribution to the study of the problem of ecclesiastical architecture created in the capital of Lower Silesia in the years 1900–1933, examples are given of five structures – built and designed. They include both Catholic and Protestant buildings – the designs of the crematorium and cemetery chapel at Osobowice by Max Berg, the Catholic Church of the Holy Family by Kurt Langer, the Protestant Gustav Adolf Memorial Church designed by Albert Kempter and the outstanding, but unrealized competition project for this church by Hans Scharoun and Adolf Rading. These buildings are characterised by stylistic and functional diversity. Text provides a glimpse into the development of the modern movement in the work of Wrocław’s architects from the radically avant-garde visions of Max Berg and Oskar Kokoschka working together on the crematorium project, through the classically modernist character of the Holy Family Church built for Sępolno, to the functionalist style of the Albert Kempter’s Gustav Adolf Memorial Church and finally the ahead of its time, clearly not fitting into the categories of conservative church architecture competition design by Scharoun and Rading for the same church. Modernity, like the avant-garde, as a heterogeneous phenomenon reveals itself on many levels – from ideas to construction to functionality. An analysis of the buildings discussed based on the current state of research and an archival search including surviving designs and press materials proves that the capital of the Silesian Province not only did not remain on the fringes of the emerging avant-garde, but, with the strength of the local artistic milieu of the local artistic community, concentrated among others around the Royal Academy of Arts and Crafts, actively co-created the avant-garde, incorporating the iconic architecture created here into the framework of the extremely dynamic modern movement, which was developing rapidly at the time.

Keywords:

    wrocław

    sacred architecture

    modern movement

Klara Kantorowicz - Usage of digital surveying techniques in monuments of wooden architecture. Example of documentation of churches on Silesia and Lesser Poland border

doi:10.37190/arc230404

Monuments of wooden architecture are part of heritage which is particularly liable to destruction. That is why they need a detailed architectural survey. Architectural measurements of wooden churches in Poland have been conducted since the end of the 19th century. The digital methods of documenting monuments are becoming more and more popular and available, so they are replacing traditional measurements methods also in the monuments of wooden architecture. Examining the documentation made with digital techniques in 2022 in comparison to historical drawings for five wooden churches on Silesia and Lesser Poland border helped to stress the advantages and disadvantages of using modern surveying techniques in wooden architecture. It is obvious that using digital methods allows us to take the measurements faster. Also the geometry of the structure is registered more accurately. 3D documentation represents the geometry of the whole building, that is why it is fuller than the traditional architectural documentation, which only consists of predetermined plans and sections. The advantage of 3D documentation is also in the possibility to use it for visualisation purposes, e.g. special analyses or popularisation of heritage. However, while using digital surveying techniques in wooden architecture one must remember that these types of buildings require analytic documentation showing all elements of their complex construction. That is why creating competent documentation demands thorough study of the structure, especially in places inaccessible for scanners or cameras.

Keywords:

    sacral architecture

    wooden architecture

    historic building survey

    laser scanning

    photogrammetry

    3d documentation

Przemysław Gawęda, Tomasz Wagner, Sebastian Wróblewski, Martina Peřinková - Industrial heritage and art. Contemporary adaptations of post-industrial architecture in the selected areas of Upper Silesia and Dąbrowa Coal Basin

doi:10.37190/arc230405

The main aim of the present paper is to present the latest architectural design achievements in the field of the adaptations of the post-industrial heritage in two neighbouring and culturally closely linked regions: Upper Silesia (Śląsk) and Dąbrowa Coal Basin (Zagłębie) for the new functions and to validate the potential of use of the unique combination of industrial architecture and art. The research focuses on the architecture which was designed for the local industry from the period: from the late 19th century to the 1st half of the 20th century modernism and adaptations and renovations of that industrial architecture for new functions associated with art: museums, art centres, art and exhibition galleries. That architectural heritage with its unique spatial, light and detail solutions and even industrial equipment preserved in situ, used both as a background and main exhibition, serve especially as an interesting space for the modern and contemporary art exhibitions and art activities. This paper presents similarities and differences in analyzed architectural adaptations of the post industrial heritage in Czech and Polish regions.

Keywords:

    architecture

    industrial

    heritage

    adaptation

    art

Marta Smektała - Exploring the potential for balcony addition to tenements’ backyard elevation in Wrocław - spatial challenges related to shade and indoor daylight illumination

doi:10.37190/arc230406

The expected intensification of thermal modernizations due to the European Union requirements related to the reduction of CO2 emissions is a chance to reflect on potentiality of adaptation apartments in tenements to the current users’ needs and expectations. One of the elements improving living quality is a properly designed access to private outdoor space such as balconies. Urban typology potentially allows extending tenements’ backyard elevations with balconies. Nevertheless, these actions are not taken due to numerous limitations, i.a. because of an irregular elevations’ building line inside the quarters. The research aims to indicate the spatial conditions that would allow adding balconies to backyard elevations within the context of Polish technical regulations. The article focuses on regulations regarding obscuring and overshadowing the building and the impact of balconies’ additions on apartments’ indoor daylight. The research was conducted based on following methods: the desktop study of relevant regulations about minimal distances regarding obscuring and overshadowing the buildings, urban analysis presenting the typologies of inner-quarter elevation building line and daylight simulations of Daylight Factor and illuminance unveiling the balcony addition’s impact on interior daylight were conducted to reply these questions. The results are schedules of situations in tenements’ courtyards, where an addition would be difficult or impossible indicating minimal distances requirements and of balconies’ impact on indoor daylight depending on their forms and solar orientations. The study demonstrates that the Polish requirements are insufficient tool for indoor daylight preservation. The simulations conducted on the cases demonstrate that adding a balcony to the South, West and East elevations the illuminance does not lower the interior daylight below 300 lux, what is considered as a minimum level. What’s more, balcony may reduce daylight illuminance, where it exceeds 3000 lux and may cause an unwelcome glare effect. However, further research is necessary to investigate the Polish insolation regulations and proper add-on balcony design as an element enhancing apartment adaptability to different climate seasons.

Keywords:

    balcon

    indoor daylight

    heritage housing adaptation

Ewa Cisek - Modern design strategies for integrating new urban ecosystems with housing architecture in Antwerp as an example of the aspiration to achieve climate neutrality

doi:10.37190/arc230407

The article discusses the issues of deliberate design strategies aimed at reducing the effect of the urban heat island and improving the quality of air in the city, which have been implemented in recent years in Antwerp, Belgium. Literature studies and case studies (theory and practice analysis) supported by the in situ method, i.e. local visits in the field became our workshop method. The criterion for collecting data, systematization of issues and their synthesis depended on the interdisciplinary approach to the subject and the openness of ideas. The implementation of green areas in the form of wild ecosystems on composite roofs and terraces of housing complexes (e.g. Palazzo Verde in Antwerp, architect Stefano Boeri, implementation in 2018) and ecological education parks which are established in urban revitalized areas (e.g. Hobokense in Antwerp along with housing estates of the Polderstadt and Groen Zuid, architect Binst Architects, implementation in 2020), is part of actions aimed at increasing the quality porosity of the urban tissue and thus the biologically active area and effective rainwater retention. These new urban ecosystems, which are based on native species of plants and new ones coexisting with them in full synergy, are conducive to increasing local biodiversity, eco education of inhabitants and creating architecture as a form of art combined with biology. The location of housing eco-architecture along with urban crops areas on the border of new urban eco ecosystems and the possibility of breeding and grazing of small animals or organizing bees apiaries supports the trend for maintaining agricultural functions in cities and small gastronomy which is oriented to the promotion of local products. These strategies are part of the city pro-climate policy as effective grassroots actions aimed at obtaining the climate neutrality of our planet.

Keywords:

    bioclimatic architecture

    ecological education park

    deep ecology

    vertical forest

Cansu Iraz Seyrek Şık - Vegetated kinetic façade - monographic review

doi:10.37190/arc230408

Vertical green façades and kinetic façades are environmentally friendly and energy efficient construction technologies that have gained popularity in recent years. Vegetated kinetic façades are a relatively new façade concept that can combine the positive features of these two systems while the research on them is limited. The aim of this study is to identify the new opportunities and the most promising concepts of vegetated kinetic façades in terms of environmental sustainability and user comfort. In this article, technologies and design trends developed in the last decade are examined for vertical green façade systems and kinetic façades through literature review followed by the comparative analysis. Based on the results of the comparative analysis of vertical green façades and kinetic façades, the author will discuss potential risks and disadvantages of vegetated kinetic façade concepts. The conclusions go beyond the main benefits of vegetated kinetic façades such as energy efficiency, daylight control and outdoor air quality improvement, to present additional potential advantages such as energy generation, rainwater collection and carbon sequestration.

Keywords:

    vertical green façades

    kinetic façades

    vegetated kinetic façades

Anna Agata Kantarek - Exploring the transparency of street frontages in Krakow

doi:10.37190/arc230409

The ground floor activities that define the street space play a key role both in traditional and contemporary public space. They provide an inward and outward relationship and contribute to both liveliness of the street and a sense of security. Thus, frontage transparency is crucial for the relationship between the open public space and the internal functions at the edge of the street, as well as for the production and maintenance of a vital public domain. This paper summarises the results of a study on the transparency of street frontages in public space using selected sequences of radial streets in Krakow as an example. The research measures building front transparency in two radial sequences of streets coming from Krakow’s inner city, using inventory of a shop window in two categories – degree of windows transparency and premises uses. The study reveals the basic characteristics of the street frontage transparency and the functional preferences of its degrees.

Keywords:

    street frontage transparency

    public space

    streetscape

    urban design

    krakow

Justyna Kobylarczyk, Dominika Kuśnierz-Krupa, Marcin Furtak, Marzena Nowak-Ocłoń - Parametric assessment of the quality of the housing environment of selected areas in the small towns in the Subcarpathian Voivodeship using the integrated quality indicator

doi:10.37190/arc230410

This paper presents a method of assessing housing environment quality using the Integrated Quality Index (IQI) defined and tested by the authors. This method complements the previously used descriptive and/or parametric methods. Both methods are not fully effective in a comparative diagnosis of areas and in determining which of them can provide higher quality. This is due, among other things, to the different weighting of the individual factors that are rated and which make up the final (resultant) assessment. The aim of the study was to demonstrate that by using a single comparative indicator, defined by the authors as the IQI, it is possible to obtain an objectified assessment that takes into account parametric ratings of all the factors analysed with appropriate weights. This removes the ambiguity in the comparison of quality ratings of different housing areas. A higher IQI value means a higher quality housing environment. This indicator makes it possible to assess the quality of the human housing environment to a greater extent than with a descriptive and parametric assessment separate for each factor. For this reason, in addition to its academic value, the method presented in this paper also has a practical value – it facilitates unambiguous conclusions and, consequently, the pursuit of improved housing conditions, which has an undeniable impact on further research into the topic under discussion.

Keywords:

    housing environment quality

    parametric assessment

    integrated quality indicator

    research method

Ada Kwiatkowska - Architecture of time: from motion picture to computer animation

doi:10.37190/arc230411

The architecture of the digital era, exploring the dimension of time, refers to the concept of so-called time-based art. Present computer technologies allow one to simulate the space-time transformation of architectural objects connected with observer’s movement and to create dynamic movable spatial structures by applying smart materials and technologies to architecture. The purposes of the research are to analyse the influence of the concept of time on the shaping of architectural forms and the directions of the development of architectural forms determined by technologies discovered during the industrial and information revolutions (film techniques, computer visualisations, simulations, and animations). Based on the structural analysis of dynamic mutual relations between the observer, the architectural object, and the context, connected with comparative and critical analysis of modern trends, different types of architecture of time are distinguished. These types are derivatives of the expression of time in three-dimensional space and assumptions related to the degree of changeability and dynamics of the spatial structures (kinaesthetic, kinematic, and kinetic forms), and depend on the expression tools used in the creation and simulation of the mutability of forms. Computer animation is not only a tool, but also a way of thinking about the architectural form as an object immersed in space-time, therefore it will influence the way of designing and contribute to the emergence of a new generation of forms in the near future. Time-based architecture of the information age will explore the idea of streaming architecture.

Keywords:

    kinematics

    kinetics

    architectural form

    kinaesthesia

    space-time simulations

Katarzyna Słuchocka, Borys Siewczyński, Jan Szot - Synergy in the design process - contemporary tools used in the recording and implementation of the design idea

doi:10.37190/arc230412

The article presents the problem of using manual graphic recording and multimedia recording in the process of perception of architectural spaces, with the aim of searching for tools that can optimize the design processes of architecture and urbanism. The material refers to the research conducted by comparative analysis, individual cases (case study) using the heuristic method. Selected sets of graphic, drawing and painting interpretations, as well as records in the nature of film tracks, were analyzed in an effort to assess the merit of the method used in determining the character of a given space and the degree of its recognition. The simultaneous use of both tools contributed to broadening the research field and deepening the diagnosis of the spaces recognized by the students. The research undertaken showed the advisability of using a combined cognitive method, based on the mutual transfer of drawing and multimedia techniques, which can be an effective tool for optimization in creative and design work. The dualistic way of approaching the issue gave confirmation that the synergy of action can result in an expanded analysis of space, the development of imagination and the ability to use new means of expression, consequently forming interesting plastic and multimedia articulations.

Keywords:

    graphical record

    multimedia

    design synergy