Architecture with identity

You have been cooperating with Dekpol Deweloper for years as the owner and architect of Studio Ideograf. What made this cooperation turn into the decision to enter the company’s structures?

We have been cooperating for many years. It was for Dekpol Deweloper that I completed my first interior design. Our professional relationship has developed over the years and has naturally matured into the next stage. At some point, we decided that joining forces would be beneficial for both parties and would raise the quality of architecture to a higher level. Dekpol gained a specialized design unit, and I gained the opportunity to operate within an experienced development company and influence the entire investment process.

One of your statements included the statement that “a building cannot be a universal template.” How does this philosophy fit into the mission of Dekpol Deweloper?

This philosophy is very important to me – and to the entire Dekpol Deweloper team. We believe that each investment should have its own character and identity, resulting from the place where it is built. We strive for projects to engage in dialogue with the environment – to be its natural extension, not an imposed form.

A good example is Sol Marina, an investment with a private marina, the architecture of which results from its unique location in the vicinity of Sobieszewska Island. The design naturally opens to the water, and the details refer to the colors and textures taken from the surroundings.

In turn, Oval Sky in Warsaw draws from the industrial history of Wola. It is referred to, among others, by: through the materials used: brick and brass details. The interiors, elegant and functional, have been designed to meet the needs of the modern lifestyle and work in the city. Wola is a district with a strong history and at the same time full of urban energy – and this is what Oval Sky is like.

If a building cannot be a universal template, what does work on creating an investment look like?

When traveling around Poland, it is easy to notice that many contemporary housing estates look similar – the same proportions, window arrangement, white and gray facades, repeating balconies. In such projects it is difficult to talk about a real creative process. Often, the only space for creativity is the development of greenery or amenities such as automation. However, creating unconventional architecture is a completely different path. It requires deep knowledge of the place and building a coherent narrative around it. It is a process that takes many times longer – from developing the concept, through translating it into an architectural form, to refining the details. Each element is designed individually and often requires separate certifications and non-standard solutions. But that’s where its value lies.

Dekpol Developer is aware of these challenges. Our goal is to create investments that are rooted in the history and character of the place. In a sense, it is a return to the source of architecture – to the idea that each building should tell its own story.

Dekpol Developer likes to emphasize that it looks far into the future and changes the meaning of the concept of “premium” in its sector. What does this vision mean to you and what directions of development are most important today?

Today, developers should reconsider what the premium segment actually is. For me, this concept has two versions. The first of them means a conscious choice of lifestyle – one in which comfort, peace and quality are important. It’s not about prestige or manifesting status, but about a well-designed space in which you can simply live well. The quality of everyday life is influenced by specific solutions, such as: greater distances between buildings, greenery, places to rest and well-thought-out common spaces. The second version is investments that have an identity – they are consistent with the context, history and character of the place. Real premium does not come from the price of materials, but from emotions and authenticity. They give the project soul and make it remain valuable over the years.

What values ​​- both architectural and business – connect you with Dekpol Deweloper?

First of all, trust. The second equally important value is honesty – both towards colleagues and ourselves. And finally – continuous development. At Dekpol Deweloper, we are constantly faced with the question: what can we do further, better, differently? This approach suits me very well, because I live in the rhythm of constantly searching for new challenges.

The company’s structures show a growing number of women in top positions. How do you assess the importance of this presence?

There are actually more and more women in top positions in the company’s structures. However, this is not due to parity, but to the competence, responsibility and experience of these people. I would not like to reduce their presence to stereotypical features, such as empathy or softness of management. I believe that women at Dekpol are characterized by high competence, determination and intellectual level. These are exceptional people with whom I have a real pleasure to cooperate. Oval Sky in Warsaw is one of your most recognizable projects. Where did the inspiration to create a building with a central patio come from? The building corresponds to nearby buildings – primarily the brick gasworks buildings. Hence the arched balconies and windows on the top floors. We did not want to create another glass object that would disappear among many projects of this type, and in a few decades it would turn out that the passage of time had no beneficial effect on it. I wanted the architecture not to be intrusive or flashy, but to mature over the years, gaining character and nobility. Oval Sky has been designed to improve with age.

How does the building fit into the industrial heritage of Wola and the vicinity of the Warsaw Gasworks?

First of all, at the level of material selection. We made the facades of brick and covered the balconies with brass-colored sheet metal – they are characteristic of the old industrial buildings in Warsaw, the elements of which we also consciously transferred to the interior. On the ground floor, we used terrazzo – a raw material with an industrial origin. In this way, the architecture naturally creates connections between the modern European capital and the historical context of Wola.

This is Wola in Warsaw in a nutshell?

Exactly. It would be good if we remembered more often what Wola used to look like. I also have an observation – architects from outside the town where they design more often refer to the history of the place than people associated with it on a daily basis. From the outside, it is easier to notice nuances, and thus better place the project in the local context.

Sol Marina is an investment in which you were responsible for the interior design of the apartments and hotel. What was the process of creating this space like?

In Sol Marina it would have been easy to go for obvious nautical themes, but we consciously avoided this. Instead, we focused on natural materials that have a genuine connection with sailing and the nature surrounding the investment. In the project we used, among others: reeds, onyx resembling amber and sand-colored travertine.

As a result, a calm and harmonious space was created. One where residents and guests can really relax and spend time together in aesthetically coherent interiors. For me, this is the essence of design – to create places that do not dominate the surroundings, but become its natural extension and allow people to feel part of it.